BF v Abbey ** SUCCESS **

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

Excellent Jas.

An excellent example for anyone else who is also awaiting a response from the Abbey or any other Bank regarding their outstanding request to have their claim processed under financial hardship guidelines as defined in the FSA waiver.

OK, we all know that there is no obligation upon the Bank to proceed with the Court case or refund the charges. However the FSA do expect the Banks to do something to assist Customers in financial difficulty. Merely paying lip service to the FSA's updated waiver is not enough.

Rgds Budgie

Hi Bud.. I agree with your above statement. This is exactly what they are doing at the moment.. paying lip service. Complaints dept know full well my o/hs claims are being looked at and we are still being charged. They have not stopped further charges. This is the main reason why I had to write to them again to stress the severity of our situation.. This months charges have collided with our rent, this has never happened before. This month has been a disaster. Normally every month we make sure that our rent goes out and it is our first priority before anything else, but when you get clobbered with charges, those charges become priority.

Am not asking for a pot of gold and we know they are not obligated to refund charges.
Just want them to understand our financial difficulties and make a speedy decision as time is not on our side and we cant afford the luxury of waiting another few weeks/ months for decisions to be made.



I guess I will wait til this Friday, to recieve any kind of reply from Ronan/Abbey (give them the benefit of the doubt lol) but if it is gonna drag on and on.. I will be writing to the FSA.

Bf xx

[Budgie]

Re: BF v Abbey

Excellent Jas.

An excellent example for anyone else who is also awaiting a response from the Abbey or any other Bank regarding their outstanding request to have their claim processed under financial hardship guidelines as defined in the FSA waiver.

OK, we all know that there is no obligation upon the Bank to proceed with the Court case or refund the charges. However the FSA do expect the Banks to do something to assist Customers in financial difficulty. Merely paying lip service to the FSA's updated waiver is not enough.

Rgds Budgie

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

Hiya All !

Just a quick update...

I rang Ronan today to see if there was any progress with regards to my O/hs hardship claim.. He has basically repeated the same thing as he said the last time I called. He says he is still waiting to hear back from Abbey and they have just about got round to tackling the back-log of claims they have.
He also says he has received the Income and Expenditure sheet I sent him, which I forgot to send him the first time round.
He did also say that I should hopefully recieve a letter which will be sent out by this Friday (5th September )

However.... since my last post my o/h has been walloped for the amount of £121 in more charges this month.. thus colliding against a standing order for our rent !

I have sent another letter to Ronan to stress the urgency of the situation...


This is a copy of that letter that I have already sent to the Complaints Department and Ronan Coyle on the 26th August... it is basically the same letter as the first one I sent.. but a bit more stronger to reflect current circumstances this month...


Dear Abbey Complaints.

Further to a telephone conversation and as requested by your Abbey representative in your complaints department on the 22nd August 2008. I enclose an income and expenditure budget sheet in regards to my hardship claim. The information/evidence to demonstrate my financial hardship, together with a covering letter has already been submitted to Ronan Coyle (Abbey’s legal representative) at Abbeys Triton Square address on the 5th August 2008.

I also enclose a copy of that covering letter which includes in detail an in depth explanation of my low income and severe hardship situation.

My main reason for calling Abbey complaints was to notify Abbey of my current situation. Since submitting my hardship proof to Ronan Coyle on the 5th, I have incurred more charges totaling the amount of £121, which was debited on the 18th August 2008. These charges have collided and prevented a standing order for my rent account being paid this month, (Aug 2008) as well as other direct debits. You will see by looking at the enclosed Orbit statement of account and Income and Expenditure sheet that I already have arrears showing on my rent account. There is also a high level of arrears owing to Elmbridge Borough Council regarding my Council Tax account, in which I have already stated in my previous correspondence to Ronan Coyle. If this situation progresses any further, I will be in danger of having the suspension of a possession order lifted, which was applied by Orbit Housing Association (Landlord). (Proof of this can be sent on request) As you will know there are timescales involved in regards to meeting my Rent and Council Tax payments, and other financial commitments. The suspended possession order was lifted on agreement that I would not miss a payment and keep up with my rent account.
I started paying Council Tax via the ‘attachment of earnings’ method in October 2006 after Elmbridge Borough Council applied for a Court order, but I am now being pressured by Elmbridge to settle the arrears owing on the account..

The reason I am giving Abbey a 14 day timescale is because I will need to credit both my Rent account and Council Tax demands for this month, and before the next months (September) Rent and Council Tax is due, and to also prevent any further action taken by both Orbit Housing Association and Elmbridge Borough Council. Both Orbit and Elmbridge will not tolerate me to incur further arrears due to the severity of arrears already owing on these two accounts. It is an uphill struggle to keep up with meeting payments each month, as I am incurring charges on top of charges, thus resulting in arrears on top of arrears.

As of today’s date (26th August 2008 ) the arrears owing on rent account stands at £740.32
And also as of today’s date, ( 26th August 2008 )the arrears owing on Council Tax account stands at £3,905.61

Other arrears are demonstrated on the enclosed income and expenditure sheet

In summary, my case is clearly one of genuine hardship, as my previous correspondence and hardship evidence sent to Ronan Coyle makes clear. I cannot stress enough to you the urgency of my current circumstances. In view of this, and given the current waiver criteria and the banking code, I request that Abbey speed the process of making a decision with regards to my claim appropriately and swiftly within the 14-day timescale. .

As of today's date my total claim stands at £6,789.47.

I have also sent a copy of this letter to Ronan Coyle at Abbey, Triton Square, Regents Park address.







Bf xx

[fuzzybrain]

Re: BF v Abbey

Has anyone heard anything from Abbey re the hardship wavier?

[Amethyst]

Re: BF v Abbey

blimey honey ! i'll pm you in a sec.

[fuzzybrain]

Re: BF v Abbey

Yep, I had the same message too, but he was very nice about it.

What he did say was that if Abbey had not written requesting any additional info then all of the info I had sent in was enough for them to make a decision. He also said that he would expect to know more by the end of the week and wouls hope to be in contact with me by then to discuss Abbey's decision. I hope so, coz I got my statement yesterday and the ratbags are hitting me for another £200 in charges this month :cry:

Re: BF v Abbey

Hi All !

Update.... well.. I have just given Ronan a call just now.. as I wanted to chase up and see if there were any developments regarding my O/hs hardship claim..

He says that he is waiting for Abbey to get back to him.. as they are now busy analyzing all the backlog claims they have received. He will either call us or send letter as soon as he hears back from Abbey. He says he cant do more than that. He says he is sorry that we have to wait. Everyone is calling him asking the same questions and saying that they would like their claims settled as a matter of urgency.


Seems like Abbey are now very carefully scrutinizing all the claims, and they don't want to miss a thing !


Bf xx

At least they are consistent they just told me the same thing.

xx

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

Hi All !

Update.... well.. I have just given Ronan a call just now.. as I wanted to chase up and see if there were any developments regarding my O/hs hardship claim..

He says that he is waiting for Abbey to get back to him.. as they are now busy analyzing all the backlog claims they have received. He will either call us or send letter as soon as he hears back from Abbey. He says he cant do more than that. He says he is sorry that we have to wait. Everyone is calling him asking the same questions and saying that they would like their claims settled as a matter of urgency.


Seems like Abbey are now very carefully scrutinizing all the claims, and they don't want to miss a thing !


Bf xx

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

one must not larf at the Queens English PMSL.. I wonder if that's the same thing as saying "back off matey" or is it revert off matey". it doesnt have quite the same ring to it does it ?LOL

Well, enough of my jargon !!!

BF xx

[Amethyst]

Re: BF v Abbey

lol @ revert

lets hope he's got some quotas to fulfil

[Budgie]

Re: BF v Abbey

Well done Jas xx

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

Hi All again!

Well.. Ive just got back from the post offy,after sending off the hardship proof package to Abbey/Ronan.. sent by signed for post. Also have checked my O/Hs emails.. and he gotta response from Ronan.. here it is as follows..its very short and sweet.................

Dear Mr ****

I have received your email and will revert to you when we have had time to examine your hard copy evidence to be received in the post this week.

Kind regards

Ronan


----------------------
Will update on here as soon as we hear anymore................


Bf xx

[Amethyst]

Re: BF v Abbey

excellent fingers crosseded xxx

[bloomingflower]

Re: BF v Abbey

Hi All :tinysmile_grin_t: quick update....

Ive been such a plonker this morning.. cos I have been trying to email the above letter to Ronan Coyle, but the first couple of times I flippin forgot to type the dot between is first and last name in his email addy!!!! email kept coming back as cant be sent ! !:doh:

Anyway.. after 3rd attempt LOL , he has now got it at his end... I spoke to him direct on the phone this morning, he's back from his hols..So... all I gotta do now is send him the hardcopy proof through the post.. which he should recieve tomorrow morning.....I will be poppin out to the post offy a bit later....



Bf xx

[Amy]

Re: BF v Abbey

Tidied it up a bit for you xx

Dear Mr Coyle

Thank you for speaking with my partner Jasmine over the telephone on the 25th July with regard to my claims for the return of bank charges.

Further to that conversation, I confirm that four claims are currently within the court system and one claim is on hold in your complaints department. The total of these claims is £5482.00 plus 8% statutory interest, totalling £6,789.17.

With regard to the FSAs recent update to the complaints handling waiver and their guidelines on financial difficulty I believe my case meets the criteria for financial hardship.

I have detailed the reasons for this below and attach to this letter the relevant documentation together with a budget sheet detailing my total household income and outgoing financial commitments as requested.

My main income is derived from my low paid full-time employment as a delivery driver, of which my annual salary stands today at £14,082 before tax.

I have two children with my partner with whom I share my home. We receive a weekly payment of Child Benefit totalling £31.30 and we also receive Working and Child Tax Credits alongside Housing benefit. These benefits total £135 per week.

My total weekly income after tax and National Insurance contributions totals £XXX.

Payment items have been repeatedly returned unpaid due to lack of available funds. The enclosed statements and spreadsheet show that I have incurred over £500 in unauthorised overdraft charges in the last 12 months.

Additionally, you will see from the evidence provided that we have a considerable amount of unpaid bills and ongoing debts. These are getting increasingly difficult to meet due to the fact that our total outgoings are much more than our household income.

I also enclose copies of our council tax demand which details a substantial amount of arrears which we are working hard to bring up to date. I started paying council tax via the ‘attachment of earnings’ method in October 2006 after a court order was made by Elmbridge Borough Council. This order was to make monthly payments of around £120 from my monthly salary, and was in place up until April 2008 but has been temporarily suspended whilst the council revise and update the new bills. We expect the 'attachment of earnings' order to resume shortly. The total amount of council tax currently outstanding at present is £3905.61.

On a number of occasions over the last few months in order to make ends meet, I have had to resort to borrowing from payday loan companies. Ideally, this is something that I would prefer not to do, however, owing to our financial hardship this is the only option currently open to me to enable me to pay for bills, debts and the ever increasing cost of living.

I am finding it very hard to cope and feel the considerable pressure from all corners with regard to bank charges, unpaid bills, arrears, debts and cost of living etc. In addition to low income, I am failing to meet payments on due dates also due to bank charges and have to resort to taking out ‘payday loans’ just to meet everyday living expenses. This situation is putting a terrible strain on me and my partner and our children and I ask that you reconsider my claim and my circumstances under the terms of the waiver and the banking code.

I have enclosed a revised and updated spreadsheet for my claims. As of today's date the total claim stands at £6,789.17 .

Yours sincerely