 elliero vs cahoot - response to standard 'complaint' letter from Abbey
Hi there,
I sent off my prelim letter on 10 April 2007, and followed up on 24 April 2007 with the LBA.
I have just received the usual 'complaint' letter from Abbey, dated 27 April. The letter states the usual four weeks to investigate, not charging me for this, not liable for any costs incurred from third parties etc.
They have absolutely no reference to my letters, or my account number so I was confused initially as I also have an Abbey business account. However, I have previously made a successful claim against Cahoot (thanks to everyone for helping!) and this is now for the charges they levied whilst that claim was going through. So I was considering this reply - could someone please advise whether it's OK?
Dear Mr Nanson,
Thank you for your letter of 27 April 2007. I am assuming this is regarding my recent correspondence with cahoot requesting repayment of charges unlawfully applied to my account, but as your reference has no meaning to me, and you quote no account number or date of my correspondence I cannot be sure.
However, in the assumption that it is regarding the matter raised in my previous correspondences of 10 April 2007 and 24 April 2007, this was not a complaint, but a request for refund of monies taken unlawfully from my account. As such, I will continue with my original timeframe, clearly set out in the letter and again below. I believe I have given you plenty of notice to respond, with a total of 28 days since my first letter.
If I have not received full refund, or confirmation of full refund, by 8 May 2007 I will be proceeding with a claim against you, which will include any court costs and interest on the charges levied as per S.69 County Courts Act 1984 of 8%. As a gesture of goodwill, I will accept full payment now, without yourselves needing to go through the court system and incur further costs. However, as per my previous claim against yourselves, I am more than willing to go through the due process if necessary.
Yours sincerely,
elliero
Sound OK? I've had so many problems now with cahoot it's unbelievable. It seems a long way from the Brave New World set out by them in the dawn of internet banking! From taking over 3 weeks to replace a debit card eaten by a train ticket machine, to stopping my debit card because I made a payment to Thames Water at 5am in the morning (I work nights) - how many fraudsters do they think pay off their water bills with stolen cards? It would be a somewhat traceable transaction!! Then the now well-documented loan rate hikes - what is amazing is that ages ago, when I was trying to sort out my debts, I asked them for a quote for their fixed-rate loan as I was happy just to pay the loan off. It came back as...exactly the same as the flexible loan. Very strange considering the fundamental differences between the products are meant to be what guides the interest rate!!
The final straw has been them refusing to acknowledge requests from first direct to send them details of my standing orders and direct debits so I can transfer my account. It's like a little kid saying 'it's my ball, you can't play with it'!!
Sorry - this has degenerated into something of a whinge. Anyway, advice on the letter would be very much appreciated! | 
