Tweet
Cabot's actions regarding a cleared debt - can anyone help?
I'm hoping someone might be able to give me some advice on this matter that is something I never thought I'd encounter!
My debt with Cabot was cleared in July 2013 through a debt management agency, but rather than send any sort of confirmation they simply sent intermittent statements.
Finally in September 2014 I received confirmation that the debt was cleared, but then in both October and November I received a threatening letter saying I was in arrears and they were taking action (even though the balance on said letter was £0.00!).
In early December 2014 I received a further letter stating that there was an 'administration error' and that I shouldn't have been sent these; at this point I wrote a strongly worded letter back to them stating that I thought their practice had been appaling - how it had taken them over a year to confirm my debt was cleared, and that I believed continuing to send me statements and subsequently the threatening letters was actually scaremongering rather than any sort of error, and that they shouldn't actually have my details in their system at all anymore.
I've recently received a letter apologising for the situation (more than I thought I'd get, I must admit), which explains that they purchase 'large portfolios of accounts in various stages of repayments rather than individual accounts. This means that on occasion an account is included with the sale which has already been settled', including mine. This isn't true, as I've been dealing with them for years, long before the debt was cleared.
The main point of my post here though is that they have offered me £50 as a 'goodwill gesture', but I have to sign a disclaimer agreeing not to escalate the matter any further to any third party or regulatory body. This in itself gives me an inkling they want to keep the situation hidden...
Truth be told, I'm not worried about the money as I wasn't expecting to get anything for my complaint, but if I go to the Ombudsman, is anything likely to happen or will they just tell me 'they've already said sorry, nothing more can be done.'?
If Cabot are consistently doing things like this, I want to be able to provide evidence against them, but not if I'm going to be rebuffed by an independent authority.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice
My debt with Cabot was cleared in July 2013 through a debt management agency, but rather than send any sort of confirmation they simply sent intermittent statements.
Finally in September 2014 I received confirmation that the debt was cleared, but then in both October and November I received a threatening letter saying I was in arrears and they were taking action (even though the balance on said letter was £0.00!).
In early December 2014 I received a further letter stating that there was an 'administration error' and that I shouldn't have been sent these; at this point I wrote a strongly worded letter back to them stating that I thought their practice had been appaling - how it had taken them over a year to confirm my debt was cleared, and that I believed continuing to send me statements and subsequently the threatening letters was actually scaremongering rather than any sort of error, and that they shouldn't actually have my details in their system at all anymore.
I've recently received a letter apologising for the situation (more than I thought I'd get, I must admit), which explains that they purchase 'large portfolios of accounts in various stages of repayments rather than individual accounts. This means that on occasion an account is included with the sale which has already been settled', including mine. This isn't true, as I've been dealing with them for years, long before the debt was cleared.
The main point of my post here though is that they have offered me £50 as a 'goodwill gesture', but I have to sign a disclaimer agreeing not to escalate the matter any further to any third party or regulatory body. This in itself gives me an inkling they want to keep the situation hidden...
Truth be told, I'm not worried about the money as I wasn't expecting to get anything for my complaint, but if I go to the Ombudsman, is anything likely to happen or will they just tell me 'they've already said sorry, nothing more can be done.'?
If Cabot are consistently doing things like this, I want to be able to provide evidence against them, but not if I'm going to be rebuffed by an independent authority.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice
Comment