Allay acting on my behalf with no authorisation.

[Elect3CD]

Hi all,
I have noticed a number of Threads relating to this PPI claims company Allay. In the last week I received a letter from Lloyds Bank that they had agreed to settle a PPI claim related to a loan I had with them about 20 years again. This came as a total surprise to me because I never submitted a PPI claim. Two days later I received a letter from Allay stating "Great news! We've won!". I have never engaged with Allay or ever completed any paperwork. Not 100% sure I have ever clicked on a Facebook links like other users but I did receive numerous spam post from different PPI companies but I always binned them. I have never received any emails from this company.
I saw a thread from another member with something very similar and I have seen threads where Allay are threatening court action for non-payment. My question is does Allay have a legal right to request 24% of this PPI settlement even though I never instructed them to act on my behalf? Although I appreciate the pay out from Lloyds. BTW I noticed Allay charged 24% of the gross pre-tax amount not the net amount Lloyds have paid into my Halifax account. Very cheeky. What actions should I take? I noticed on some threads they recommend you should contact your bank and request a DSAR and maybe likewise with Allay before they start chasing me for payment. Any advice would greatly be appreciated

[MRB2020]

Sounds the same as my problem! I’ve had my cheque from the bank but requested a DSAR from them when I rang them about Allay. I’ve banked the cheque but put it to one side in another account as I’m not sure where I stand yet either. I reported Allay to the FCA, Police Fraud & the CMC Ombudsmen. The CMC people told me to ring back when I’d received the DSAR. I’d report them to all of those companies. I have not contacted Allay direct as having never dealt with them regards any of this, I decided it wise not to make contact now.

[Elect3CD]

Hi MRB2020. Many thanks for your input. So it sounds very similar? I'm not sure how they (Allay) found out my details but have just submitted PPI claims to all banks to see what would stick. I could pay them but I feel why should I when I never asked you to represent me plus they are making money (well over 24%) for banking charges that are nothing to do with them. Did the bank say how long a DSAR would take? Did you phone the request in or put it in writing? Probably a good idea not to contact Allay seen I have never contacted them before.

[MRB2020]

I requested by letter but if you look on the other posts on the forum here about Allay, someone has put a link on for the DSAR request form. I rang the bank first, requested it and then sent them a letter outlining everything & sent the DSAR form with it. They have 1 month to respond I believe, by law.

[Elect3CD]

Hi MRB2020. Many thanks for your input. So it sounds very similar? I'm not sure how they (Allay) found out my details but have just submitted PPI claims to all banks to see what would stick. I could pay them but I feel why should I when I never asked you to represent me plus they are making money (well over 24%) for banking charges that are nothing to do with them. Did the bank say how long a DSAR would take? Did you phone the request in or put it in writing? Probably a good idea not to contact Allay seen I have never contacted them before.

Many thanks for your advice here. Please update if you obtain any further news/updates in relation to Allay PPI

[Jayne330]

I also have an issue with Allay with the same complaint. I have not give Allay the authority to represent me and I have also not signed anything. I only realised Alley was acting on my behalf when I got an invoice through the post. The letter I received from the bank on the 3rd Dec 2019 didnt say I had anyone acting on my behalf. Allay have sent a letter of authority to my bank which has a scribble where the signature should be. I have been in an email debate today with a gent from Allay who has said I have used a password to be able to sign the letter of authority. I only opened all the emails from Alley in January this year 2020. I have not completed any questionaires or signed a contract if agreement or been in receipt of any password protected Omni pay? Consent forms I have contacted the Halifax bank today and complained that they have breeched GPDR by giving Allay my personal details and corresponding with them with out my consent. I have complained that they have had my signature on file for over 20 years but noone from the bank contacted me regarding the letter of authority or contacted me about the signatures being totally different. They have passed my case on to the power of eternity and fraud team and they are going to stop any communication between them and Alley I personally think this is to late. Is there anything else I could do? The guy I have been emailing today at Alley is basically saying I need to contact the police and to send the PPI claim money back to

[MRB2020]

I’m still waiting for my DSAR which I was due by 2nd April but I’ve had a letter saying because of Coronavirus, the bank have said it could now be delayed by 90 days. I’ve not heard any more from Allay YET but I’m fully expecting some fake court order to appear on the doormat!*

[Elect3CD]

Hi MRB202 & JAYNE330,
Just some further updates for you. I emailed the FCA who then phoned me back to obtain further details on the issue I was having with this invoice from Allay on false grounds i.e. I had given written permission to Allay to act on my behalf which of course I had not (see further below).
So there is a few important steps you need to take to make sure you have followed the correct procedures, especially if Allay want to escalate their claim by getting legal. You may have already completed some or all of these steps and I'm following advice from other threads on this forum which is extremely helpful:
1) Request a DSAR from your bank to obtain any paperwork they have received from 3rd party company. I'm waiting well over the official 4 weeks for the bank to respond but this is down to the dreaded Coronavirus.
2) Write a letter of complaint to Allay Claims Ltd (address below) and request a DSAR from them also. The address is:
Allay Claims Ltd
FAO: Lisa Johnson
Address:Generator Studios, Trafalgar Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 2LA
Phone:+44 01914 620 000
3) Email the FCA. While they cannot look into individual cases they are extremely interested in hearing from anyone who feel companies are breaching financial conduct. Falsifying signatures to banks to falsely represent people certainly meets that criteria. They requested I send any documentation (forms/invoices) to them so they can build any potential case so it is very important individuals complete this step. The more people who complain the better. The online form for the FCA does not work so email them at :consumer.queries@fca.org.uk
Here is an explample of my email to the FCA:

My concern is Allay Claims Ltd have falsely represented me in relation to a PPI claim.
To explain further: I have received an invoice from a company called Allays Claims Ltd related to a PPI submission to [your bank] concerning a personal loan I had with this bank. I have never completed any paperwork instructing Allays Claims Ltd to represent me and must assume they falsified my signature and/or other personal information related to me when they contacted [your bank]. I have made a DSAR request to [your bank] to obtain any paperwork Allays Claims Ltd may have submitted to [your bank] with no authorisation from me.
What I would like to know is what action can be taken against this company and what are my rights when a company falsely represents you with your personal bank?

4) The next step as advised by the FCA is once you receive a response from Allay to your complaint (they have up to 8 weeks to reply) and you are dissatisfied with the response you have the option to contact the Financial Ombudsman Service at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
Right now I'm awaiting all the responses from my bank and from Allay, although they are phoning/texting me constantly which I never respond to. Stick to writing to them only. If they don't have your email address don't engage via that method as I have seen other threads where they are getting constant emails as well as phone calls.
I hope this helps and I will post further updates depending how this saga progresses.

[MRB2020]

I have received another letter from Allay today chasing payment, saying it is now overdue. I am still waiting on the DSAR from Sainsburys Bank but they did contact me a month ago saying it could now take up to 90 days because of Coronavirus. I have today emailed the FCA (already reported Allay to them and the CMC Ombudsman and the Police Fraud Squad) complaining about Allay and have now written a letter of complaint to Allay with a DSAR request enclosed. Will wait and see now...

[MRB2020]

I received my DSAR back from Sainsburys today. Absolutely no correspondence from Allay to them at all! Nothing signed by me, nothing on their records from Allay or myself regards Allay acting in my behalf, which makes me wonder how on Earth a cheque from Sainsburys arrived for PPI reimbursement in the first place?! I can’t even fathom how Allay made contact with Sainsburys and why (if nothing in writing from either myself or Allay in their records) they responded to Allay with my details so readily?! I have written a letter of complaint to Allay as suggested & requested DSAR from them also.

[MRB2020]

Received a ‘Demand for payment’ letter from Allay saying if I don’t pay they will be passing the matter to the court. Should I be worried? I would imagine by now they have received my letter of complaint with enclosed request for DSAR?

[MRB2020]

Received another demand for payment from Allay yesterday, still not received any response from them regards my letter of complaint and my DSAR request though? What is the next step. It’s been near enough 8 weeks since I sent it.

[EXC]

Once the 8 weeks is up you can then go to the Claims Management Ombudsman with your complaint. With the lack DSAR response you can only complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

[MRB2020]

I sent them another letter asking them to respond to my previous DSAR request, enclosing a copy of the previous letter & DSAR request form (originally sent on 20/05/20) this time I posted signed for. Nothing back yet and that was 2 weeks ago.

[MIKE770]

go on line complaint to the Information commissionaire never remind them they know the regulation they had 30 days and will need a very good excuse to delay for a long time, a few weeks under the COVID19 would be acceptable in the present circumstance no doubt