Blair Oliver and Scott/Bank of Scotland ** Compensation awarded by FOS **

[reallymadwoman]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the site (I have registered and had a good read) and just wanted to check a few things.

I have 4 accounts with Bank of Scotland via Blair, Oliver and Scott, otherwise known in this house as Barmy Orrible and Stupid, and have had repeated problems with harassment, not replying to correspondence and all the other bullying tactics that have been discussed elsewhere. I'm currently pursuing a second complaint via the FOS - I won the first one. Despite the fact that there is an ongoing complaint, I am making the agreed payments and Citizen's Advice have intervened, I am still getting about 5 letters a week demanding that I phone them - which they have been repeatedly told I cannot do due to disability. I finally got really p***ed off this morning and reported them to trading standards.

I hadn't previously considered disputing the debts, although no doubt there are horrendous charges especially on the two credit cards, because I consider that I do owe the money. However as I have no hope of ever going back to work and it will take about 300 years to clear at the current rate, all I now want is for them to go away and leave me alone. I've even had to change my (unlisted - how did they get it?) phone number.

From what I've read I think I need to CCA them, but as barmy orrible and stupid are the same company as Bank of Scotland, who do I write to?

Also, because of my circumstances I have asked for the debts to be written off, but of course they never reply. On the off chance that they have the documentation and actually send it to me in time, any suggestions on this point? Or any other ways of making them go away? At the rate we're going in another couple of years the compensation from the ombudsman will have cleared the debts anyway.

Many thanks to anyone who has the time to respond.

[clutchingatstraws]

CCA seperately to Blair Oliver and Scott for each of the four accounts.

 

You can put all four into one envelope and send it signed for recorded start timing them from when it is recieved, you can check this on royal mail track and trace.

 

Also ask for a copy of their internal complaints procedure it will save a stamp later on.

 

All the best

 

Cas

 

No CCA No Pay

[reallymadwoman]

Thanks for the help.

 

And for everyone else on this site, I think you are all amazingly helpful and reading the various threads has dragged me back up from the bottom of the black hole again. Thanks - it's really nice to know I'm not alone and all this harassment is not personal.

[reallymadwoman]

CCA requests are delivered, and the clock is ticking! I might be enjoying this.

[reallymadwoman]

According to track and trace my letters were delivered, but the proof of delivery is not available - lost or damaged. Is this likely to cause a problem later on, and if so is it worth sending the letters again?

[reduk054]

Really mad woman, glad that this site has helped you. How did you find out that your letters had been delivered through track and trace? Did you speak to someone or did you go on-line?

Just wondering if it was online if you could print off the page which says "delivered". If it was on the telephone, is it a pre-recorded message?

And were all of your letters sent separately? And if so, have all four proof of deliveries not avail?

Sorry, 20 questions (well nearly!)!

Red

[reallymadwoman]

I've been tracking stuff on-line. Letters showed as delivered a couple of days ago, but until today it has just said the electronic proof of delivery was not available. When I checked online this morning, it had changed to 'not available' which according to the website means lost or damaged. I sent all 4 letters in one envelope with a postal order for £4. Would a print out of the page saying delivered, plus my receipt from the post office be sufficient proof?

Incidentally I've just checked another letter I sent at the same time and that is also showing that proof of delivery is not available.

[clutchingatstraws]

I would be happy with that. You can also trace whether the postal order has been cashed, not sure how that works but I've three like this i think it is because of a recent strike.

[reduk054]

Hi Again, I would agree with clutchingatstraws in the sense that along with the print out of the delivery confirmation, that you will be able to track as to whether the postal order has been cashed or not (your local post office or another CAG user will be able to tell you how, sorry I am not 100% sure, as I send cheques!).

I have had a letter which I know was delivered to the DCA about three months ago, as the cheque was cashed, and still on the Royal Mail website, I get the same message as you! I think that more people are using the special guaranteed delivery which is around £4.00 per letter.

Red

[reallymadwoman]

Thanks for the help. I think I'll just assume the letters have been delivered for now. If any one knows how to find out if a postal order has been cashed, I would like to know just for some added insurance.

I suppose it's always possible that Blair Oliver and Scott will acknowledge the letters. Unlikely, but possible.

[reduk054]

reallymadwoman (RMW for short in the future!! LOL), what you may encounter from BOS, even after they have received your letters is a bog standard letter about you not contacting them regarding payment, or we may instruct legal proceedings etc blah blah. I have to admit that even now if I receive one of these letters, my heart still skips a beat, and then I think HAHHAHAHAHHAHAH, you can threaten all you like, but the law is on my side!

Will see if I can find anything out about postal orders for you!

Red

[reallymadwoman]

Thanks again.

Funnily enough I found this site when I got sufficiently 'mad' with their constant letters (about 5 a week despite the accounts already being in the subject of complaints to FOS and the agreed payments being up to date) to do a web search on Blair, Oliver and Scott - and guess what it came up with.

I'm happy to let the FOS dodder on with the complaint although I don't for one second think it will get me anywhere whilst I take my revenge in other ways. The clock is ticking until I cancel all your DDs, BOS!

I got two more 'phone immediately' letters this morning. I was tempted to file them in the bin but thought I'd better keep them just in case. I'm not answering though.

[reduk054]

RMW, you are defintely on the right path. You have obviously been reading lots on here, and you are correct, that after no CCA (I am 99.9999% sure that there wont be one!) following 12 working days plus 2 delviery days, you can cancel your DDs. That will feel better!

Keep the letters, yes! I have a little pile, just in case!

Well done!

Red

[jaxads]

Hi RMW -- good luck!!!!

 

I CCA'd Bank of Scotland on 11 April, copying to Blair Oliver Scott on 8 May -- I've not received a response from them and stopped payments in June!!!

 

They've now committed a "summary criminal offence"

 

Let's see what their next move will be.

 

Before I found this amazing site, I used to dread the post arriving and hate answering the telephone ...... now I love it!!!

[reallymadwoman]

Hi Jaxads,

Agree entirely. Last weekend more missives from BOS effectively wrecked my day. This week they've gone on the pile with a dismissive shrug, and I've almost been tempted to give them my phone number again after having to change it to stop them ringing every day just for the pleasure of winding them up a bit.

Like reduk, I'm certain they won't reply to the CCA - one helpful young lady in their office informed me that post is rarely even looked at, they don't have time, but I'm also certain their demands will continue to arrive, no doubt doubling in number once I stop payments at which point I can really start to have fun. I love this site!

[reallymadwoman]

Hi reduk,

Many thanks for the 'reputation' thing - though I have no idea what it means. Can you clarify or point me in the right direction?

[reduk054]

RMW,

I loved the fact that a woman at BOS admitted that they don't often have time to read their post. Oh my goodness, what are they so busy doing??

It would have been hilarious if you had taped her comments. Mmmm, so BOS don't open their post even though its "signed for", and even though they cash the cheque, but then dont comply with the enclosed CCA request!? Blimey!

p.s. when you approve of someone's advice, or post/thread you can "click" on their scales (which are at the bottom, underneath the person's name). Once you receive clicks, your green box/es will increase (although I don't know how many reputation clicks equate to one box!)

Red

[reallymadwoman]

I took the advice from another thread (no idea which one now, I've read so many) and put 'Payment Enclosed' on the outside of the envelope to encourage them to sign for it, and maybe even open it! It's not my fault if they interpret it as a potential payment off debts, is it?

Glad I did now as cashing the postal orders may be the only evidence I get that they did actually receive the letters other than Royal Mail saying they were delivered.

Incidentally, if you get someone from Citizen's Advice to ring on your behalf they miraculously 'find' your letters (even if three days later) but then the next time you ring yourself, they've disappeared again as has any record of calls from CAB. In fact the excuses that Blair, Oliver and Scott and Halifax/Bank of Scotland give to the FOS would imply that Royal Mail never deliver anything to their offices, and also fail to deliver their many responses to any complaints. Strange that. If I was a cynic I might think they were telling porkies.

[reduk054]

Wow, RMW, you have really highlighted some interesting insights into BOS, that I am sure that other CAG users would be interested in!

They really are not worthy of holding any sort of credit licence are they?!

Have you found out how to check if the postal orders have been cashed or not yet?

Red

[reallymadwoman]

I have also read elsewhere that Blair, Oliver and Scott are in fact Bank of Scotland - same registered office etc - so I find it particularly worrying that they should behave in this way. We've more or less come to expect it of the independent DCAs, but the big banks? Just think if one of them were to lose their credit licence!

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I am on my second FOS complaint against them for effectively the same thing - ignoring correspondence, breaches of the OFT guidance and breaches of the Banking Code. Winning the first one has quite obviously not made one iota of difference, and the only reason I have carried on pursuing the second complaint is because I can, whereas others treated in the same way may not have the resources (and stamina) to do it. It's almost as if I owe it to all the other poor souls out there being bullied by these people, and if no one complains we can't expect anything to change. How many complaints do you think it will take before the FOS starts getting seriously interested?

I haven't yet found out how to check if the postal orders have been cashed, and probably won't have time to make the necessary phone calls for a few days as I have an extremely busy week, but will post the info on here when I can, unless someone else can tell me in the meantime?

[reduk054]

Sadly RMW, there are a lot of "in-house" companies that the big bank use, all of which just seem to keep on chasing for money regardless of any legalities which they may stumble accross.

It is disgraceful, and as you quite rightly say, if no-one complains, then how can things improve?! And these "DCAs" will continue to make other people's lives a misery! We will have to spread the word about CAG!

 

I once received a letter by accident for another lady from BOS (it was stuck to my envelope, but unopened, with her name and address still showing so I unpeeled it from my BOS letter) and before putting it back in the post for her I wrote www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk on the back. I hope that she came on board!!

Will see what I can find out about postal orders

Red

[reallymadwoman]

Hi all,

I've received another *four* letters from Barmy Orrible and Stupid this morning. I know I could ignore them as I'm waiting for the response to my CCA request (first deadline is 20th July). but the whole point of me doing this was to stop them harassing me - any possible reduction in the amount due would just be a bonus.

Is there anything I can do to stop them writing to me in the meantime? I wondered about sending another letter, to be signed for of course, pointing out that whilst the accounts are in dispute they shouldn't be chasing payment. I also wondered about just letting them dig themselves in to an even bigger hole.

Opinion anyone?

[reduk054]

Hi again RMW, I would let the letters accumulate as evidence against BOS. They are currently unable to supply you with your CCA request, so do not fret! I would say that although the letters are a nuisance and that they are not pleasant, you do not have to respond!

Please stay strong! IF and it is a big if they comply with your request then you can start to decide what you need to do next. In the mean time, hold tight!

Hugs!

Red

[reallymadwoman]

Sorry for the slight delay - my partner returned from working abroad yesterday so I was slightly distracted!

I have filed the BOS letters in the usual pile, and I think if I go up in the loft I will have about 300 of them all together spaced over the last 18 months.

Having calmed down again (I particularly hate the call immediately telemessages that just give a first name and phone number) I am absolutely just letting them dig themselves into an ever deepening hole. Their time is up at the end of next week and I am intending to let them carry on for at least a week or two after that before I send them the harassment letter which of course they won't read in time to avoid committing an offence, if they read it at all. And once they have committed an offence, it's court proceedings if necessary to get the defaults removed from my credit history. Bye bye BOS!

[reduk054]

Hi again RMW,

hope that your weekend was full of rubbish "phone me now" letters and phone call free (never speak to them, not that you want to anyway!)

If BOS continue to send you letters, you will not only have a great case against them, but you will also have a nicely insulated loft! perfect!

Red