Hello everybody

[catinahat]

Hi everyone,

I've just registered on your site and thought I should introduce myself and say 'Hello'.

My name is Cat, I'm from Yorkshire and found my way here through Amethyst post on moneyexpert website. Like many people, I've been trying to reclaim my bank charges and only recently heard about the hardship route of reclaiming.

I felt I was finally getting somewhere with reclaiming some of the £5,000 plus the bank had taken from my disability/benefits in escalating charges over the previous six years... only last week my bank wrote saying they thought they could 'help with financial situation'. Then came the supreme court ruling at 10.45 am wednesday morning.
By 2.30 of the same day, the banks debt collection agent was at my door!! Talk about not wasting time reapplying the thumb screws!!!

Not sure where I can go from here as my reclaim was in elevth hour with the bank when the ruling came.
I just missed out in 2007 as the stay was imposed and only found out about the other way of trying in summer. Hence my claim began in earnest really from August. The debt collection agency to which my bank referred my 'debt' was a further £1,100 which was charges that had escalated from other charges and daily unauth od charges, commision on same charges and thus the vicious circle went. I struggled with this cycle for years with the bank taking increasingly larger amounts from my account. As I am dependant upon state ben disability and a single parent (my childs father died of kidney tumour/cancer age 34) few years ago, my situ was getting so couldn't even eat. So I stopped my money going onto that account and opened basic account. Hence my bank piled on more costs till it got to £1100 (I've actually paid in excess of £10,000 in past decade, just short of £6,000 in past six years). Never had a credit card, just a debit card, nor any loans; just a £500 overdraft limit. All these charges have been incurred from what I can trace back, is a 3 quid transaction which took me over my limit one bank holiday weekend; in error. The situ spiralled and then avalanched! And so that's where I'm at now.... any advice would be greatly appreciated. If I can in turn give any help to anyone, I shall gladly do. Nice to meet you and thank you for people like yourselves who set up sites such as these for people such as myself...:-) CatXXX

[enaid]

Re: Hello everybody

Hello Cat and a very warm welcome to Beagles.
As you know things are a little uncertain yet as to which way the OFT and indeed consumer groups will go to the next step. All I can say is please read the info that is coming through on a regular basis and ask before you do anything yourself.
When a sure fire remedy is found then it will be made known.
Sorry about your situ, but as you will know you are not alone, good luck.
Enaid x

[MrsSkint]

Re: Hello everybody

Good luck Cat - lots of us are in the same position. Just keep looking here on LB website for advice and you won't go wrong xx

[TUTTSI]

Re: Hello everybody

Hi Cat
A warm welcome to Legal Beagles and you have definately come to the right place for help.

Ok - this is Amethysts recently updated Hardship info since the judgement at the Supreme Court.- http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ad.php?t=20454

If your circumstances fit the criteria please start a thread in the Hardship section http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...play.php?f=106 and we will be able to assist you further.


Tuttsi

[Amethyst]

Re: Hello everybody

Hi Catinhat

Nice to see you here and glad my post has helped a little.

I will PM you about possible next steps with your stayed claim - it is stayed in court isnt it ?

do you have any repayment arrangement in place with the debt owing to the bank at all ?


will help as much as we are able

ame

xx

[Amethyst]

Re: Hello everybody

thanks for the PM Cat, appreciate it xx

Okay, we're not stayed at court, just held up in the waiver with the banks.

All info, IE and evidences etc has been sent to the banks already, recently, so at the moment it is just a case of waiting for the bank to come back to you.

The response will, hopefully if they act correctly, be very similar to during the test case.

However, even during the waiver, as you have been forced to change to a new basic account to escape the circle of charges then as your account is not in operation now and is simply a debt they will not be obliged to help you.

They may accept the argument that they breached the banking code guidance by not treating you fairly by taking money from your benefits at a time you were obviously struggling with the finances.

I think you shall have to wait for their response, which needs to be within 8 weeks of your letter. See what they say and then try the ombudsman based on the unfair treatment historically leading to the current debt.

Now the debt collection agency - which company is collecting the debt, and who is the bank ?

The account has been passed to them whilst i dispute regardless of the result in the test case so we can tell the DCa to get lost, and communicate with the bank for an affordable repayment arrangement for the remaining debt.

I hope it was coincedence they turned up a few hours after the judgment, else they really must be lax for things to do !

[catinahat]

Re: Hello everybody

Hi everybody,

thank you al very much for your kind words of welcome and support. Its a breath of fresh air to be among people who are in boat but with a positive goal of sorting something and helping other people too. So once again, my heartfelt appreciation.
The bank in question may shock you as its 'the ethical bank' (yup) Smile co-op internet bank. I suppose in fairness ('scuse the use of the word:-), I shouldn't be overly quick to write them off as being 'monsters' since my application for reclaim... since I've not had any result either way, positive or negative... all I know is that the charging was getting rather, had got to such ridiculous proprtions, that I couldn't afford to buy food or pay bills or anything... I haven't actually shut the account, simply stopped my money going into that account... which I suppose is tantamount to same? Anyway, the debt collection agency is called Moorcroft Debt recovery limited (based in stockport). To be honest when the guy showed up at my door, he asked if I was me and I said no, I'm her sister.. couldn't face him on top of the court ruling that day! He asked when 'your sister will back' cos she has some money she didn't pay the bank and it needs sorting... (unquote). Not sure wot to do as I'm not in position to offer any kind of repayment at present... even nominal as I still have issues to sort with my benefits/disability etc. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated? CatXXx
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PS Alongside the current account I had a savings account with them too. Far as I know, it may still be active as I've never physically shut either of them down. Its probably a zero balance on the if not a few pence in that. The current account, I'm presuming they figured I'd abandoned the account as the harges inceased from approx £500 when I switched to the present sum of £1149.07 which are now in the hands of Moorcroft. Maybe they shut me down when they passed the debt over? XXX
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Hi Enaid, LOVE your little dog pic and the statement under it... I can relate to that as I have pretty sever Narcolepsy/Cataplexy lol xxx