Bank Of scotland Advice please!!

[wotsundermykilt]

I had an account with an ex partner back in 1997. I had no full-time job & thought I would go to my local enterprise trust in Aberdeen to train to do the books etc to become self employed as a driving instructor.I was advised to take out an account with Barclays at the time because they offered an account which would give me an overdraft to furnish me with the funds to take my driving instructor course & not pay anything back until I had started full time work & even then I would not have to pay anything back for the first year. I then went to my own bank( b.o.s.) who said they did not want to lose me as a customer & would offer me the same deal although they did not actually do such an account. I thought this was great because I did not have the hassle of moving account. Anyway to cut it short (more info available) after being advanced 3-4 thousand pounds the bank decided they would give me no more funds & wanted their money back asap.This after 6 months roughly.I had passed two exams out of the required 3 at the time & wanted to get a car with dual controls because I was allowed to teach under supervision then for 6 months, then I had to pass the last exam before I could teach further. The bank did not want to advance me anymore even though they would have got some back from my earnings teaching.To say I was peeved would be putting it lightly. I now had to get a full time job & start paying them back & did not then have the funds to complete my course.My wife & I had money probs which baines & ernst dealt with & paid them some money everymonth. The bank however did not stop the interest accruing & on one statement I remember seeing £6000 or more.I was so scared to look at statements & the bank were never interested in little old me.I eventually split with my wife, and we made a joint arrangement to pay them £80 a month between us from roughly middle of 2002.I must add that statements for the account kept coming to me with my ex's name on them which did not amuse my new partner, but the bank refused to take her name off the letters because it was a joint debt & believe it or not my ex never gets a statement.Now I have £4,430.53 still to pay which is still more than I ever took from them. I must have paid this 2 times over in interest & overdraft charges.Anyway I started getting this email from moneysavings & decided that enough was enough & phoned them up (blair oliver & scott now) for a settlement figure because I am remortgaging at the moment & want to get this off my back.They offered to settle for £3,400 if I go down that road.They(blair oliver & Scott) then phone me back within a week asking to do their 6 monthly financial review. I laughed, because in all the time I have been in debt with them, they have never done a review, so why now when i might pay them off.I got pawned off with we would like to help you repair your credit file more quickly by arranging a way for you to clear this debt off.Can you pay it all today? Can you pay in 3 instalments? Whats the most you can pay a month? I said I am paying you already what I can afford. I am so fed up with them, that I thought maybe they have broke some rules etc in giving me an account whilst unemployed & always charging me interest etc etc.Believe it or not I still bank with them although I am now about to change because my new partner & i tried to get a proper current account & they refused us even though we bank over £1000 a month & our credit file is fine. Its because they have this on their own file that I get refused & the debt is not even on my credit file.Final straw for me was when we applied to remortgage using a broker & a fastrack system they accepted us, but when it came to doing the documents they changed their mind. Give me strength. What should I do? Do nothing & pay up & shut up cause its my own fault or has anyone any advice. Sorry for being so long winded but I am at my wits end, totally stressed out.
Mike

[Giveitback]

First tip, if you can prove your monthly income go over the road to any other bank and open a new account. It will take about 3 months of being good with them to get to the point where they'll give you an overdraft if you need it.

[wotsundermykilt]

Thxs for your advice. I will maybe try alliance or nationwide as opposed to the mainland banks.

[Giveitback]

You might have already done it, but if you tell them that you're just not happy with the service you get at your bank now, and plan to move everything over gradually, then they're usually happy enough to set you up with a basic account, as long as you can show them a payslip to prove you're gonna be putting money in. (They should also appreciate that it can take employers time to change details)

Then you can start using your new one as your real account, while you sort out mess with old one.

That's what I've been doing, and it's mostly been neat, although I have been going between banks with money and generally shuffling things.

it can be a hassle in the short term, but as long as you keep a note of when DDs come out - in case they're due before things change - you should be fine.

(anyway, now you know how to claim back the unfair charges tht your old bank might try to slap on you)

[wotsundermykilt]

Thxs giveitback all feedback is greatfully recieved. I have changed my title because I think people are put off with the rather large story I have written but if a few people read it maybe I can sort out my actual long term problem with them.

okay, i read the post (yes all of it)

When the debt was passed on all interest should have been frozen once you reached an agreement. Charges too!

Okay so write to them requesting satatements (BOS) and to The debt agency, find out what charges they have added too, do the Data Protection Act for this on both.

Once you know, send the prelim asking for this all back and hey presto...it wont be a quick fix but you will surely be owed some money, and with this you can help write off the debt...

Lou xxxx

[wotsundermykilt]

Thxs Lueeze for taking the time to read all of it. I now know I should have broken it down into bits so you or anyone could digest it. I or my ex partner never ever made an agreement with the debt company which is actually part of BOS I think.I did agree what I was prepared to pay monthly though.Does this make a difference & should I hold off paying the outstanding amount back to them?
Mike

well it doesnt matter if you agreed to pay it back, your paying back something that is in dispute now.

Write off to them with the Data Protection Act and put in it your are disputing the amounts, and thus request a hold on the account.

Im hoping when you get the Data Protection Act back ,it will show you have been extortionatly charged thus opening the way for you to claim this back and writing off the debt.

In the meantime, Im not sure if you would be better to pay it off if you were going to or just sit tight...

Maybe another mod can advise...anyone?

[wotsundermykilt]

I will send off Data Protection Act's to both asap & let you know what happens.Thanks once again for your advice & if i manage to finally get some satisfaction from them, I will donate some monies to this wonderful site, so as to help others like me.
Mike

You may find contacting CCCS as well as good idea for advice, do a search on here, you will find there number!

Lou x

[wotsundermykilt]

You are a mine of info Lueeze, a right little princess in disguise.Thankyou so much.
Mike

S'ok thats what im here for! LOL!

(shh dont tell anyone! Im a hurly burly mod really )

[wotsundermykilt]

A hurly burly princess mod, wot more could anyone want lol Thanks. It does not matter what you are, what you look like, its whats inside that counts & you have it
all good.Thankyou
Mike

Aww ta very muchly!

[wotsundermykilt]

Will let you know how I get on. I presume I can email ur inbox through this site instead of letting all the others read our chain of chit chat, that won't help them get anything sorted lol Anyway if not I will post here but have a good week whatever happens lol
Mike

Yeah feel free to PM me, I always get users asking stuff and saying Hi! Im always here anyway (I dont have a life LOL)

[wotsundermykilt]

I promise not to tell you to go get a life lol Anyway I will try & suss out how to pm you using this forum when the time arrives lol. By the way I maybe don't need cccs because I am no longer needing debt management, I am still in debt(who is not) but am managing away fine at the moment touch wood.Ok will let you get on, I am sure your busy helping other poor souls like me.
Mike

Yeah i did think that after, CCCS might be able to tell you if they can charge interest legally even once the debt is sold and passed on, as im not 100% sure, but think this is correct...

In the top corner under Welcome, Wotsundermykilt, you will see Private messages, click on that and your there! LOL!:o

[wotsundermykilt]

ok will give it a bash.If I don't get through to you it merans I am not bashing hard enough lol
Mike