questions

Can I lose my house if I fail to pay my credit card bills? — by Conrad Murray — last modified 2008-05-03 09:57

If I fail to pay my credit card bills can the banks make me sell my house (which I own) to pay them back?

I have a loan for £2,000 with a high interest company which I have been told may be unenforceable. How do I go about getting the agreement checked and what will the cost of this be? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-13 12:45

I have taken out a loan for £2,000 with a high interest company and I have been told that the loan may be unenforceable as this company have had these types of claims against them before. How do I go about getting the agreement checked, how much would it cost to have the balance of the loan wiped and what is the process for paying the Solicitors' fees? Can you also advise me of the usual time scale for these types of claim and tell me if this will have any detrimental effect on my credit rating?

I have finance on a vehicle for £7,500 and have heard that credit agreements can be unenforceable. Is this correct? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-13 12:59

I have recently taken out finance on a vehicle for £7,500 and have heard that credit agreements can be unenforceable. Is this correct and how do I go about having my agreement looked at? I also have a personal loan for £5,000.

Why am I paying so much in bank charges? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-14 10:23

My bank takes charges out of my account at least two to four times a month of £5 - £10. When I ask what this is for they say it is standard debit interest charges. Can I find out why I am paying so much each month in charges, is this right? Can I claim this back?

My lenders have added the payment protection to the loan amount which means I am paying interest on it. Is this right? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-14 11:29

I took a loan out for £10,000 and was told that I needed payment protection. I was dismayed to discover that the payment protection amount of £2,500 was added to my loan so I will be paying interest on it for seven years. Are they right in adding them together?

I have heard that some loans can be written off and you don't have to pay the money back. Is this correct? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-14 12:04

I have heard that some loans can be written off and you don't have to pay the money back. Is this correct?

We ordered goods from the USA which were delivered by DHL who are now, a year later, requesting £18 in customs charges. Do we have to pay this? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-14 13:37

Over a year ago we ordered goods from the USA and the parcel was delivered through DHL. Yesterday I received a letter from DHL requesting the sum of £18 in customs charges for this item saying if we do not pay they will pass the case to their Solicitor. The letter also states that they they paid this money for us so that the parcel could be delivered to us. Had we known this at the time we would have sent the item back. Please help, what shall we do?

I have payment protection on my personal loan. I want to cancel this protection but the loan company are saying it is compulsory. Is this correct? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-14 16:00

I have a payment protection policy on my personal loan. I have tried to cancel it but the loan company have refused, telling me that the policy is compulsory. I have been paying it for the last three years, do they have the right to enforce the policy and can I claim back what I have already paid?

I had a computer delivered and the company mistakenly delivered two, can I legally keep the second one? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-22 09:37

I had a computer delivered and the company mistakenly delivered two. Despite calls and requests for them to collect the second one they haven't / won't collect. Can I legally keep it now that six weeks have gone by?

I took out a loan and was told I had to take the PPI in order to get the loan. I do not want or need the PPI, can I cancel this and get back what I have paid? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-23 11:37

I have taken out a loan and they told me that I had to take the PPI in order to be approved for the loan. I told them I would take it and I was subsequently accepted for the loan. It is for £2,000. However, I don't want or need the PPI as I am advised that it is largely useless and probably won't cover me in the event that I can't make the repayments. Can I cancel this or claim back any that I have paid even though I have accepted the loan and the PPI. Would it be considered fraud as I accepted the PPI with no intentions of keeping the policy? I have not been given the money yet, I am still waiting on it and don't want to jeopardise the loan because I need it.

I obtained Judgement against a PLC but made a mistake in the defendant's name. Is my claim still valid? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-27 13:00

I have won a Small Claims Court against a PLC by default. But in my claim I forgot to add PLC after the defendant's name. Is my claim still valid and will I be able to take recovery proceedings as the Judgement is still not satisfied?

How can I check to see if a loan is enforceable or not? — by mariam — last modified 2008-05-30 10:03

How can I check to see if a loan is enforceable or not?

Can a bailiff call unannounced on a Sunday? — by Conrad Murray — last modified 2008-06-09 08:04

Can a bailiff call unannounced on a Sunday?

I was unable to pay for a loan I took out and now I am being taken to Court. — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-10 20:09

I signed a contract for a loan and was unable to pay it and now I am being taken to Court. I signed for the loan under the name I am known by, however this is not the name on my Birth Certificate, does this make the contract void and can I still be taken to Court and made bankrupt?

My husband bought me a voucher which was only valid for three months. Can the business put a time limit on a voucher which has been paid for in full? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-12 17:17

My husband bought me a voucher at Christmas 2007 from a Beauty Salon and I have just noticed it was only valid for three months i.e to 25/3/08. Is the business allowed to put a time limit on a voucher like this which has been paid for in full? I feel it is unreasonable as I was unable to use it before the three months expiry date.

I have booked and paid for a holiday and now the holiday company say I have to pay a fuel surcharge. Can they do this? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-20 15:01

I have been told that I have to pay another £114 for fuel surcharge on a holiday that I have booked and already paid for. I travel in September, how many times can they keep on doing this?

A friend maxed out my husband's credit card, how can we get him to pay the money back? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-24 17:53

A friend borrowed my husband's credit card, he had the pin number and maxed out the limit. My husband and he had a verbal agreement that this friend would pay back the money he owed as soon as possible but he failed to do so. Is there anything we can do to encourage him to repay us, since due to missed payments we got into considerable debt?

Is there a loophole in the 1974 Consumer Credit Act which means that unsecured debts taken out before April 2007 are not enforceable? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-26 11:40

I read that a loophole in the 1974 Consumer Credit Act means that unsecured debts taken out before April 2007 are not enforceable. Is this true and if so which section is it covered in and how would it stand legally?

I got a car four months ago after exchanging my old vehicle. I have since found out that this car is subject to a logbook loan and the loan company want to take it away. What are my rights? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-27 12:32

I got a car four months ago after exchanging my old vehicle in a private transaction. I have since found out that this car is subject to a logbook loan and have been sent a copy of the Bill of Sale. The loan company have said they are coming to take away the car and apparently we have no rights regarding this. The person we got the car from was not the subject of the loan but the previous owner was and cannot be traced by the loan company. My old vehicle has since been sold by the man I exchanged with and he made a good profit, whereas I have been left with nothing. Can you please advise me as to whether or not I have any rights at all?

We can no longer afford our car repayments, what can we do? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-30 13:36

My partner has lost his job and mine is possibly only temporary and we can't afford our car payments. We want to return the car as we can no longer afford to run and insure it. How can we do this?

Two years later I have found out my car was a Cat D. Can I give the car back without paying the rest of the finance? — by mariam — last modified 2008-06-30 18:02

Two years after I bought my car I have found out it was a Cat D. Where do I stand as I was not told by the company that sold it to me that it was? Can I give the car back without paying the rest of the finance or am I stuck with it?

How long is it before a CCJ does not show on a credit report? If it doesn't show, is the debt no longer collectable? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-01 14:23

How long is it before a CCJ does not show on a credit report? If it doesn't show does this mean that the debt is no longer collectable by the company who obtained the CCJ? If my credit report shows a negative adverse entry which is entirely a mistake by the company concerned, do I have any legal claim against them?

I have been paying PPI on a loan ... is there any chance I can claim this back? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-01 16:46

I have been paying PPI on a loan ... is there any chance I can claim this back?

Is it legal to make a ringtone out of a track I purchased on a CD in the UK? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-08 18:49

I would like to know if it's legal to make a ringtone out of a track I purchased (on a CD) in the UK.

My son has an outstanding loan of £12,000 but he has moved abroad. What will happen if he doesn't pay? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-16 17:23

My son has moved abroad and has left a £12,000 loan behind as he cannot afford the repayments. The loan company do not know he has moved. What will happen if he doesn't pay?

I am being harassed by a mobile phone company with regard to monies which I do not believe I owe them. How can I get them off my back? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-22 14:53

I refused to pay for my 18 month mobile phone contract because the company breached terms of agreement when they decided not to give me the full 6 months free service they promised. Now I have debt collectors sending me letters of costs and constantly calling me morning and night. They are saying I could get a bad credit rating from this but is there any real legal action that they can take? I am determined to stand my ground in my fight and I have written to the phone company stating this but they fail to communicate with me.

My daughter has bought her first car and it now appears that it has previously been in a crash. Does she have any legal redress? — by mariam — last modified 2008-07-29 13:18

My daughter has just bought her first car from a private vendor. There have been some problems with it and two different mechanics say it has been crashed at some point and will be very expensive to repair. Apparently the chassis is buckled, the tracking is out and they are unable to repair it. We have been told that it is illegal to sell a previously crashed car without making the buyer aware. Obviously if she had been told she wouldn't have bought it. Does she have any legal redress? Essentially she wants her money back as she can't afford to buy another car, although I am aware of the phrase 'caveat emptor'.

I purchased a Mercedes for £15k and it has had multiple problems. I have requested a refund but the garage have refused. What are my rights? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-01 12:12

I purchased a Mercedes Benz AMG in February for £15k and straight from the off it has had multiple problems - two gearbox rebuilds plus many other things. I have a list of emails stating the issues and me requesting my money back many times. The garge have refused to give me my money back, but have offered to find a replacement car, however this has been dragging on for months now. I simply want to wash my hands of it and start again elsewhere, what are my rights?

I recently purchased a Category D vehicle from a garage but found there was far more damage to the vehicle than I had been made aware of. I am seeking redress from the garage, how do I progress this? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-06 17:35

I recently purchased, as advertised in the on-line Autotrader, a "damaged repaired category D" vehicle from a garage. I received an assurance that the only damage sustained was to the o/s/f wing and headlight assembly. However it transpires from a related steering problem that the o/s/f subframe also sustained damage by way of a buckle in a box section and associated stress points to the welded seams. I have had the vehicle repaired and am now seeking redress from the garage. How do I progress this?

I was given a price to have some motorcycle parts custom painted. I have now been asked for more than than the original price or he will not release the parts. What can I do? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-11 11:29

I recently took some motorcycle parts to be custom painted. I was told he would do the job for £650. The work is now finished and he has told me that he now wants £885 as he spent lots of time and extra lacquer on the paintwork. The only proof of his quote is an e-mail from him. He says he will not release the parts until I have paid the bill in full. What can I do?

I bought a car from a trader who now says he is a private seller. The car turns out to be a Cat C write-off but I am being fobbed off. What do I do now? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-18 11:23

I bought a car from a trader who now says he is a private seller. The car turns out to be a Cat C write-off and he keeps fobbing me off saying he has not got my money. What do I do now?

I am selling my house with two secured loans against it. Do I need to settle both loans or only the one relating to where the Deeds are held? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-18 11:47

I am selling a house I rent and don't need the proceeds for another purchase. There are two secured loans against the property - must they both be settled, or only the one relating to where the Deeds are held?

My friend purchased goods on her credit card for a woman she befriended. The woman is now stalling payment, what can my friend do to get the money she is owed? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-18 12:18

My friend is owed £1,800 by a woman she befriended. She purchased goods for her on her personal credit card. The woman is stalling paying and has now said she has been to a Solicitor. I know this is not true and she is prolonging paying. My friend is paying the minimum payment on her credit card and the interest is building up. What can she do to get this woman to pay the money she owes? Unfortunately we have no proof the goods were purchased for her. We do however have a voicemail confirming she owes the money.

I sold a pony to a lady and her cheque has bounced. She now doesn't want the pony but it has an eye infection which requires treatment. I have no pony and no money, what should I do? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-18 13:04

I sold a pony to a lady who gave me a cheque which bounced. She claims she does not like the pony now and wishes me to take it back. However, I think the pony now has a bad eye infection which requires vetinary treatment. She now has the pony and I have no money, what should I do? I could take the pony back, but what if it is not in the condition in which I sold it?

I bought a car from a trader only to find it does not have the advertised cruise control and needs over £2,500 of work to the engine and bodywork. What can I do? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-19 17:59

I bought a car from an advert on Autotrader. The advert stated that the car was in exceptional condition throughout and it also advertised that it had cruise control. During a test drive I could feel a vibration on the door frame. I queried this as I thought it might be the exhaust. The dealer went under the car and stated that nothing was wrong. Three days later the engine requires nearly £2000 of work - also the brakes are defective and there is £658 worth of bodywork required. To top this there is no cruise control as advertised. I have written to the trader enclosing the quotations and asking him to accept the car back, covering my expenses, or pay to have the car brought up to the standard as advertised. If ignored what is my best move to sort this matter out?

If you win an internet auction for a car but the car is not as described when you go to pick it up, are you within your rights to not pay? — by mariam — last modified 2008-08-20 13:22

If you win an auction for a car on an Internet Auction Site such as Ebay (from a private seller without seeing the car prior to bidding and winning) then go to collect and pay for the car in person and the car is not as described are you within your rights to walk away from the deal (not pay) just as if you had responded to a car advert in a newspaper/magazine? If this is the case can you point me in the direction of the piece of legislation that confirms this?

Tax bill of £40,000: will they negotiate and can I make stage payments or will they take my house? — by Conrad Murray — last modified 2008-09-02 10:44

The taxman says I owe them 40k which I cannot afford. I own my house which is worth around £200k but have a mortgage of £189k and is rented out to cover the repayments? Can they take the house of me? My girlfriend said she will loan me £30k to pay them off in a few months. Would they take that as an offer and would they wait?

If I owe money to a credit company can debt collectors harass me for the debt at work? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 11:55

I have 2 months unpaid on my car finance but have paid this month and next. Can I be contacted at my place of work as they have tried to call me 3 times now?

If my name is mis-spelled on the court papers does this affect the validity of the IVA and mean I don't need to pay it? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 12:02

I was put into an IVA in the county court but the company spelt my name wrong. The middle letter of my name was spelled with a Q rather than a G. Does this affect the legality of the arrangement and mean I do not need to pay it? If the arrangement is in my sole name is my wife obliged to help pay it?

Can a person escape debt successfully if they leave the country: how long will it be before the banks and other debtors give up chasing? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 12:13

I have a friend from Australia, who has dual citizenship for UK and Australia. During his ongoing ventures in the UK, he managed to get himself in a debt spiral with around 2 loans worth 20,000 in total. In absence of any potential solutions to this, he has decided to head back to Australia and start a new life. Question is, the moment he lives the UK, he will obviously start defaulting. The banks will try to look for him, or even appoint debt collectors who will presumably fail in their endeavours. Could you explain what would happen at this point? Does the bank write of his debt? In other words, he is almost bankrupt however he has chosen not to hire a legal attorney to take him through the bankruptcy process, and has decided to let the lenders take whatever action they feel is necessary. So he is simply going to let nature(or system) take its course.(He is also aware hes credit record currently excellent will tarnish to Poor.) At what point would the lenders finally give up?

A gardener has charged us more than agreed. Are we within our rights to refuse to pay until he gives us a breakdown? — by mariam — last modified 2008-09-02 12:26

A gardener has given us a bill for the work he did on our garden but it is £1,200 more than agreed (we did not get a written quote). He has just marked the £1,200 down as extras and will not give us a breakdown of why he has added this. Are we within our rights not to pay until he gives us a breakdown on what we are paying for?

If I have mortgage arrears and am in negative equity can I just send the keys back to the lender and be free of it all? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 12:38

I've heard that in the U.S. that many people with mortgage arrears are just sending the keys back to the lender and are renting. Is that a viable option here in the U.K?

Does the credit card company need to inform me they have employed a Debt Collection Agency to retrieve the debt? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 12:44

Does the credit card company need to inform me they have employed a Debt Collection Agency to retrieve the debt? I have £15,000 outstanding to MBNA and they have suspended my card and I have been trying to negotiate with them for repayments but they have now brought in a debt collector who are calling me all the time and say I must only talk to them not the card company.

Are IVA's free? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 12:50

My business is starting to lose money and is secured against the house which is also starting to lose value. I have telephoned and spoken to a couple of companies who suggest an IVA is the best thing for me. However they wont say how much reduction I will get and insist that the IVA is free to me and that the mortgage company pay. The mortgage company say I will be the one who pays. Who's right?

Can I stop a debt collector harassing me on the phone? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:09

I'm being pursued by Moorcroft for a debt which I completely dispute and my previous letters telling them I have no money have made no difference. They keep phoning up and it is my wife that answers the call. Can I stop them phoning?

I am being pursued by strange phone calls which I believe may come from a tracing agency. What tactics do they use? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:16

I am being pursued by strange phone calls which I believe may come from a tracing agency. What tactics do they use?

How can I reclaim all the illegal bank and credit card charges? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:20

I've read that the banks have been making illegal charges on my bank accounts and credit cards. How can I find out if I'm due any money back? I haven't kept any statements.

What is payment protection insurance and how do I reclaim it if I have been mis-sold? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:27

What is Payment Protection Insurance (PPI)? How do I discover if I've been missold a policy?

If I miss a credit card or debt repayment how long does it take before my credit rating is affected? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:35

If I miss a credit card or debt repayment how long does it take before my credit rating is affected?

Is the best I can hope from a debt management plan the freezing of interest or can I get a reduction in the overrall amount owed as well? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:43

I have 2 months of mortgage arrears with Abbey National plus credit card debts with Citibank, MBNA, Virgin and Alliance and Leicester totalling £6000 plus and am now unemployed. Is the best I can hope for the freezing of interest? Is their reducing the debts out of the question?

What is the best way to deal with unwanted phone calls from debt collection agencies? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:51

I have a number of Debt Collection Agencies writing to me and phoning but their approach is so aggressive that it instils in me a desire not to pay anything at all rather than the little bit I could. Is there anyway I can get them off my back or get them to call less often?

Once a debt collection agency has been called in does this mean that the bank issuing the credit card is no longer chasing me? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 13:58

Once a debt collection agency has been called in does this mean that the bank issuing the credit card is no longer chasing me? How long is it before the debt can no longer be collected?

What options are left to me if the banks reject my reduced payment plan? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 14:05

I've written to the banks about reducing my credit card debt but some haven't replied (it has been 2 weeks) and those that have show no willingness to reduce the amount owed. What's my next move?

A debt collector has been brought in and offered to let me settle for a reduced amount: Does that mean the debt is cleared and how will that affect my credit rating? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 14:09

A debt collector has been brought in and offered to let me settle for a reduced amount: Does that mean the debt is cleared and how will that affect my credit rating?

What is bankruptcy? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 14:11

What is Bankruptcy? What are the pros and cons? Who's it for ? How much will it cost?

What is a Debt Management Plan or DMP? — by charlesb — last modified 2008-09-02 14:17

What is a debt management plan? Who's it for? How does it work? How much will it cost me?

What will happen if I just refuse to pay my debts? — by charlesb — last modified