My mother is a pensioner

her last years insurance direct debits for her house insurance were taken out of her bank account by a company called mypremiumcredit

Her renewal came through 2 weeks ago and

last week my mum received a letter from mypremiumcredit

stating the company dont have her bank details on file in order to commence the direct debits for the new insurance cover

(when she had cover the previous year with them already!) and

if my mum does not pay within 2 weeks she will have to cough up the full amount which is almost £250 in one go!.

They have also sent my mum a default letter - my mum is stressed out by the default when it is not even her own fault

- she's never missed a direct debit with this company

I rang the mypremiumcredit asking them why have they sent a default letter,

the advisor said it their fault for not having my mums bank details on file,

i replied the bank details have never changed, so why the default letter,

the advisor said the default letter is a 'generic' letter thats sent out and it wont effect my mums credit rating

- my mum is stressed out and worried

- that the company even before her new renewal commences which is next week has alread received a default letter!

What action can my mum take, where does she stand and can this complaint be pushed all the way to the Financial Ombusman?

Yes, I think that it can be brought before the Ombudsman.

It is very unfair that they can send incorrect automated letters which cause stress to ordinary people.

MPC will be anxious to avoid a complaint to the FOS so hang out for some compensation. They may want to offer £50 but you may as well insist on £100 or else take it to the FOS.

I expect that the FOS would only award about £20 - but it costs you nothing to try.

Write to them and log a formal complaint and tell them that you want their final response so that you can go to the FOS

So she just gets mypremiumcredit to set up another Direct Debit arrangement as they have lost the previous details. She can probably do this by phone.

Or she can just get quotes to arrange insurance elsewhere from the renewal date and arrange to pay monthly by DD, then phone mypremiumcredit to cancel their policy from renewal. Has your Mum tried AgeUK Home Insurance, as they can offer competitive quotes and I don't think they charge anything extra to pay by monthly DD.

Sounds like mypremiumcredit have just made an error that can be resolved with them, if your Mum wants to resolve it with them.

Or she can just get quotes to arrange insurance elsewhere from the renewal date

Had a similar issue with Royal Sun Alliance. They sent my mother a letter threatening a default when the renewal DD was cancelled for a home emergency cover policy (a real waste, as it provided no real cover for anything). I gave them a right royal roasting over the phone and told them that legal proceedings would follow if they posted a default marker with any CRA. She received a very apologetic letter within days assuring us that no defaults would be posted.

It is well worth shopping around for insurance and checking the small print to make sure it is worth having.

hi BankFodder, my mums old and a pensioner and you wont believe how much stressed this has caused her

especially the 'automated generic default' letter that the customer advisor claims is sent out as normal procedure

and he said 'there is nothing to worry about it just a generic automated default' letter that gets sent out if you miss a payment....'

I mean the new policy starts in 2 weeks,

they send a letter inc a default letter even before the policy has started

saying they dont have the bank details on their system,

how can this be when my has used them for last years insurance.

..they messed up because the bank details are the same all they needed to do is go

and use the same bank details or send a letter requesting new bank details

but not by sending a letter saying you MUST pay within

so many days the default of £40, if not you must pay the full amount of £250

My mums been crying and upset.

..I want to help her get justice,

I need your help in getting a letter done because ive never had to write a letter of complaint before and don't know how to structure it, please can you help

Yes, I think that it can be brought before the Ombudsman.

It is very unfair that they can send incorrect automated letters which cause stress to ordinary people.

 

MPC will be anxious to avoid a complaint to the FOS so hang out for some compensation. They may want to offer £50 but you may as well insist on £100 or else take it to the FOS.

I expect that the FOS would only award about £20 - but it costs you nothing to try.

 

Write to them and log a formal complaint and tell them that you want their final response so that you can go to the FOS

I gave the bank details to set up the direct debit over the phone so thats done, but i want justice for the hurt and stress my eldery mum has because of this 'generic default letter' they sent even before the policy has even started and even before any payment even started

whats the cancellation time to cancel after they take direct debits? is it 14 days?

is there any insurance companies that offers cheap insurance for pensioners i can ring for my mum?

So she just gets mypremiumcredit to set up another Direct Debit arrangement as they have lost the previous details. She can probably do this by phone.

 

Or she can just get quotes to arrange insurance elsewhere from the renewal date and arrange to pay monthly by DD, then phone mypremiumcredit to cancel their policy from renewal. Has your Mum tried AgeUK Home Insurance, as they can offer competitive quotes and I don't think they charge anything extra to pay by monthly DD.

 

Sounds like mypremiumcredit have just made an error that can be resolved with them, if your Mum wants to resolve it with them.

Info on the AgeUK insurance: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/insurance/home-insurance/

(not a recommendation)

I gave the bank details to set up the direct debit over the phone so thats done, but i want justice for the hurt and stress my eldery mum has because of this 'generic default letter' they sent even before the policy has even started and even before any payment even started

 

whats the cancellation time to cancel after they take direct debits? is it 14 days?

 

is there any insurance companies that offers cheap insurance for pensioners i can ring for my mum?

Yes I have already given you the one to contact. Age UK (age concern) charity can arrange Home Insurance by phone or she can contact their local office that deals with Insurance. They normally have to deal with the person who needs the Insurance and not someone acting on their behalf.

they were more expensive than her present insurer

Yes I have already given you the one to contact. Age UK (age concern) charity can arrange Home Insurance by phone or she can contact their local office that deals with Insurance. They normally have to deal with the person who needs the Insurance and not someone acting on their behalf.

BankFodder, thanks for the advice, can you help me structure a letter of complaint, Ive never written one before and do i make any mention of compensation?

Yes, I think that it can be brought before the Ombudsman.

It is very unfair that they can send incorrect automated letters which cause stress to ordinary people.

 

MPC will be anxious to avoid a complaint to the FOS so hang out for some compensation. They may want to offer £50 but you may as well insist on £100 or else take it to the FOS.

I expect that the FOS would only award about £20 - but it costs you nothing to try.

 

Write to them and log a formal complaint and tell them that you want their final response so that you can go to the FOS