Thanks for the advice Crocdoc. I'm trying to track down an address to write to them, they don't make it easy though! Does it cost a lot to have the schedule of Inhibition removed?

I have a schedule of Inhibition which was granted in 2008. This debt was cleared in April 2010 and I was told I would receive written confirmation when the inhibition was lifted. I have heard nothing since. Where do I check to see if it has been lifted? The messenger in arms firm that delivered it can't help me and Creations solicitors - (Greenhalghs) won't return my phonecalls now the debt is settled.

Bank said NO, didn't really expect anything different saying as how they're all 'responsible lenders' (cough) these days:(. Think I'll just take my £500 savings and see what I can get for that!

Oh I'm pushing them all right, but as it's Greenhalgh's I'm having severe problems, they are the most arrogant, rude, uncaring company I have ever dealt with. They were very quick to get the CCJ and then the charging order, whole different ball game now it's paid off.

It's the refused credit searches I'm worried about, that's why I want to be pretty sure of my options before I start as every knockback is gonna make my credit worse. I have seen Blackhorse mentioned, it may be an option.

Do car dealers have different finance companies to try, if I tell them what my situation is? will they have different options or do I have to try and find something myself? Some of the online sites look well dodgy!

exhaust is about done, rust has taken over, the ball joint is going and although it scraped through the last MOT , the list of advisories covered a page and a half!! It's done 131,000 miles. It probably is the battery, but I don't really want to fork out for a new one as the next MOT is July and there is little chance of it passing. I'm on first name terms with the garage owner as he has nursed it through the last 3 years on a shoestring for me, and he is the one that has told me he has done all he can with it. It's the corrosion underneath and the rust that has finished it. It's a shame, it's been the best car I ever owned, and am looking for another Mazda - but like I said it's the finance I need advise about. I start work at 6am and the public transport doesn't come up my way till about 7am, and it's too far to walk, so I need a car.

My beloved 11 year old Mazda has finally ground to a halt. I desperately need a car to get to work. I have an appointment with the bank on Wed, but I think it will be a total no-no. I have been debt free for only 3 months, but one company is dragging its heels at marking my only CCJ as satisfied. So I need a plan B if the bank says no.

I've been looking up finance on the web, but it doesn't really answer my questions, so:

Hire Purchase - is this a better way to finance a car on bad credit? Does every car dealer offer this?

Car leasing - I have some money saved which could pay a deposit, but would I be credit checked for leasing?

Sub-prime car finance - Don't know if any companies still exist that do this and it's not really an option I want to take, but I know I can afford the repayments so is it worth considering?

My road tax is expires at the end of June, so I need to sort something out ASAP, my neighbour will probably be good for suppling jump starts for the next couple of weeks - bless him!

Get this - I had it when I walked in the store to get the new issue, I remember getting it out to show the security guard...and that's it. I can NOT find it anywhere. I can only assume I left it there, inadvertently gave it to the guard or simply dropped it etc. Infuriating, huh?

 

I did pay by card so I can prove the transaction and I would've used my Tesco club card so this should have a record of what I bought in said transaction. Plus I know what time it was so they could literally check the video and WATCH me!

 

Still, I was absolutely incensed when I realized I no longer have the receipt from the original purchase as I realize this greatly diminishes my claim.

If things haven't changed since I last worked on the customer service desk,Tesco can pull off receipts from the back office system up to 3 months ago. Go to the customer service desk of the store you bought it from and give them the details - exact date you purchased the magazine, debit card number you paid by and your clubcard number and hopefully they can give you a copy. Hope this helps.

Ah, just realised you may be barred from the store - you should be able to request this by phone to the store and get them to post it out to you.

Not been on here for a while and am so sad to hear this. My deepest sympathy to his family. We may not have known him personally but he will have made such a difference to people's lives on here with his advice, I hope his family can take comfort in that.

In my job I have to show my boss my driving licence every 6 months, to stay on the insurance. I went to get it, put it in my back pocket and thought I may as well go to the loo while I was upstairs. However I managed to flush my licence down the toilet, plastic wallet and all!! I waited a couple of minutes in case it reappeared, but no such luck, so I had to go and explain to her why I couldn't show my licence. No-one could do any work for laughing.

Thanks for all your info. Definitely do not know anyone in Iraq. But am getting a new sim card tomorrow as another text came through, in English, but I'm not repeating it on here!!! Not answering the texts or the calls, and the new sim will stop it.

Cheers for all the help x

Cheers, I've tried google too and it came up with nothing. Luckily it's a pay as you go phone. I've checked my balance and it's as it should be. The number is +9647708366616. I've put it on my reject list, but it's worrying me where they got my number from. Think I'm just going to have to get a new sim card.

Over the last 24 hours I have had a number I do not know ringing my mobile. When I answer they only say hello then hang up. I don't answer it now, but they have rang 32 times so far. I sent a text saying it was a wrong number and to stop ringing. It's a foreign number, and I got a text back which I don't understand. I'm hoping someone will be able to translate it. I know the easiest thing is to get a new sim, but I'm hoping it'll stop.

Text message says: Azam.nasr eaho macnhr.

Suzi

As for everyone elses advise I find it appalling. Sure there are ways to get OUT OF DEBT but it doesnt make it honest or right!

So I advice Scottish Girl to go to a free debt management company and you find that advice appalling......in what way? No-one on here is advising anything dishonest. Going to a free debt management company is not the same as 'stealing'. You still pay back your full debt, you just don't get charges a ridiculous fee in the process which means your money is paying off your debts faster.

As for claiming back charges - there's no dishonesty involved in that either. And in case you haven't noticed, this thread is 8 months old, why dredge it up to 'have a go' - or do you work for GP/ a bank?

Congratulations - your perseverence paid off, so happy for you!

Ok, here goes, not exactly scanned, but typed out word for word (apart from names)

Dear Mrs Blooz,

Your complaint about Bank Of Scotland PLC

I am writing regarding your complaint to us about the unauthorised overdraft charges made to your current account.

The Office of Fair Trading brought an important legal ''test case'' to establish if it could assess whether the amounts the banks were charging were fair. As part of this legal ''test case'' the Court was also asked to consider whether these types of charges amounted to ''penalties''. (written in a tone that makes me feel about 5 years old!)

As you know we decided not to deal further with bank charges complaints until the outcome of the Office of Fair Trading's ''test case'' made the law clearer. This letter is to tell you what happened during the legal case, and to let you know why it now looks as though we will be unable to help you with your complaint.

Put simply, during the course of the legal ''test case'' the Courts ruled that these sort of charges:

. did not generally amount to penalties; and

. cannot be challenged on the grounds that they are too high

This means that The Office of Fair Trading lost its case. The legal action ended in a decision by the Supreme Court - the highest court in the United Kingdom - on 25 November 2009. The decision, and a summary of it, can be found on the courts website (at www.supreme court.gov.uk).

In the light of these decisions by the Courts, and the information you have already provided I do not consider that the ombudsman could uphold your complaint, and so I propose to close our file on your case. (even although with same info on the same bank but different account you found in my favour 3 years ago. And they keep saying courts, it was only one court that found in the banks favour, the other 2 sided with the OFT)

However if there are individual factors or circumstances particular to you - or to the way your bank operated your account at the time the charges were made - which you feel should be taken into account, then please

write and let me know by 8 January 2010, so we can assess whether they are likely to make a difference.

There is more information about our approach to complaints about bank charges on our website (at FAQs complaints about bank charges).

Yours sincerely

Mrs Chocolate Teapot

Team Manager

Account charges Team.

So, apart from being extremely patronising and talking down to me in a school teacher tone, please feel free to point out everything that is wrong with their reply.

Suz

Just had a look at Moneysavingexpert page and apparently the OFT are going to make an announcement on tuesday 22nd December about what their next move is going to be in regards to the bank charges.

Roll over and play dead?

PS - Bigdebtor, haven't had time to figure out how to scan in the letter. I'll type it out word for word if that'll help - Suz the technophobic

Cheers for that srfrench. I'll just bide ma time until we get a clearer idea of how to approach the court route.

Will post it up when my son shows me how . The FOS got back my charges from one account (pretty hassle free I have to say) before the waiver. I know they are talking a load of bowlarks. I'm quite prepared to take it to court but I'm sure I read somewhere that either:

*If you've lost in court then you can't go to the ombudsman OR

*If the ombudsman has ruled against you the you can't go to court.

Only trouble is I can't remember which one is the right one, but hoping it is the first one as I ain't writing off two and a half grand without a fight.

I got a letter from the FOS today telling me that the OFT had lost the case and they were unable to take my complaint any further, so I won't be getting my charges back. So, can I now go to court, or has the fact the ombudsman has made a decision on my account mean that I can't take any further action?

Read this twice and still can't decide if it's for real or a joke. Although knowing Health & Safety rules it's probably for real.

Is Debt Solutions the company your DMP is with, or the company that got the charging order against you?

Only asking cos Creation Finance is quite bad for going for charging orders even though you're on a DMP.

My DMP is through Payplan, they don't charge any fees.

Same thing happened to me. As a DMP is an informal arrangement, your creditors can still take action against you, even if you are paying your reduced payments on time every month. It wasn't Creation Finance by any chance?

For people who have complained to the Financial Ombudsman Service, this court ruling is pretty much irrelevant. The jurisdiction of the F.O.S. is based on different legislation, and the F.O.S. can quite explicitly consider all matters relating to the conduct of the banks, including their charges.

What will happen with Ombudsman claims. Mine is there and I have heard nothing from them in 2 years as they were awaiting the outcome of the court case. Will they persue the claims now, or will they roll over and give in. Would it better for all ombudsman claiments to file at court instead?

CAB shares it's views with the Daily Record on how banks are piling on the misery.

Making money out of misery: Banks blamed for the 1000 Scots drowning in debt every day - The Daily Record

A spokesman for Lloyds Banking Group insisted they do a lot to help customers facing financial difficulty.

"We work proactively to identify customers who may be struggling to meet their commitments, even before a payment is missed, and aim to keep in regular dialogue with any customer who is struggling to ensure their borrowing remains

affordable."

RBS did not return a call from the Record.

Regular dialogue, is that what they class their excessive amount of phonecalls as.