Hi all, I took out an endowment policy with Countrywide assured in 2000 when I bought my first flat as part of an interest only mortgage. 2 yrs later, I sold the flat, cancelled the DD for the policy and effectively "forgot all about it". A couple of weeks ago, I got a letter from Countrywide assured trying to trace someone with the same name as me regarding a policy that could have been mine. I contacted them and confirmed my identity. They informed me the policy had a small cash value of around £300. Apparently they have continued to deduct the cost of the policy from the balance since 2002!! How can they do this? I stopped paying the DD as I didn't need the cover. Is it worth me challenging them as to why they continued to provide cover for the past 9 years despite the fact I was completely incommunicado and no longer owned the property? Surely they should have frozen the policy when the DD was cancelled? Thanks, Dazzaboy2

Barry, I think it very unlikely that pethidine would have caused your hypoxic brain injury. Whilst in the womb, you are not breathing for yourself anyway and oxygen comes from the mother. The most common cause of hypoxic brain injury during birth is the umbilical cord being round a baby's neck during birth. I doubt very much you have a case here. dazzaboy2

Quick question guys, I am one of the lucky ones and claimed back my charges a few years ago. I did not get them back as a goodwill gesture however, I won, by default in court. Everywhere I've read says that the banks cannot ask you for the money back due to this ruling, as charges were returned as good will gestures. Mines however were not. I sent the bailiffs in (twice to HBOS and once to Lloyds) in order to get my cash back. They won't come asking for the money back now will they? Dazzaboy2

Hi guys, Been a while since I posted! Need to pick some 'up to date' brains!! I really am a bit out of touch with the whole situation now about claiming back the charges.............. I successfully claimed all my charges back last year (with compounded interest)...........from HBOS, Lloyds, Barclaycard, BOS CC and Virgin CC. Now, I have found myself in the situation that I've had more charges, particularly from HBOS. I'm in the situation that if for example, on the last day of the month, a direct debit comes out of my account at 0330hrs and my wages go in at 0331hrs, they are charging me. Absolutely no give from them. I was in my branch the other day and the woman behind the counter told me that the system said 'I've not to get any charges refunded'. I was on to phonebank tonight complaining about, yes you guessed right, charges and I demanded to speak to a manager who told me 'I've not to get any charges back', and that there was a note on they system about my previous claim. I told her that I sued before and won and that I had no problem doing it again. She basically said that will be the reason 'Ive not to get any bank charges back'. She also said that things are moving along with regards to the whole situation and that they hope to have it wrapped up soon, but she did say to get another claim in now. I'm just a little nervous about claiming again lol. I'm hearing about overdrafts being removed and accounts being closed. I guess I'm more nervous as I sued them before (with a high rate of compounded interest) and won and am wondering if they would get revenge this time by closing my accounts or removing my overdraft etc. Something else that is bothering me a bit too is the fact that I claimed compounded interest last time. Do you think there is any chance they could come after me and claim the interest I sued them for? Do tou think it's worth claiming again?? Or would I maybe just be better waiting to see what the outcome will be and hope that the judge rules in favour of us and we all get them refunded? dazzaboy2

Guys, Sorry to hijack the thread, I just discovered today that they defaulted me 2 years ago. They claim that I didn't provide them with a forwarding address when I moved out of my old place. I categorically remember providing this info when I called them with the final meter reading. Long and short is that they apparently billed me for £137 to my old address. I never got the bill so didn't pay it and have now ended up with a default. The strange thing is tho that my mail was also forwarded from my old house to the new one and I genuinely don't think I recieved a bill from them. If I had I'd have paid it. They also said they are waiting for a date from court. I really can't believe this has been happening and I was totally unaware. I still would be if I hadn't checked my credit file. It's soo unfair, this is the only negative thing on my credit file and it really isn't my fault. Why should I have to suffer because of their mistake? I'm writing a letter to them now, who do you think it would be best to send it to as I need them to send out the bill to this address like they should have done in the first place so I can get the damn thing paid and also ask for default removal at the same time. Cheers Darren

Hi guys, This morning, whilst bored, I decided to check my credit report on the internet through Experian. I have discovered that British Gas defaulted me for the amount of £137 in November 2005. This is the first I knew about this. I called them immediately to query it and they informed me that I failed to provide them with a forwarding address for my final bill when I moved out of my last property!!! This is rubbish!! Even if I did fail to provide my new address, my mail was forwarded through the post office for some time once I moved out of the house to ensure that this sort of thing didn't happen. I can categorically say that I did not recieve anything from them. If I had, I'd have damn well paid it. Strange how the phone and electric companies etc all had my new address! They said that they tried to trace me through some agencies or something but that they failed to find me, so they therfore defaulted my account. I was also told that my case has been sent to court and that they are waiting for a date!! To say I am absolutely fizzing is an understatement!!! If I hadn't checked my credit report this morning I wouldn't have had a clue about this. What can I do about this? Is it really worth pursuing? Am I going to get anywhere? Is there anyone or anywhere else I can go to should they refuse to sort this out? I think I'll start with a letter to them. Does anyone have any advice on what to put in the letter? Rant over!!

bump

Bump!! I'm getting nowhere with these guys. Does anyone know where I stand on this? I've searched the net high and low and can't find any info.

Hi guys, Looking for some advice. I bought a £2000 Plasma TV from Choice catalogue in January. I bought it on a buy now pay September offer. However, the bill came in September with a minimum payment of over £400. Unknown to me, with a buy now pay later offer, it automatically goes onto 20 week terms. I called them up to query this and they agreed to transfer it onto 100 week terms to lower my monthly payment. I was informed at that point that should I pay the tele off early, I would get a rebate in any interest. Now, after having made 2 payments on the TV, I want to clear the balance in full. So I called customer services to see what my outstanding balance is. The told me it is £2600. I explained that as I was paying the TV off after not even 3 months of a 100 week agreement the balance should be significantly less......but no, they are telling me that I HAVE to pay the full £2600 and only THEN they will decide a settlement figure and rebate me ay interest due. Is it just me or does this strike anyone else as ridiculous? They won't even let me talk to the 'early settlement team'. All I want is to know how much interest I will be rebated if I settle early......to see if it's actually worth doing!! If it's gonna cost me a fortune I'd be as well just paying it over the term and getting my monies worth! I'm just checking my T's&C's (which I haven't signed btw) but I can't find any info on it. Advice anyone? Dazzaboy2

Won!! Funds cleared!! I'm rich for another few days lol. Thanks to all..............

Well it looks like I've won! I got a cheque from SCM the other day for fourteen pounds saying that it was the difference of the previous cheque they issued for £1566. Only thing is......I never recieved a cheque for £1566 !! Gave them a ring, found them very helpful and they said they'd get back to me in 72hrs. They left a message for me at lunchtime today saying that the original cheque issued has not been cashed and that they have now cancelled it. As soon as they recieve confirmation that it is indeed cancelled they will issue me a new one ASAP. In the meantime, I haven't yet cancelled the bailiffs!! Should I? Or should I just wait until the cheque has cleared? Ta..........

Hi Grant, I didn't use MCOL. When I sued HBOS I went for contractual interest and the section for the particulars of claim online wasn't big enough. In the end, what I did was complete an N1 form and submitted it to Bournemouth County Court as I have friends in Bournemouth. What I did was supply my friends with lots of stamped addrressed envelopes for them to forward corresponance. However, the court sent everything to me directly in Scotland. I lumped both accounts into the one claim and won by default.....6k....sweet!.....but spent long ago lol. I've just won my second claim against Lloyds and used Bournemouth county Court. I'm just waiting for the bailiffs to go in and get my dough!

Hi surfman, Same thing happened to me. I now have a valid judgement and have issued a warrant. I'm wondering too how this test case will affect us given that we are so far on with our claims............

Well, No response from them, so managed to get the court to issue a warrant of execution. Then I got a letter from SCM basically saying Lloyds didn't recognise my address and could I forward the correct details. So we'll see what happens now. They have the correct details AND a warrant has been issued against them. Hope this OFT test case doesn't affect me as I already have a valid judgement!! More waiting............

Judgement for claimaint in default!! Yay!! I'll give em' a week then the bailiffs are going in.