Welcome Finance

[maybelline]

I started with car finance but payed this off with a new loan from them which was secured on the home. I have started a new thread now but I have outlined this already on another thread, suffice to say I have had some real problems with them once I became ill and got into difficulties. I have gone ahead with a Data Protection Act request and also a CCA request serpeately. I have now received a bathc of stuff that is a bit strange. there is a lot of 'story' about me with much detail as to who lives in the house, lots of stuff about my phone being switched off, a record of some of my debit card details still on file.

 

But the copies of the CCA do not appear to be present. they have sent something called WFS Loan Agreement Front Sheet, it is filled out with figures but I have never seen this document and my signature does not appear.

 

They also have a couple of letters from me re arranging DD's for this account and generally updating them as to my difficulties while ill, delayed payment apologies stuff.

 

There does not appear to be any record, automated or otherwise of my actual account, like a statement showing all transactions, only this log which has been kept of my phonecalls, what was said, when I paid by card (this is headed Mida notes) obviously taken from some kind of computer log.

 

advice please. edit - just found some extra documents as this is double sided copies, loan agreement is present but none present the loans it replaces, I want to query the extra sums that were added on for inusurance protection, MIG and arrangement fees for each replacement loan (x3) these sums are hidden in the remaing debt to which they added them and I want to extract this?

[Tavmania]

Hi Maybelline

 

I used to work for welcome and the following info may be of some use.

 

MIDA is the diary system used, and also where they note all contacts with yourself. Here are the abbreviations you will see.

WTM - Welcome telephoned mobile

WTR - Welcome telephoned Residence

WTW - Welcome telephoned work

SW - Spoke with

OC - Our customer

PTO - Promised to telephone office

PVO - Promised to visit office

CTO - Customer telephoned office.

 

Head office will take the fact that your card details are on the notes extremely seriously. Welcome are not allowed to contact you more than two times a day. if they have report this to head office.

 

Hope this helps

[Grapes]

Hi

Sorry to pop into someone elses thread but quick question for Tavmania, why would head office take the card details on the notes extremely seriously?

[Tavmania]

I am not 100% sure but I am aware of Account Managers putting card payments through on the last day of the month without permision to hit their targets. This leads to dismissal. Also they do not hold a license to hold the card details on file like say AOL or lovefilm do.

 

Hope this answers your question.

[maybelline]

thanks for your comments Tavmania, isnt it against the law to keep card details? the whole number does not appear, some of it is asterisked out but I have had payments taken without a phonecall based on a previous months transaction. I have just written back to Head Office to get copies of the other agreements, although they were superceded they still need to provide me with a copy of the fees etc on that appear on the agreement rather than a running total as they have done, just adding the old balance on to the new agreement which will of course include all those charges I am challenging, also nothing to show all the DD payments over the years.

 

the Mida notes are interesting reading to say the least!

[Tavmania]

The customer account managers (CAM) vary with their charges as it does add to the balance and this can effect their targets which does go against them. Some use it as a threat and this is then classed as punishment and from what I have read would go in your favour if you had an answerphone message to say this. they should be able to produce a statement for your previous account at the branch. Just out of intrest which branch have you been dealing with?

[maybelline]

all my accounts were held at the same branch so they should be able to produce an account of all the payments to date! I havent had the time yet to look through all my boxes of old stuff but I am pretty sure I still have my copy of the agreement that I signed with different figures than theirs, over a thousand pounds less!

[maybelline]

looking at the info I have it looks like I have borrowed money to give to them! and I am paying the interest too. basically, when I had difficulties I was offerred another loan to fill the gap and lots of fees, over a thousand pounds every time went on it in fees etc, to be able to cover a tiny shortfall in comparison, even though I offered to pay what I could afford and have kept paying ever since?? when I get all my info from them am I asking the to reduce the loan by a certain amount on the grounds that this was unfair or to repay the late payment charges etc. I was being given a story about me losing my home blah blah, yes I know, it was ignorant of me but no more.

[Grapes]

Dont feel alone, much the same thing happened to us. So even though they have a loan secured on our house we would rather take them on and if neccessary ask the courts to decide! Going down the FSO, FSA route first, I have to say the FSA seemed REALLY interested when I called them....

[maybelline]

thanks for the supportive comments, I feel they probably have acted in a way not in accordance with guidelines but shaping into an argument is not easy. however, this does not mean that they should not be challenged, at least in a court both sides have an equal chance to present their view, I will be waiting to see if they produce the documents I have asked for so that I can challenge them, and if they dont I will have to make an estimate.

[Tavmania]

FACT: Welcome have never reposessed a house.

They may threat to but your account will go to the LCU (local collections unit) who can accept a third of your payment and freeze your interest. But you would recieve a Default on you credit file.

[maybelline]

thanks Tavmania, I was offered new loans to pay the missing payments and to lower the monthly rate by stretching it over a longer term but of course this meant more fees, (over 1500) so in the long run much worse off. I had sever post traumatic stress disorder and was pressured so much at the time, anyway, not a sob story but now I am better looking back I just think what an unscrupulous lot! aside from that, from what I have learned from CAG I intend to fully exercise my rights as no doubt the financial institutions will do.

[maybelline]

just looking at the notes again, takes me back to how awful it all was for us when the door was being knocked and three people were on the doortep being very insistent, even though I was not well enough to discuss matters and stated I was not willing to discuss my account on the front step, they kept knocking and coming back and ringing from outside the house, I felt so vulnerable, surely it was obvious to someone that they were being OTT, I did not realise this was harassment, I wonder how many people sign up for new loans just to escape this kind of thing?

[maybelline]

received additional information but still several years missing of transactions and no copies of earlier agreements showing the full charges applied at the time??

 

also - now see they have kep a record of my full card details, the whole number with the date of issue, expiry date, security code, absolutely everything and it has been on file for years!! plus other documents with boxes ticked to say I have am aware of things that I was never made aware of! the more I read these docs the worse it gets, I think I will have to make an estiamte siince they are not providing what I have asked for twice now??

[Grapes]

Hi

We had the same on the records sent to us, box ticked on the credit card thingy to say that they had informed us of the percentage charge on a dd payment. OH NO YOU DIDNT ......

I keep having a bash at our paperwork and then sit back and look at their records in amazement because it seems to have no resemblence to what I remember happening! And they tell me they can only go by their record of events. Uh no I dont think so...

[maybelline]

stange calls? since no doubt the finance people watch this site, hello, but will go on to say that Welcome telephone me today announcing this was a 'private call' ? and said they wanted to check if they could help me in any way?? all a bit cagey, this was supposed to be the hook and then went on to say 'do you have a loan agreement with us' surely, said I, if they are Welcome they would know this already? then suggested remortgaging as they were a different part of Welcome, no thanks says I.

[maybelline]

have been reading UTCCR regs CCA, 'extortioante credit', and also, 'licensee to be a fit person' 25.2 (a-d) if one feels the creditor has behaved in a way that is a contravention of the relevant sections of the act, is it right to contact them first or complain to director?

[Tavmania]

If they contacting you in regards to remortgage they mean secured loan. There is alot of pressure to get around 80k per branch in secured loans each month and they are desperate to lend it to anyone even customers they have had problems with.

[maybelline]

thanks Tavmania, I would say I have had problems with them!

[maybelline]

I still do not have copies of the earlier agreements, I assume I can just copy over the charges from the only one received as they have provided no evidence of their charges I am claiming as unfair? also re: defaults, why have they issued a default when I was always paying something and willing to discuss a payment plan? I want to challenge this.

 

any advice.

 

also the 30 days are up on providing the earlier copies?

 

bump. any advice on non provision of old agreements.

[maybelline]

Hi, I have received a form from finance and leasing assoc and I assume I can complain about the handling of my account, unnecessary fees being hiked up and their keeping my bank details on file for years but, I am not confident they will be any use pointing out that they have not sent the original loan details from the start, the car finance, only the figures added on the next loan agreement, does this count as providing a document? I want to see a breakdown of the fees added on the the agreements at that time but they have not provided this. my experience of other regulatory bodies is that they support the companies (re bailiffs and acea) complaints and defend their actions, so after months still have take complaint further:(

 

any replies to this yet????:(

[maybelline]

welcome finance, can I use the S10 as a route to removal of default, I am just about to send a failure to comply with Data Protection Act notice as I still do not have a full breakdown of all the cost from the outset, i.e. the car finance agreement, as said before, the charges are all carried over so it is impossible to 'see' what is what how much, what for etc, so how can I work out what is possbily a penalty?

 

cannot sent a prelim asking for default removal as still dont have info to put in re charges.

BUMP

[maybelline]

Hi

We had the same on the records sent to us, box ticked on the credit card thingy to say that they had informed us of the percentage charge on a dd payment. OH NO YOU DIDNT ......

I keep having a bash at our paperwork and then sit back and look at their records in amazement because it seems to have no resemblence to what I remember happening! And they tell me they can only go by their record of events. Uh no I dont think so...

 

Hi Grapes, hows it going? I have only just dug out the paperwork again, reading the notes theres some really threatening stuff in there, and as you say above, reports of events that conflict with the facts. I have been tying in the defualt from my credit report with their info and they have defaulted me six months prior to me having missed any payments?? they have written me some very dodgy letters too, advising me 'they will visitme at my home as many times as they like' until I talk to them?? who do they think they are, I explained that I was ill, they have a nasty little comments on their Mida notes advising what to say to me and to try to get into the house to see the condition and they are to ask me if it is council or not and if i ask why, to reply, so we can repossess you,

 

you wouldnt think they were so outrageous as to make notes about their nonsense?

[maybelline]

so the car price 2,900.00, interest 2,340.68 insurance premium (?) for what? £1,136.20 and fee £70.00, thats a **** expensive car which I said I didnt want and they brought it round and got pushy about it, as sure as eggs is eggs it broke down all the time, yes, I know I should have known better but we all see how the system works, people in vulnerable situations just end up with the worst deals and it escalates and their lives become even more difficult and it is a cycle, I feel I am taking control now thanks to this site making important information and lending perspective available to ALL:):)

[sues35]

They sure are awful ppl to deal with, i am mid arbitration with them re indemnity fees and acceptance fees even though we were already customers. I also have the agreement from the area manager that these fees are not acceptable in this case!!

 

Once i have the full story i will update in my own thread