hi all... still had no response from Clare Fletcher.. onyl a 'read' receipt. is there any harm in sending the email again.. or am i just going to get on her pip? Also - anyone know how near I can leave it to the court case to cancel it?? just incase they do cough up? Marmite x

fantastic news!! CONGRATULATIONS!! Seems to be a bit of a gap from 6th July to your triumph.. how did you manage to get the cheque?? Tell me your secrets! Well done - again!! Marmite x

thanks CF Have emailed if off.. no 'read' receipt as yet, but I think Inga is away until the 23rd.. so I cc'd it to Clare Fletcher too.. but no 'read' receipt from her either. Getting a bit twitchy.. as IF we do agree on a figure, from what I have read, it seems they take quite some time to actually cough up!!. What is the latest I can actually cancel the court case? Obviously Im not going to do this until I have the cash in my hand! Hoping its not too much longer now. Marmite x

Morning everyone.. Ok - I have completed my wasted costs spread sheet thingy.. can anyone tell me what to do with it now.. my guess is.. email a copy to Inga and send a copy to the courts? is this right. If I send a copy to the courts.. what do say? Any help much apprecaited.. promise I wont ask many more questions! Marmite x

I have done my bundles.. sent special delivery to ashurts and delivered by hand to the court yesterday. will do my wasted costs thingie.. just so I have a 'genuine' figure in my head to throw into the settlement! jars of marmite will do me just fine.. filled with all my lovely cash back please! must stop getting giddy about getting the money back.. !!!

really? without prompting?? I do hope so! I have resigned myself to the fact that im in for the long haul.. so if I can actually get the full settlement out of them before going to court, that would make me one happy marmite bunny! Whenever it happens.. there will be one tidy donation going to this site.. without the help of everyone on here I would have fallen at the first hurdle! Marmite x

Hi Nimrod.. im at a similar stage to you.. submitted my bundles yesterday (court date 10th August) I emailed Inga Kirkman (Inga.Kirkman@ash urst.com) to ask if they would be willing to try and settle before going to court.. the most they have offered so far is the actual amount of charges plus court costs.. no interest! I think this has been fairly standard of late. Been trying to haggle a bit.. but they wont budge, saying its not commercially viable to offer any more.. so I am willing to see it through to court, my bundles are done and in so its just a waiting game. It could be worth sending an email.. nothing ventured and all that! Ive turned a bit stubborn over it all now, as they have just been dragging their heels - I too can drag mine! Best of luck - have a butchers at my thread and see if any of it is similar. Marmite x

Me again! Finally got to speak to Clare... went through the case with her and she suggested in a bid to keep it going to court how about £2400.. I said.. how about £2800 and she seemed horrified.. saying "thats 100% settlement, its not heard of, its not commercially viable and there is no way I would get that back!".. I said.. "ok, its not a problem, the court case is on 10th August, I will see you then love" Stuff it.. ive had enough of them! I hope I have done right in sticking out for the full amount and not shot myself in the foot.. but I am willing to see it through to court and I will get my money back, one way or another.. plus extra for bundle costs - they were warned!! Is it just me or are they doing this to anyone else? marmite x

AAARRRRGGGHHHH - posted off my bundle yesterday.. then hand delivered the one to the court.. got back to find an email from Inga (at 6.38pm!!) saying if I wanted to discuss settlement to ring Clare Fletcher!! How very rude! I hae given Clare a ring, as per the number Inga gave me, it was the voicemail for Ronan!! Anyway, rang main switchboard and got put through to Clare's voicemail, left a message for her to contact me. Im sticking to my guns now though.. its the full amount, plus my court fee.. or I will see it through and get the lot, plus bundle costs etc.. I'm having none of their measley offers - I have done my bundle now, so I'm all ready to go to court! Grrrrr. Will see if this Clare bird rings me back. Marmite x

Just rang Ashurst to make sure it was ok to send my bundle to them.. I asked who I should mark it for the attention of, was then asked who I had been dealing with, told the very nice receptionist Inga Kirkman and the receptionist burst out laughing.. saying 'oh yes, we have an Inga Kirkman here, she is one very busy lasy' - we exchanged a few titters and then I went on my merry way to the post office! Of course, nothing runs smooth.. THERE IS A POSTAL STRIKE!!! managed to work out if i sent it special delivery it wouldnt be sat in the sorting office for 24 hours - so took that option! Just wait and see now I guess.. on my way to drop the bundle off at the court tonight on my way home. Is it worth emailing Inga and telling her its on its way.. or just sitting tight for a bit? cheers everyone x

Yipeeeee - Bundles DONE!!! Wasnt going to bed until they were done! Going to deliver the one to the courts by hand, probably tomorrow. But now wondering which address do I send the one to the Abbey? Any ideas anyone please? Also - what do I now do about claiming the costs back for preparing the bundle, or does that depend on the stage it gets to before Abbey cough up? Hope that makes sense... and advice much apprecited. YIPPPPPPEEEEEE I got me three bundles! Thanks to all those that helped me get my knickers out of a bunch and get it sorted. It really want that bad, once I got going. Thanks to all! x

Right - with the invaluable help of charleyfarley im ready to rock and roll with my bundle, got it all fairly clear in my mind and am going to set about starting it tonight.. my goal is to have it all done and dusted to get in the post on friday evening! will let you all know how i get on! thanks to everyone for all your help! Marmite x

thanks Jo most helpful.. i guess the more info i get the better really. going to start on it tomorrow night.. after spending tonight reading up on as much as i can again on here. ive just eaten a whole packet of cookies... the stress is making me eat! thanks again C x

ok having just looked at the order (which came from Northampton) before it was transfered to my local court, the only thing it states is that th allocation questionaire be dispensed with. then.. on the notice i got from my local court i got this: District Judge Reeves has considered the statements of case and allocation questionnaires filed and allocated the claim to the small claims track. The hearing will take place on 10th August 2007 blah blah blah and should take no longer than 1 hour. The court must be informed immediately if the case is settled by agreement before the hearing date. Each party shall deliver to every other party and to the court office copies of all documents (including any experts report) on which he intends to rely at the hearing no later than 14 days before the hearing. The original documents shall be brought to the hearing. And that was it.. all that was in the envelope was that.. and a booklet on mediation!! Not sure if that sheds any light on it!! Also - with regards to the 3 copies of bundles.. can i just use the original documents in mine or do they have to be copies in all 3?? Oh blimey.. there I go again! The worst thing is.. Abbey wont even submit a bundle, Im sure.. so all this flapping is for nothing!!.. well.. not for nothing.. but you know what i mean! Marmite x

Hi Jo No - you arent being thick.. thats me!! I've downloaded the court bundle for CAG from this site.. and realise, from the index that i have to put in all correspondence, charges and statements.. then all of the other bits which are supplied.. but do i have to put other things in?? like the Examples of Witness Statements / Disclosure by List / Draft Directions / Case Summary bits..?? Im sure im getting in a tiz over nothing and when i get my head round it and actually start doing it i will be ok.. but i just dont want to mess up at this stage! i just want to be methodical and get it done in the right order in the time i have left. be brutal with me.. kick me up the a** and get me back on the right track.. please!!! marmite x

Ok - got my a** into gear (she thinks) thanks charley for the boot i needed!! Called in a staples this morning (other stationery shops are available!) got stocked up for the stuff I need for my bundles! Give me a slap someone.. have just looked at some of the stuff on the Examples of Witness Statements / Disclosure by List / Draft Directions / Case Summary link.. and nearly had a kitten.. for some reason this bit just isnt going in! Im getting my knickers in a bunch now and just need some guidance! Im usually a confident person with a hint of intelligence.. it just seems to have gone out of the window with all this bundle talk!! boo hoo x

Thanks Jo I did have a sleepless night, having nightmares about this bundle lark! the date I need it in by is 27th.. so I need to get a wiggle on.. and stop hoping that Abbey offer a decent amount before then! Contact with them is really hit and miss.. my first offer came through within 4 minutes of me sending the email... but since my rejection, Ive heard nothing! Will have a good read through the links (thanks) and get my head into gear and get started.. kicking myself now that I have hung on to do it, should have done it as soon as i got the court date! Grrrrrrr Thanks again x

Hi everyone Well.. after sending in my counter-offer (and giving them til the 6th to respond) I heard nothing! I could see that the email had been read, but no response! So - its now time to seriously think about my court bundle.. I have until 27th July to get it in!!! PLEASE can someone just give me a few nuggets of advise as to where best to look at what to put in it!!! Do I need to copy ALL statements from the past 6 years.. or just ones with charges on?? I'm sure its all one here somewhere.. but a few words of wisdom will calm my tiz and get me on the right track! Off to the stationery shop today.. then will start my long stand at the copier! Is the bundle really huge.. like, lever arch file size, or will the normal ring binder size suffice.. so many questions at such an early hour! Any help much apprecaited at this stage. Also - does anyone suggest emailing or ringing (not rung before.. onyl email!) Inga one last time?? or am I just waisting my time?? Thats it for now.. hope everyone else is moving on a bit x

oh no.. i think ive shot myself in the foot.. havent heard anything else since sending my counter offer!! rats!! maybe they are just keeping me sweating! (its working!)

Stuff it.. its my money!! have just sent this back.. decided to up it a bit more.. incase they come back a bit lower!! I have considered the offer of £2214.00, but will be purusing my compromise of £2600.00 to settle out of court, bearing in mind the total claim, should it go to court will be in excess of £3000. I had hoped to settle before going to court, but am willing to see it through and start to prepare my court bundle in readiness for the date. I have been closely following the outcome of the majority of these cases and am fully aware that most people are fully reimbursed. I am therefore more than prepared to continue - for the full amount, including bundle and court costs. Will see what happens now! Do you think anyone from Abbey or Ashurts read whats going on in these forums???

OK. Had a reply (this morning) from Inga - basically saying (without prejudice) how much do you want? The toal of my claim is £2839 (inc interest & court fees) so I forwarded my offer of £2600.. based on.. how much a nice holiday might cost!! Within 3 minutes (I timed it) this reply came back: "Without prejudice" Dear Madam, Thank you for your offer. Whilst our client appreciates your offer, it is insufficiently commercial for our client to accept the same. As an indication, Claimants are compromising their claims up to 45% to attain an early resolution. In the interest of pursuing discussions with you, we are instructed to offer the sum of £2214.00 in full and final settlement of your claim. Any payment would be made without admission of liability. Should you wish to accept out offer of settlement, please advise by return in order that payment can be processed. Kind regards, This is the figure of my actual initial bank charges, minus interest, but with the court costs included. Does anyone have any nuggests of wisdom.. do you think they would up it to £2400 - or am I pushing my luck? I would be prepared to see it to the end.. but the money would be useful now!! Or am I just being greedy!! HELP!! x

Hi BB I too have had no response from my email to shAbbey (other than a read receipt) - I think they probably just have so many, dozens must just slip through the net! I re-sent it again this morning.. just for good measure - and it was acknowledged. Going to leave it til the end of the week, then start my bundle. I sent a draft order for direction to the court, but it was ignored.. and as yet I havent written to shAbbey (other than the email) to see about settling.. as I dont want to appear too desperate! Where are you getting all your court bundle guidance from.. I 'think' im fairly clued up.. but all info helps! I too.. had no AQ to send in as my court had dispensed with it. All a very long drawn out waiting game.. which I hope is coming to an end.. soon - ish! Best wishes - Marmite x

Excellent.. I have til the 27th July to get it all together - will wait until the end of this week and if I have had no joy, I will start my love affair with the photocopier!! Not relishing the thought, but its just another step in the dance.

Billy I have yet to start my bundle yet.. going to wait and see if I get any response from my email (which I know has been received by Inga & Clare) then decide what to do. Court date set for 10th August. How about you? What stage are you at? MG

Did wonder if half of these people actually exist!