Abbey National/DLA Solicitors - can anyone please help?

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A bit of a long story, but summarised:

Had mortgage with Abbey, was high repayments anyway, so when my ex left me and I was a single mum on a low wage - I was unable to keep up repayments and house was repossessed. I was not in a position to settle with them and so I had no other choice but to make myself disappear for a while until I am in a position to be able to offer them a repayment. I have just lost my job again (due to being a single mum and therefore not a flexible member of the workforce), so still not in a position to offer them anything. Also, when my ex received his letter, he made himself bankrupt, so I now also owe his half of the debt too.

I've managed to keep my name off everything now for approx 4 years, and I have every intention to settle with them as soon as I am able to make a sensible offer of regular payment. I am not trying to hide forever and so bankruptcy is a real last option for me, I don't want to go downthat road unless I am forced to do so.

The problem has arisen because DLA have been writing and phoning my parent's address looking for me and I have not lived there for over a decade. My parents are not in good health and although they know the score and will not intentionally drop me in it, the are worried nontheless by this barage of letters and phonecalls, and are feeling verry harrassed. They have told DLA on several occasions that I do not live at their address and have not done so for many years - but they continue to pressure my parents nontheless. Is there anything I or my parents can do to get DLA to leave them alone??

If anyone has any suggestions they would be gratefully received!

Thank you!

-- Jane Doe (myexfleecedme@hotmail.com), January 27, 2004

Answers

Jane

DLA - being solicitors you could consider complaning to the Law Society and the Office of Fair Trading. I think the office of fair trading have recently brought new rules in to force re the companies involved in the collection of debt. If your parents are BT customers they could contact BT and ask about their "choose to refuse" which is free for the first month. Basically it will allow them to bar DLA from phoning them by keying in a code on their phone the next time they phone.

Have you actually acknowledged the debt??? If not you might want to consider making an ex gratia payment on the basis that you are not admitting liability. Now that you are not working and I'm assuming you do not have any other assets you might be lucky enough to have an offer accepted. ( e mail me and I can tell you what they accepted from me - similiar circumstances )

I hope this helps in some small way.

Moira

-- Moira (Anderston828@aol.com), January 27, 2004.


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