Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
The book is easy to understand and clearly explains the rights
a bailiff has, and also what they cannot do when collecting debts and repossessing goods etc.
My apologies if this is mis-posted - this isn't a bank charges post: I'm afraid in my case they went a step further.
I'm Dave, an Abbey customer of 18 years, every day of it in credit, with no legal troubles in all that time. I'm frankly a rather dull law-abiding UK citizen of modest means and no ambition for great wealth.
Five months into taking a break from the UK, the bank froze (on grounds of intervening non-use) the savings account I relied on to transfer funds to my current acccount (in the interim I'd been living on the cash I'd previously converted to local currency).
I'm now stranded overseas, I’ve lost my UK home and the possessions I left there, and I can't afford to get back. I’ve been told I have to turn up in person at the branch, but without a functioning account I’ve no way of getting there and nowhere to live in the UK (my former family home's been sold too upon my mother's commitment to a nursing home).
I've now no idea of my account status, or who's using it for what, since I've no address even for statments, and I can't terminate it. As a now homeless person there’s very little likelihood of my ever getting access to my savings. Every penny’s been effectively taken from me, and the bank’s refused even to contact me.
Neither the bank nor any UK regulatory authority will communicate other than by post, which is problematic for me to say the least. Being stranded outside the UK with no assets and no home makes legal action a non-starter.
This isn't a "pity me" note, I want to fight them but right now there seems no way out. Anybody out there in a similar position? I see from the net that the practice seems fairly widespread, and I know I'm not the only victim of these fraudsters - my ill-judged trust probably just makes this a rather extreme case among many.
Wow, what a terrible position you're in. I don't know what to advise you to do mate. The only thing I could say is, can you go to the nearest British Consuls Office? Maybe they can help or advise you, Ialways thought a UK citizen stranded abroad can be repatronised at no cost if you have no money, don't know if its right but you have nothing to lose.
Frankly getting home's only the start of my difficulties, since there's nothing there for me when I arrive - I'll be essentially a stranger in my own country with no home and still no foreseeable way to get at my savings. I was homeless there as a carefree youth many decades ago, and it's not something I want to experience again. At least here I can just about survive thanks to friends' charity, though that's understandably wearing thin, as you can imagine.
I think even consulates will only lend you the money to get back - with no way of repaying it I'm scared even to seek that option. I guess it's just a reflection of how the Abbey thinks of us, reduced to subsistence and possible criminality.
Seizure of whole account
customer of 18 years, every day of it in credit, with no legal troubles in all that time. I'm frankly a rather dull law-abiding UK citizen of modest means and no ambition for great wealth.
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WON / 19 November 2007