Help with catalogue shopping debts

Catalogue companies offer attractive payment terms, with 0% interest deals commonly being offered to their customers. The ability to buy now and pay later is very useful, but if you can’t keep up the repayments catalogue shopping debts can spiral out of control very quickly.

If you’re currently in this situation and are finding it difficult to repay your catalogue debts, there are some positive steps you can take to get back on track. Firstly, however, it’s advisable to seek professional insolvency help, so you can be sure you’re taking the right action.

So what happens when you can’t pay your catalogue shopping debts, and what options might be available?

What happens when you fall behind with catalogue payments?

If you miss one or more catalogue payments, the company is likely to charge a late payment fee. They’ll send you a reminder letter and may also cancel any special low interest rate deals, which can severely impact your ability to repay in the coming months.

It’s a good idea to contact the catalogue company before a payment is missed if you can. This demonstrates you’re not deliberately avoiding payment, and you may be able to prevent them from placing a stop on your account. 

Making minimum payments and persistent debt

Making only the minimum repayment on your catalogue debts can eventually make them unmanageable, especially if a high interest rate is being charged. It also leads to a situation called ‘persistent debt.’

The catalogue company may contact you about ‘persistent debt’ if you only make minimum payments for some time, and potentially offer you an alternative instalment plan to help you pay off your debt.

What options are there to help you repay catalogue shopping debts?

If you owe multiple debts and the situation isn’t improving, Scotland offers various debt solutions that can be invaluable for repaying catalogue debts. These include:

Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS)

The Debt Arrangement Scheme helps you repay your debts in full, over a longer period of time. Additional interest and charges are frozen when the arrangement comes into force, which makes the debt easier to repay. DAS doesn’t involve full insolvency, as no amounts are written off under this scheme.

Scottish Trust Deed

A Scottish Trust Deed is a formal debt solution that can help you repay your catalogue shopping debts and other unsecured creditors. The arrangement typically lasts for four years, and it may be appropriate if your total debts are £5,000 or more. A Scottish Trust Deed is a legally binding agreement, which means the catalogue companies and other creditors included cannot make you bankrupt if you continue to meet all the terms and conditions.

Sequestration

Sequestration is the Scottish term for bankruptcy, and is generally seen as a measure of last resort. It involves handing your assets over to a Trustee, who sells them at auction to repay as much of the debt as possible. If you owe a significant amount and there’s no hope of improving your financial situation, sequestration can offer a fresh start without the pressure of debt.

Some catalogue companies will pass on debt recovery to a debt collection agency, which can escalate an already worrying situation. It’s important to seek help quickly when you’re struggling to repay catalogue shopping debts, as the company may decide to take court action against you.

Our expert team at Scotland Debt Solutions can provide the reliable advice you need in this situation. We offer free same-day meetings, so please contact one of the team for more information – we operate a network of offices around Scotland.