Tortured Over MBNA Loan of £20000

• A recent high court case in Mold, North Wales, has rocked credit card companies as the judge, Nicholas Chambers QC, ruled that MBNA’s treatment of one of their customers, businessman Keith Harrison, constituted ‘torture’.
• Such strong language and the cancellation of the £20,000 that was outstanding, suggest that this landmark case may form the precedent that is followed in potentially thousands of cases across the UK.

At the crux of the case was the number of times that MBNA (and Link Financial – a debt collection company who had purchased the debt after MBNA had been unable to or failed to collect in full from the client) contacted the customer over a period of 12 months.

Mr Harrison’s legal team acknowledged that Link Financial alone made a large number of calls over a period of 12 months.   A point that Judge Chambers commented as: ‘… a form of torture, oppressively frequent in amount and often without attribution to an identifiable number.’  The judge went on to comment on the fact that the use of untraceable numbers amounted to harassment and that the tactics used were solely designed to make Mr Harrison succumb to their demands.

In response, Link Financial highlighted that whilst the calls were unanswered, they left polite invitations for Mr Harrison to call them, together with a contact number.  They further suggested that all Mr Harrison needed to do was to request a meeting so he could spell out his difficulties.

• So where does this leave the industry?
• And more specifically the debt collection and recovery practices of the major loan companies?
• And will this case really open the floodgates for thousands of other claimants?

Here at Larry the Loan Broker, we experience the sharp end of these practices on our clients’ behalf daily.  Whilst we don’t want to stir the melting pot, the number of contacts that Mr Harrison is reported to have received over the 12 month period, pale into insignificance versus the contacts that are received by some of our clients.  Without mentioning any names, it is worth stating that it is commonplace for companies to call customers who have fallen behind on payments 3 or 4 times per week.  If arrears were maintained over a 12 month basis this would constitute 150+ calls in any given 12 month period – some 8 times more than Mr Harrison received!

The large financial companies will hide behind the fact that they are only doing what they believe to be ‘right’ for their shareholders by protecting their interests, and trying to recover funds that have been lent out.  Consumer groups on the other hand have argued for some 20 years or more that this increasingly excessive hassling and hounding of borrowers amounts to stress, panic and in many cases the reduced likelihood of lenders actually receiving their funds in the long term.

The magic for the lenders financial bottom line is that the client accounts continue to accrue interest and charges throughout this period often increasing the total repayable!

Whether this situation rings true or not is a matter for much debate, what is certainly accurate is the fact that it can cause tremendous upset, anguish and stress for anyone who does fall behind on meeting their financial commitments to repay personal debts. It is also fair to say that such a position can weigh very heavy on some people and make them feel under constant pressure.

If this kind of continual harassment sounds like something you are experiencing at the moment, then give one of our trained debt management consultants a call today on 0800 118 2345.

Here at Larry the Loan Broker, we are experienced in dealing with a wide range of financial services providers.  As long as you have a regular income, we can start to agree repayment plans with your creditors, which should in turn stop the type of situation Mr Harrison experienced from repeating itself for you.

• Call FREE from a landline today using 0800 118 2345.

Debt Solutions available if Refused Loans

If you find that you are unable to borrow any money due to being refused loans and other types of bad credit finance, you will at some point consider debt solutions and options that allow you to clear personal debts without increasing further borrowings.

The following is a brief description of the most commonly used solutions to clear personal debt.

• Informal Debt Management Plans

A Debt Management Plan is a very popular method being used by people in the UK to clear personal debts.  This is because they are informal and allow you to make one monthly repayment to your creditors at an amount and rate that you can afford. 

A debt management company will work out what you can afford to repay and set up a structured repayment plan with your creditors whilst also trying to get the interest and charges frozen or reduced on your outstanding accounts. A debt management plan can go on for as long as it takes to clear your debts and you should be very wary of companies that claim to be able to wipe away your credit cards and loans.

• IVA or Individual Voluntary Arrangement

An Iva will clear your debts in 60 months or 5 yearswith an exact end date.  This is a formal agreement between you and your creditors and has to be arranged by an Insolvency Practitioner, a person who is qualified to undertake and manage your 60 month creditor agreement.

Most people who choose to enter an IVA are people who would not be able to clear debts in a reasonable period of time and who usually owe in excess of £25’000.  An IVA should only be considered if your circumstances are serious and it is unlikely that you can repay your unsecured debts in under a 10 year period.

• Protected Trust Deed (Scotland only)

A Protected Trust Deed is only available in Scotland and is the Scottish equivalent to the IVA in England. the main differences between a Trust Deed and IVA are that a protected Trust Deed only lasts for 36 months or 3 years.

• Bankruptcy

This is the most severe option and is only undertaken in the most serious of personal circumstances.  Bankruptcy in the UK will clear all unsecured debts that are outstanding and will usually last for 1 year, this is the period of which you are considered to be bankrupt and your bankruptcy is supervised during.

After the 12 month period you will be discharged from your bankruptcy and you will find that you will struggle to obtain credit for up to and including 6 years from being discharged.  Some people do obtain lending after being discharged from bankruptcy but the rates they pay for the finance is usually very high.

An individual would apply to their local county court for a petition for voluntary bankruptcy to start bankruptcy proceedings.  Creditors can start proceedings against you to make you bankrupt and you should respond to any court actions they pursue.

• Debt Relief Orders

A Debt Relief Order is a new form of debt relief that has been available since April 2009.  This allows people on a reduced or low income with little disposable funds each month to pay an amount back over a 12 month period.  After the 12 months creditors will usually offer to write off the remaining balances.

A debt relief order is for people who can afford less than £50 per month and owe less than £15’000 whilst having no assets that collectively total more than £300.

• If you are struggling with personal debt problems and have been refused debt consolidation loans, it may be time to consider another option to clear your financial troubles. 
• Why not give Larry the Loan Broker the chance to assess your financial situation and allow a trained consultant to offer you what we call, best advice based on your circumstances.

Call FREE using 0800 118 2345, our lines are open 24 hours - 7 days a week.

Larry the Loan Broker is a registered trading style of Lewis Alexander Financial Management, a company licensed to carry out all activities under a valid consumer credit license. 

Registered under the Data Protection act of 1998, we have strong relationships with most of the UK Banks, Credit card and Loan companies. 

Our service is totally confidential and you are under no obligation to proceed.

Personal Loans to Clear Debt

There are many different types of personal loans available in the UK today, some of the more common loans that people search for are listed below with brief information on each;

Unsecured Loans

Unsecured loans are not secured against any property.  Usually, the rates of interest can be high due to the fact that the lender has no property acting as security should you default on the loan. Unsecured loans are commonly used for purchases such as Holidays, Cars, and Domestic Emergencies.

• Secured Loans

Secured loans are secured against property or items of equal value to the loan. This provides the lender with a secured asset that can be taken from or off you in the event that you fail to repay your loan instalments or the full loan as agreed. Secured loans are used for any purpose but the most common are Home Improvements and Debt Consolidation, personal debts should not be cleared with equity from your property without considering all other debt solutions. Read more

Doorstep Loans and Cash Loans with Benefits for Income

If your income is made up of state benefits, you are likely to approach or be approached by,

• Doorstep loan and Cash loan lenders

These short term loans carry a very high interest rate and this is because they are short term.  The repayments can become very high and if you have a financial setback one month, you may not be able to pay these loans and they then things get quite unmanageable.

Lenders you may be familiar with are companies such as;

• Provident
• Shopacheck
• Greenwoods

Most of the above loan companies collect via agents that befriend people and these close relationships make it difficult for people to say that they cannot afford to pay if that should be the case.

It is very common for people on state benefits or disability living allowance DLA to be approached by these types of loan companies and this can be for varying reasons;

• People on state benefits are usually guaranteed an income each month
• People on DLA are unable to move far way quickly or avoid collection procedures
• Basically, only the vulnerable seem to get burdened with these cash loans

When you apply for these loans you will now find companies charging innocent people £50 to search for a loan, it is usually again only the vulnerable consumer that will get caught by these tactics.

Most people that apply for loans after being refused a number of times become the people that get tricked by the greedy companies, this is because the individual has not accepted that the line of credit is broken and no one will lend so the only people that seem interested are the ones that can charge fees for loans that may not come through.

A number of cash loans added together is trouble waiting to happen, all you need is one change in your circumstances that costs you extra money one month, on something you had not thought you would need to spend on and that will be the start of the trouble. 

All your costs will start to mount up with extra charges and late payment fees being applied to your outstanding accounts, this may be what is happening to you right now, if so you need to get help today!

If you need advice on doorstep or cash loans, contact Larry the Loan Broker today for confidential advice on what you may qualify for, 0800 018 2345 your call is free and our lines are open 24 hours.

Information on Bad Credit Loans

Bad credit loans are often a loan of last resort.

If you have been searching for loans online for people with bad credit, you will have learnt by now that not all loan companies are the same.

Some are brokers and some are actual lenders, they both however have one thing in common, they can only propose to lend to a consumer who qualifies for the loan being applied for.

When you are applying for bad credit loans you should accept that rates are going to vary from lender to lender and that no loan company is under any obligation to actually lend you any money!

• Your approved application is based on the risk you present to the lender for repayment, can you afford the new loan or credit you are applying for?
• Is there a possibility that if  you have a change in personal circumstances after taking the new bad credit loan that you may default on the new loan and be unable to make your repayments?
• No one has a crystal ball that allows us to see any problems that may arise in the future, such as loss of job, reduced hours at work or loss of income, family death or even a split from partner or divorce.

When a lender looks at your credit report they will see the outstanding bad credit you have now and have had in the past 6 years.  If you lie to a lender before your application is processed, the chances are high that the lender will catch you out at the point of the credit reference check.

Your personal fnancial information is held by credit reference agencies such as Experian and Equifax, all personal loan companies and lenders use this information to approve or decline bad credit loans and most loan or credit card applications.

• When bad credit loan companies offer you a loan you should consider all options available to you first!

It may be that you are suffering with multiple bad debt problems and that the existing credit card and loans you may have are the real problem. 

• Will another bad credit loan really be the solution? 

Are you in a position where another bad credit loan would seem like the way forward but really this is what has got you into this debt trap or cycle of personal debt?  You must break free from this by exploring other debt solutions such as a Debt Management Plan or IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement).

Please accept that once you break the cycle of debt you will be able to see how the credit companies and banks are able to keep you within the strong clutches they have that in turn can make you struggle along to meet repayments every week or month. 

• It is only when people find that they no longer have a line of credit available or open to them that a debt solution is actually the best route rather than taking on further bad credit loans as originally thought.

If only they could have seen so clearly before the other debt consolidation loans were taken out.  Some poeple even use equity or savings from property to clear outstanding bills, money debt and bad credit with hard earned funds that should ideally remain secure within a mortgaged property to act possibly as a nest egg or future investment.

For further information about bad credit loans in the UK please contact Larry the Loan Broker today using free phone 0800 118 2345, if you think you qualify, you can apply today.