Springfield Advice & Law Centre offers this specialist advice, assistance and casework, both at our offices (in Springfield University Hospital and Jubilee Health Centre East) and at various outreach locations in Merton.
The Merton venues include Wilson Hospital, Morden Hall Medical Centre, as well as other selected medical and community centres (venues may vary, so please call our offices to check dates and times of advice sessions).
The areas we are able to cover include:
Arranging repayment plans with creditors:
This includes contacting your creditors on your behalf, collecting medical evidence where necessary, negotiating write-offs (if appropriate) and/or lower or nominal monthly repayments.
Debt Relief Orders:
A cheaper alternative to bankruptcy. We have a qualified adviser at the Law Centre who can take you through the whole process and complete the application forms on your behalf.
Consumer contract issues:
Have you entered into an agreement whilst unwell that you are unable to continue with? We can assist you in negotiating a settlement or repayment plan and consider the validity of any alleged debt.
Council Tax arrears:
Including assistance with applying for a backdated payment of Council Tax Support, or an SMI or other exemption that may apply to you.
Utility debts:
We can assist with repayment plans and grant applications to alleviate these debts.
Magistrates' Court fines:
We cannot provide representation in Court to defend a fine being imposed but we can usually negotiate an adjournment and/or the repayment of a fine at an affordable monthly rate. We can also assist with applications for a remittance of fines and penalties, where applicable.
Enforcement proceedings:
We can assist you if you are defending enforcement proceedings against you as an individual, including bailiff action, attachment of earnings order and bankruptcy.
County Court Action:
We can advise you on court debt claims and CCJs.
We are also able to give general advice and referral in other-related areas of law, referring you to specialist services where necessary – for example, with business debts or bankruptcy applications.
