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    • no i meant the email from parcel2go which email address did they send it from and who signed it off (whos name is at the bottom)
    • I understand confusion with this thread.  I tried to keep threads separate because there have been so many angles.    But a team member merged them all.  This is why it's hard to keep track. This forum exists to help little people fight injustice - however big or small.  Im here to try get a decent resolution. Not to give in to the ' big boys'. My "matter' became complicated 'matters' simply because a lender refused to sell a property. What can I say?  I'll try in a nutshell to give an overview: There's a long lease property. I originally bought it short lease with a s.146 on it from original freeholder.  I had no concerns. So lender should have been able to sell a well-maintained lovely long lease property.  The property was great. The issue is not the property.  Economy, sdlt increases, elections, brexit, covid, interest hikes etc didn't help.  The issue is simple - the lender wanted to keep it.    Before repo I offered to clear my loan.  I was a bit short and lender refused.  They said (recorded) they thought the property was worth much more and they were happy to keep accruing interest (in their benefit) until it reached a point where they felt they could repo and still easily quickly sell to get their £s back.  This was a mistake.  The market was (and is) tough.   2y later the lender ceo bid the same sum to buy the property for himself. He'd rejected higher offers in the intervening period whilst accruing interest. I had the property under offer to a fantastic niche buyer but lender rushed to repo and buyer got spooked and walked.  It had taken a long time to find such a lucrative buyer.  A sale which would have resulted in £s and another asset for me. Post repo lender had 1 offer immediately.  But dragged out the process for >1y - allegedly trying to get other offers. But disclosure shows there was only one valid buyer. Lender appointed receiver (after 4 months) - simply to try acquire the freehold.  He used his powers as receiver to use me, as leaseholder, to serve notice on freeholders.  Legally that failed. Meanwhile lender failed to secure property - and squatters got in (3 times).  And they failed to maintain it.  So freeholders served a dilapidations notice (external) - on me as leaseholder (cc-ed to lender).   (That's how it works legally) I don't own the freehold.  But I am a trustee and have to do right by the freeholders.  This is where matters got/ get complicated.  And probably lose most caggers.   Lawyers got involved for the freeholders to firstly void the receiver enfranchisement notice. Secondly, to serve the dilapidations notice.  The lack of maintenance was in breach of lease and had to be served to protect fh asset. The lender did no repairs. They said a buyer would undertake them. Which was probably correct. If they had sold. After 1y lender finally agreed to sell to the 1st offeror and contracts went with lawyers.  Within 1 month lender reneged.  Lender tried to suggest buyer walked. Evidence shows he/ his lawyers continued trying to exchange (cash) for 4 months.  Evidence shows lender and receiver strategy had been to renege and for ceo to take control.   I still think that's their plan. Lender then stupidly chose to pretty much bulldoze the property.  Other stuff was going on in the background. After repo I was in touch by phone and email and lender knew post got to me.   Despite this, after about 10 months (before and then during covid), they deliberately sent SDs and eventually a B petition to an incorrect address and an obscure small court.  They never served me properly.  (In hindsight I understand they hoped to get a backdoor B - so they could keep the property that way.)  Eventually the random court told them to email me by way of service.  At this point their ruse to make me B failed.  I got a lawyer (friend paid). The B petition was struck out. They’d failed to include the property as an asset. They were in breach of insolvency rules. Simultaneously the receiver again appointed lawyers to act on my behalf as leaseholder. This time to serve notice on the freeholders for a lease extension.  He had hoped to try and vary the strict lease. Evidence shows the already long length of lease wasn't an issue.  The lender obviously hoped to get round their lack of permission to do works (which they were already doing) by hoping to remove the strict clauses that prevent leaseholder doing alterations.   The extension created a new legal angle for me to deal with.  I had to act as trustee for freeholders against me as leaseholder/ the receiver.  Inconsistencies and incompetence by receiver lawyers dragged this out 3y.  It still isn't properly resolved.  Meanwhile - going back to the the works the lender undertook. The works were consciously in breach of lease.  The lender hadn't remedied the breaches listed in the dilapidations notice.  They destroyed the property.  The trustees compiled all evidence.  The freeholders lawyers then served a forfeiture notice. This notice started a different legal battle. I was acting for the freeholders against what the lender had done on my behalf as leaseholder.  This legal battle took 3y to resolve. The simple exit would have been for lender to sell. A simple agreement to remedy the breaches and recompense the freeholders in compensation - and there's have been clean title to sell.  That option was proposed to them.   This happened by way of mediation for all parties 2y ago.  A resolution option was put forward and in principle agreed.  But immediately after the lender lawyers failed to engage.  A hard lesson to learn - mediation cannot be referred to in court. It's considered w/o prejudice. The steps they took have made no difference to their ability to sell the property.  Almost 3y since they finished works they still haven't sold. ** ** I followed up some leads myself.  A qualified cash buyer offered me a substantial sum.  The lender and receiver both refused it.   I found another offer in disclosure.  6 months later someone had apparently offered a substantial sum via an agent.  The receiver again rejected it.  The problem of course was that the agent had inflated the market price to get the business. But no-one was or is ever going to offer their list price.  Yet the receiver wanted/wants to hold out for the list price.  Which means 1y later not only has it not sold - disclosure shows few viewings and zero interest.  It's transparently over-priced.  And tarnished. For those asking why I don't give up - I couldn't/ can't.  Firstly I have fiduciary duties as a trustee. Secondly, legal advice indicates I (as leaseholder) could succeed with a large compensation claim v the lender.  Also - I started a claim v my old lawyer and the firm immediately reimbursed some £s. That was encouraging.  And a sign to continue.  So I'm going for compensation.  I had finance in place (via friend) to do a deal and take the property back off the lender - and that lawyer messed up bad.   He should have done a deal.  Instead further years have been wasted.   Maybe I only get back my lost savings - but that will be a result.   If I can add some kind of complaint/ claim v the receiver's conscious impropriety I will do so.   I have been left with nothing - so fighting for something is worth it. The lender wants to talk re a form of settlement.  Similar to my proposal 2y ago.  I have a pretty clear idea of what that means to me.  This is exactly why I do not give up.  And why I continue to ask for snippets of advice/ pointers on cag.  
    • It was all my own work based on my previous emails to P2G which Bank has seen.
    • I was referring to #415 where you wrote "I was forced to try to sell - and couldn't." . And nearer the start in #79 .. "I couldn't sell.  I had an incredibly valuable asset. Huge equity.  But the interest accrued / the property market suffered and I couldn't find a buyer even at a level just to clear the debt." In #194 you said you'd tried to sell for four years.  The reason for these points is that a lot of the claims against for example your surveyor, solicitor, broker, the lender and now the receiver are mainly founded in a belief that they should have been able to do something but did not. Things that might seem self evident to you but not necessarily to others. Pressing these claims may well need a bit more hard evidence, rather than an appeal to common sense. Can you show evidence of similar properties, with similar freehold issues, selling readily? And solid reasons why the lender should have been able to sell when you couldn't.
    • You can use a family's address.   The only caveat is for the final hearing you'd need to be there in person   HOWEVER i'd expect them to pay if its only £200 because costs of attending will be higher than that
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Swinton / LFS Collection Services


detjo
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Im just wanting opinions here, really. I have done a search on CAG and the web and cant really find anything confirming my suspcions.

 

So here goes, the long way round ...

 

I took out car insurance with Swinton and after about 4 months, cancelled it - due to car being off road for a while.

I had paid everything upto the last months installment and, now, a £50 cancellation fee.

 

Having just moved and seeking another job, i didnt have enough money to pay Swinton at the time of cancellation. I told them this and said they would get the money soon as i got it - i wasnt trying to avoid payment altogether!

About a month later i got a letter from LFS Collection Services saying they were collecting on behalf of Swinton .. and all the usual - have to pay, CCJ, Law Court, increased fees etc etc.

I phoned LFS (16/7/2010) and told them i would pay them in a couple weeks (30/7/2010) when i had the money - they were semi ok about it, but she wasnt impressed!

 

I was all prepared to pay ... and then something happened that got me thinking.

I got a 'Parking Services Charge' from MET Parking Services for parking in McD's car park for too long. Having seen some info on here about it and the Watchdog video, i can safely file that one in the upstairs WC :-)

But then i thought .. if a private company cant legally claim/issue such charges, can LFS?

 

I phoned Swinton and asked them if i could pay them direct and the guy on the phone said "You can phone the branch where you took the insurance out and pay them only what you owe them, but to be honest, Swinton have already wiped off the debt!"

 

Hmm, that's interesting!

If i owe anyone, it's Swinton, but they have wiped off the debt. Therefore, surely i can tell LFS to take a jump? After all, are they, now, not trying to claim something that no longer exists?

 

What say you?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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detjo

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I have no legal training, any knowledge I have has come from this forum, and my own experiences. Always balance up any advice you get with your own common sense.

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Hi Hardupnotfedup

 

Thanks for your help.

I dont understand why i would send that to LFS, when i know i owed Swinton the money (did, until they 'wiped off the debt' )

Am i missing something?

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You are asking LFS to prove that you owe THEM money forget Swinton.

In the letter where you put the company name put LFS.

If I wrote to you out of the blue demanding money would you just pay me, no you wouldn't. Same applies to these cretins

I have no legal training, any knowledge I have has come from this forum, and my own experiences. Always balance up any advice you get with your own common sense.

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...

OK an old thread. That is quite intresting. Under similar circumstances, I cancelled my insurance with Swinton (as the car had died- literally). Swinton were a bit miffed that I was cancelling the policy- even though I had no car to insure; I informed them that I was self-employed, and much work has been cut back- so needed to tighten my belt financially. They began to reel off cancellation charges, additional admin charges etc. I explained that I did not mind paying for what I actually owed (I think it was about 7 days insurance outstanding- not much). But I was informed that I had to pay the £50 admin/cancellation charge- when asked to jusitfy it; the reply I got was "It's our charge". So- I sent them a cheque with covering letter for the outstanding weeks insurance (that cleared). About 2 weeks later I recieve a text message threatening court action if I didn't call LFS Collection and settle outsanding debts. So I called LFS- they informed me that there was no debt showing on my account and then apologised- explaining it was an error, and wrong number - so told to forget about it. A bit of a coincidence really- saying what did happen with Swinton in the first place. Since the initial conversation with Swinton back in April; I have recieved no further letter or contact, nor anything from LFS. Incidentally- LFS aren't actually an independent collection agency- they are the Swinton Insurance "Collections Department" though under a different banner- perhaps to make it sound more serious. BT collections did this and sent out letters in the same style as their BT letters- bit of a give away really.

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Swinton/LFS..... make me laugh.

 

Over 2yrs ago i put my old car as sorn.... i was gonna MOT before xmas. Swinton called Insurance was up, i explained i was hoping to MOT in 4weeks. Girl advised me price would be higher. So for a policy of £222, i paid £84. 2 weeks later, i discovered Immobiliser was knackered, and cost to fix over £300. i scrapped car, and called to cancel, only to be told they wanted £74 for cancellation...

 

SO for 2 weeks in total they wanted £158,,,, ha no chance. i knew i would never get the £84 back, but told them no chance..... for about 18mths i got various letters from Swinton and LFS, and on all occassions i rang and said i was disputing, to be met with, you have disputed on the same grounds before, and the bill is due.....

 

I never paid, and 30months i never will pay it.

 

Il also never use them again......

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The intresting thing is- prior to my insurance running out in April; I didn't receive any contact regarding a renewal until about 3 or 4 days before the policy ended (not useful as the car had died a day or so before)- and when it did drop through the door- with massive 40% increase on the top of last years premium; and worded pretty much as "Thanks for signing up with us".... I phoned them up. I explained that the quote they had provided was way too expensive; I couldn't afford it- and with work what it is; I couldn't predict when / what work would be coming in (That's the British Film Industry for you). The girl explained that the 40% rise was justified because they had to recoup costs for all of those undesireables who drive around uninsured and make false claims... Now correct me if I am wrong; there are numerous programmes on TV (across all channels) that follow numerous police forces, traffic police, motorway police, interpol, fashion police etc- they show how easy it is to pick up, fine, and seize vehicals from those uninsured. Where do the fines go? Secondly- insurers get a referral fee for every accident they refer to a claims company too. Nothing like having bread buttered on both sides is there? I told all this to the girl at Swinton- who was speechless, and just replied with "We need to make a profit too".... well there is profit, and huge profits. I then asked to cancel my policy and explained that the car had died- to be greeted with "Ahh yes, that'll be £50 admin charges" too.So I asked to justify the £50- which she couldn't, other than "That's our charge". So I threatened to invoice Swinton for my time (90mins on the phone), the phone call- being self employed, my time is money! I should have let my car insurance just run out for the sake of a few days. But at the end of the day was just keeping paperwork and such up to date- the authorities are hot on paperwork!!!

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  • 8 months later...
Swinton/LFS..... make me laugh.

Hi, just wanted to know how this situation resolved itself??? I too have received a letter from LFS on behalf of Swinton for a bill for £50 their cancellation charge. I purchased a new car and the insurance company I was with wouldn't cover my new car and so cancelled my policy. I was informed by Swinton that the £50 cancellation fee was due but if I took another policy our with them then it would be waived...however the new quote they gave me was more than double what I eventually got it for with another company!!!! I feel really aggrieved and do not want to pay this bill but can't become embroiled in CCJ's etc ?? I also notice that the letter from LFS has the same signature as the letter sent a couple of weeks ago from Swinton debt collection...... Any thoughts please ??...

 

 

Over 2yrs ago i put my old car as sorn.... i was gonna MOT before xmas. Swinton called Insurance was up, i explained i was hoping to MOT in 4weeks. Girl advised me price would be higher. So for a policy of £222, i paid £84. 2 weeks later, i discovered Immobiliser was knackered, and cost to fix over £300. i scrapped car, and called to cancel, only to be told they wanted £74 for cancellation...

 

 

 

SO for 2 weeks in total they wanted £158,,,, ha no chance. i knew i would never get the £84 back, but told them no chance..... for about 18mths i got various letters from Swinton and LFS, and on all occassions i rang and said i was disputing, to be met with, you have disputed on the same grounds before, and the bill is due.....

 

 

 

I never paid, and 30months i never will pay it.

 

 

 

Il also never use them again......

 

 

 

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OK an old thread. That is Hi, just wanted to know how this situation resolved itself??? I too have received a letter from LFS on behalf of Swinton for a bill for £50 their cancellation charge. I purchased a new car and the insurance company I was with wouldn't cover my new car and so cancelled my policy. I was informed by Swinton that the £50 cancellation fee was due but if I took another policy our with them then it would be waived...however the new quote they gave me was more than double what I eventually got it for with another company!!!! I feel really aggrieved and do not want to pay this bill but can't become embroiled in CCJ's etc ?? I also notice that the letter from LFS has the same signatureas the letter sent a couple of weeks ago from Swinton debt collection...... Any thoughts please quite intresting. Under similar circumstances, I cancelled my insurance with Swinton (as the car had died- literally). Swinton were a bit miffed that I was cancelling the policy- even though I had no car to insure; I informed them that I was self-employed, and much work has been cut back- so needed to tighten my belt financially. They began to reel off cancellation charges, additional admin charges etc. I explained that I did not mind paying for what I actually owed (I think it was about 7 days insurance outstanding- not much). But I was informed that I had to pay the £50 admin/cancellation charge- when asked to jusitfy it; the reply I got was "It's our charge". So- I sent them a cheque with covering letter for the outstanding weeks insurance (that cleared). About 2 weeks later I recieve a text message threatening court action if I didn't call LFS Collection and settle outsanding debts. So I called LFS- they informed me that there was no debt showing on my account and then apologised- explaining it was an error, and wrong number - so told to forget about it. A bit of a coincidence really- saying what did happen with Swinton in the first place. Since the initial conversation with Swinton back in April; I have recieved no further letter or contact, nor anything from LFS. Incidentally- LFS aren't actually an independent collection agency- they are the Swinton Insurance "Collections Department" though under a different banner- perhaps to make it sound more serious. BT collections did this and sent out letters in the same style as their BT letters- bit of a give away really.

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi guys,

 

I've just had a letter from LFS with "FINAL NOTICE" in huge letters! Now, normally these letters have phrases such as 'may' and 'might' etc... however this one is a little more decisive. It states:-

 

If no contact is made by you will will obtain a County Court Judgement against you, and you will be liable for the following in addition to the current balance COURT FEES, SOLICITOR COSTS, INTEREST DUE

 

Is this just DCA fluff or should I take this one a little more seriously?

 

Thanks in advance!

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