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Hi Everybody,
I've posted here a couple of time before for certain issues but now need more general advice in where to go next.
To cut a very long story a bit shorter, I've recently been off work with Leukaemia for 14 months and following a bone marrow transplant I am now back at work (about 3 months in now, and a new job).
Due to being off work for so long I have spiralled myself in to quite a bit of arrears. Incapacity benefit doesn't cut it when you're used to £20k+ a year and have commitments. I'm lucky in that I don't have a mortgage and currently live with my Mum so rent isn't a major issue but she's on benefits and a pension so needs the extra money. No council tax or utility arrears either.
I'm having the biggest troubles with Cahoot, I have a personal loan with them with a balance of £6,400 and arrears of £1,350. My normal monthly payments are around £220.
When I took the loan out I took out PPI with them, this has taken many months to go through and yesterday I finally got a letter saying that they would not pay out as it was a pre-existing medical condition (it was a relapse of the Leukaemia and the loan and PPI were taken out after the first remission and before relapse). I am currently going through the motions of claiming this was therefore mis-sold as I was not asked at the time if I had pre-existing conditions.
Cahoot have now defaulted my account, though they are willing to hold it until 1.30pm tomorrow (Sat) if I am willing to make whatever they deem to be a 'considerable commitment', the operator was asking for half of the arrears which I simply can't afford to pay to them at the moment while I am just getting myself straight. The woman on the phone was quite stroppy with me and wouldn’t hear any arguments. Apparently themselves and Norwich Union (the PPI) don’t speak and it’s up to me to keep them up to date, and as I haven’t been in contact for so long (ignoring phone calls and letters, pointless to speak to them when I have no money and they won’t listen) they’re not happy at all. The fact I’m trying to sort something out now doesn’t make any difference.
The thing that really bugs me is that when I started to get in to trouble (not being paid and reserves running out) I called round all my creditors and told them the situation, off ill, no pay, sticky situation. They also knew I was dealing with the PPI to try and claim but ignored this. HSBC (my bank at the time, now moved to Nationwide) even told me to ‘go and get a part-time job’!!
I also have other arrears, AA Credit card are after £700 for missed payments, charges and arrears. Vanquis want £160 to close the account so I will pay this as I have the money and I figure if I can clear one creditor completely then it is one less to worry about.
With regards to the AA credit card account, I have asked for a breakdown of charges and am going to claim these back as there are what I believe unlawful charges (£25 a time). So I assume I can send them a letter requesting this back and tell them I consider the account in dispute in the meantime?
With the Cahoot loan, as I am trying to claim back payments for a mis-sold PPI, can I also do the same and tell them that as far as I’m concerned the amount I owe them is in dispute because it is made up partly of PPI payments?
Lots more to mention but can’t remember it off the top of my head :o(
Just had a chat with a manager at my work and he suggests writing to Watchdog, local MP, local newspapers explaining how these companies treat people who have been so ill and unable to do anything.
Sorry for such a long post, any help will be most appreciated though! :o)
Thanks,
Mark.
I've posted here a couple of time before for certain issues but now need more general advice in where to go next.
To cut a very long story a bit shorter, I've recently been off work with Leukaemia for 14 months and following a bone marrow transplant I am now back at work (about 3 months in now, and a new job).
Due to being off work for so long I have spiralled myself in to quite a bit of arrears. Incapacity benefit doesn't cut it when you're used to £20k+ a year and have commitments. I'm lucky in that I don't have a mortgage and currently live with my Mum so rent isn't a major issue but she's on benefits and a pension so needs the extra money. No council tax or utility arrears either.
I'm having the biggest troubles with Cahoot, I have a personal loan with them with a balance of £6,400 and arrears of £1,350. My normal monthly payments are around £220.
When I took the loan out I took out PPI with them, this has taken many months to go through and yesterday I finally got a letter saying that they would not pay out as it was a pre-existing medical condition (it was a relapse of the Leukaemia and the loan and PPI were taken out after the first remission and before relapse). I am currently going through the motions of claiming this was therefore mis-sold as I was not asked at the time if I had pre-existing conditions.
Cahoot have now defaulted my account, though they are willing to hold it until 1.30pm tomorrow (Sat) if I am willing to make whatever they deem to be a 'considerable commitment', the operator was asking for half of the arrears which I simply can't afford to pay to them at the moment while I am just getting myself straight. The woman on the phone was quite stroppy with me and wouldn’t hear any arguments. Apparently themselves and Norwich Union (the PPI) don’t speak and it’s up to me to keep them up to date, and as I haven’t been in contact for so long (ignoring phone calls and letters, pointless to speak to them when I have no money and they won’t listen) they’re not happy at all. The fact I’m trying to sort something out now doesn’t make any difference.
The thing that really bugs me is that when I started to get in to trouble (not being paid and reserves running out) I called round all my creditors and told them the situation, off ill, no pay, sticky situation. They also knew I was dealing with the PPI to try and claim but ignored this. HSBC (my bank at the time, now moved to Nationwide) even told me to ‘go and get a part-time job’!!
I also have other arrears, AA Credit card are after £700 for missed payments, charges and arrears. Vanquis want £160 to close the account so I will pay this as I have the money and I figure if I can clear one creditor completely then it is one less to worry about.
With regards to the AA credit card account, I have asked for a breakdown of charges and am going to claim these back as there are what I believe unlawful charges (£25 a time). So I assume I can send them a letter requesting this back and tell them I consider the account in dispute in the meantime?
With the Cahoot loan, as I am trying to claim back payments for a mis-sold PPI, can I also do the same and tell them that as far as I’m concerned the amount I owe them is in dispute because it is made up partly of PPI payments?
Lots more to mention but can’t remember it off the top of my head :o(
Just had a chat with a manager at my work and he suggests writing to Watchdog, local MP, local newspapers explaining how these companies treat people who have been so ill and unable to do anything.
Sorry for such a long post, any help will be most appreciated though! :o)
Thanks,
Mark.
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