Result!- Wel sort of....

[welshwizard]

Hi there

First of all may I say ....... (thank you!)

Basically, I complained to SLC that they hadn't processed my deferment forms and consequently they built up inaccurate & illegal (a nice touch care of some very clever people here!) arrears on my account as I have been in receipt of Incapacity, Income Support and DLA for 10 years. I informed them of possibility of action against the for Fraud and also informed by MP. I also referred them to the Better Regulation Executive Decision (thaks to nice people here!)

Well, after some delay I have today received a letter stating that as I can prove I have been in receipt of benefits and DLA they are referring my case to a new Customer Care Team who " ... deal with cases where there may be mitigating circumstances due to a customer's personal situation .."

I take this comment to mean they have now set up a team to address the problme that many face when they fail to action deferment forms submitted on the grounds of income being solely from State Benefits.

I now wait in anticipation of a phone call/letter to see what happens next but I feel a small victory has already been won as they state in their letter the I " .. have been in continual receipt of IB and DLA..." (their words not mine) and so, therefore, agree that they have co*ked up. - What a shame.

I would not have had the courage to stand up to SLC and their dogs of war DCAs without you guys and your combined knowledge! THANKS!

I suggest anyone who is in a similar boat now contacts SLC and asks to be referred to the saem Customer Care Team. (Maybe they'll end up being the biggest team in Glasgow!) Also contact your MP - because mine contacted them straight away and I am sure this had an impact on the result.

Anyway, I wait for them to act now.....................: grin:

[summer30]

Sounding like your getting results, We arent there yet, 2400 of arrears, but they havent provided a legible CCA and its well over the extra month now

[noomill060]

Yay! Good stuff welshwizard!

When you get a name or contact details of the new "customer care team", dont forget to come back and share this info with us, to help others.

[welshwizard]

I sure will Noomill

[welshwizard]

Well - this is definitely a result and I am sure there is light at the end of the tunnel for many of you. Here's how my conversation with SLC went today:

Me: dialled 0141 243 3 six eight six (to foil search engines) (oh dear I can't find the delete key - please don't misuse this information )

Me: Hello please can I speak to Mr Richard Anderson (oops no delete key again)

Operator: erm... yes can you give me you account name, number & address please.

Me: Of course (ever wiling to help those friendly souls at SLC).

Conversation covers a few pleasantaries and I thought oh well here comes the bad news but..

Mr Richard Anderson (SLC): (OOPS) I have been given authority to take ALL the arrears from your account and transfer them back to the balance .

Me: (Taken aback a bit) erm what about any associated charges and interest?

SLC: Oh yes they will be taken off too don't worry. However I must tell you that as we are a new department (only running since October) the computer system doesn't take much notice of some of the things we do and you may get letters saying you owe £ many instead of the correct £ zero whilst you are deferred. If you do get one of these letters please contact me straight away as I will have to manually adjust things. Please be assured we are here to help.

Me: Oh right I see so it's a software problem? (I am sure there a few computer graduates out there who could sort that out)

SLC: Yes but it is also to do with a system that can't cope with reversals of entries.

Me: Thank you so much for your time please put this all in writing to me.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is, I ahve got all so-called arrears wiped off my record and back into the account where they should have stayed many years ago. I feel I have won and it is down to you guys for pointing me in the right direction.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

[welshwizard]

Just a quick question... How long should I expect them to take to remove the arrears?

[noomill060]

Hmmmmmm.....well when I took them to court i got a revised statement of account showing the arrears removed within a few days of them waving the white flag- but then they had my court hearing looming.

I would send them a 7 day LBA (Letter Before Action) to jump to it or face a Small Claim.

(They really dont like courtrooms)

[welshwizard]

Thanks Noomil - I'll give them the benefit of the doubt then hit them with that at the end of next week.