Since I last posted on this thread - I have had some major family issues (now resolved) some major health issues (also now resolved) and I moved house. I did not take this any further. I intend to try fighting this one again - stating in the first instance the amount of money taken from my account, the financial difficulties it placed us in, eventually my husband declared himself BR due to ill health/pressure/depression At the time these charges were being taken, I had 3 children at school - I was receiving child benefit and a small amount of tax credit. My letter in the first instance will relate to our benefits being swallowed by unreasonable charges, we lived off credit that we could ill-afford - the end result being major financial problems. I intend to write to the bank with this info, informing them that I am going to take this information to the FOS and ask them to look into it on my behalf. I am out of the loop on here - but glad to be back! Any suggestions/hints/tips welcome. Thank you

From experience, these postcards are just scare tacticts, no-one called at my address and things were pretty nasty for some months.

Hi gill5blue Any updates at all with this one? I wonder what/if they have put anything on your credit file?

They did that to my friends, they phoned our next door neighbour and said could they get hold of Mr so-and-so.... they even said that they were MBNA... appalling practice

Not had a phone call myself,, but a relation of mine was claiming bank charges back earlier this year through one of these companies... She was paying out a couple hundred pounds a month in charges for a long time, so I imagined her pay out would be something in the region of £5K or £6K.. I offered to help, with the help of these forums, but she was happy where she was, so I left her be... She ended up with a payout of £750, of which she had to pay £250 to the company before they would forward her the money. All my claiming cost me was some stamps and recorded delivery costs..

excellent..... really pleased for you. Another one bites the dust xxxx

Ditto to the weight loss... our BR hearing was 18 months ago. It became obvious at the end of November that we were sinking and something very serious had to be done, the actual decision and phone call to the court to arrange an appointment was done between the Xmas and New Year period. Our date was then set for the 1st March. In November I was a slim size 12, by the time the appointment came with the OR at the end of March I was an appalling size 6. Its not that I did not eat, but the appetite had certainly gone. It was purely the stress of the unknown. I looked awful as size 10/12 is the size I should be. It took over a year to get back to size 12 again. I beleive though that the problem was, we felt totally alone. No-one really knew what we were doing, I did not use this site, or any other forums, so had no support. We knew we were making the right decision for us, so that wasn't the issue really. The few people we did confide in, we only did because we had to. My In Laws knew how hard things financially were for us, so we told them what was going on. MIL used to keep questioning us.."so? do you think they will take the car then? What about the kids computer games?" I know she was worried about us, but the stress involved was incredible. My hubby had been suffering from depression for at least 2 years before the BR and had a breakdown 6 months before. Walking away from the OR appointment was a real turning point in our lives, and beleive me, it will be for you. Keep coming back to this (and MSE forums) the best thing you can do now is keep talking to people who know what they are talking about, You will rebuild your life again, and you will learn from this (we have) Things will get better and normality will not be a dream any more.

There are a few people that are interested in getting back all the interest ever charged to their accounts. (Myself being one) but it is not something that any of us have followed through as yet

Ditto to the above, I used a copy of an electric bill, that will do apparently.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html Letter N is the CCA template. Send the SAR request off, enclosing a photocopy of ID, and enclose £10 chq/po...... send it recorded. Also send the CCA off, again recorded with the £1 fee

Have you sent them a SAR to find out how much of your debt is due to charges?

FOS hunny... find there web site and you can download their complaint forms from there..... Find another minute or so during your working day! (tis wot I am doing here) lol Thanks for your email, will reply over the weekend and let you know how the birthday celebrations go!!!!

brilliant............gawd you have had your fair share of ups and downs this last week or two............. well done, congratulations xxx

As you have already paid the card off...... not as much fun as if you had a balance! But it just means that without that agreement, any debt in unenforceable, they know it, and we know it.... aaahhhh the feeling of power. It seems to make any claim you have with them so much stronger, they are very silly people

statements still have not arrived. but today a letter was received from a DCA. my friends phoned them up and explained that this account was in dispute... the DCA chap was very pleasant (!!) and agreed that this was far from straightforward. He has been in contact with MBNA and has again arranged for the statements to be sent through to my friends... He also agreed with my friends comment, that on the face of it, this would be laughed out of court!!!! I thought it might be a good idea if we SAR'd the Insurance company, St. Andrews.... what do you think?