Hines, I think the only way you are going to get a definitive answer is to either post the entire agreement (omitting names and addresses) or at least the clauses specifically dealing with termination. Good luck! Vandermerwe

Sorry Jowalshy - I was going to get new glasses until I had to spend all my dosh on computer bits, but it looks just like the real thing! Three or four of those and even Prescott Towers would look good. And, sorry pd, I still haven't answered your concern about unfurling your 'f'. I was referring to the four symbols at the bottom of every post the last of which looks like the letter 'f' on an orange background. I tried clicking it once, couldn't understand where I was and lost the message I had been intending to post. Another example of lack of computer training. By the way I got my parachute account - now to try and make it work on-line. Best wishes to all. Van

Hello Fans ¡O mierda! And that was the last post I made before crisis struck. But at least it was on my favourite site: pd - v - HSBC (not that we see much about Honkers and Shankers there these days!) After using that bad expression, the demon banker struck and - yo sentí como un huevón doble reculiado - the computer crashed. Being Saturday, there was nothing I could do until Monday when the local expert (they are not in abundance in the heart of Van country) said he thought the power pack had blown and he might be able to look at it the next day. Tuesday afternoon I pick the beast up (£65 to you squire), take it home, connect all the wires and - zilch. Too late to call local expert so take it back next day when. I am told, I had switched it onto 115 volts and it had blown again. "Make it £60 this time mate"- lucky day obviously. Get it back, wire it all up but can't access e-mails or even respond to pd so LE agrees to make a house visit (more than my doctor would!). "I'll show you what's wrong" says Van tapping away at the keyboard like Liberace on substances - and, naturally, the bloody thing works perfectly. "Well, we'll just make it 30 for my time" says LE (I love the way they drop any reference to currency when they're on the make). I carefully stash away all the cables and position the box of tricks alongside the desk and try (a) to access internet banking and (b) post something for my duchess friend. No way. Into town again today and come back with new keyboard ("I'll do it for 6 quid for you guv.") about which I suppose I can't complain, and now I can post to Pink Duchess - ah bliss indeed! Thanks so much for your PM and I've spent a pleasant afternoon catching up on what I had missed. Special thanks to Jowalsky (who I now know is a she and not a Polish he) for the accent advice - easy isn't it when you know how? Will keep my head below the parapet on the subject of rugby to avoid causing embarrassment (phnah-phnah - you ain't seen nothing yet) but would enjoy a pisco sour - the national drink of Chile that has the reputation of more bad language (see above!) than any other Spanish speaking country - gazing with Pete and Lattie at the sunset sinking over Prescott Towers. Now, to pontificate, and explain why accents are not only desirable but also essential in Spanish. I can only quote from a letter in "Private Eye" after "The Independent" informed its readers it was dispensing with accents. The writer advised he would not be using The Indie's columns for sending seasonal greetings to Spanish friends as, he wrote, "the word for year in Spanish (año) is accented whilst the unaccented word - ano - can mean something slightly different and somehow 'Wishing You All A Happy New A***hole doesn't sound quite right. Mind you, that was we all became so anti-banker. You're welcome to come and give private tuition any time pd

Oh mierda! Van

[why is everyone speaking Spanish ??? ] Because pd went and sported herself in Ibiza pete. Regards Van (Please dear Lord I've done it right this time!)

To heck with the cheese, pd, good old Freaky knows how to do accents - at least the upside down exclamation mark and, presumably, the question mark as well. Perhaps they use them in Welsh? Van

Tomterm - you've done good and fair postings here. Congratulations. What I don't see is the possibility of judge bias. My wife and I, as defendants, dressed appropriately for Court to defend an unpaid bill for poor workmanship. The claimant had multi-coloured hair, was quite inarticulate, and asked for a recess "to comfort her single-parent child" waiting outside the court. She (the claimant) returned shortly thereafter breezing self confidence. The judge, eyes glazed over, said in effect Mr. and Mrs. Vandermerwe look as though they can pay, you obviously need the money for your habit (sorry child). Van

Good morning Alf Did you ask for your new number to be 'ex-directory'? If not, BT would give it out. Have you called any division of Barclays Bank using your new number? If so that will be how Mercers have got your number. They are a division of Barclays. Remember we now have NO privacy left in this country. There is more "surveillance" here that in ANY country of the world (except possibly North Korea). I pass GCHQ in Cheltenham to visit a close friend dying in the oncology ward of the hospital there. The parasitic building is always being extended and developed. Irrespective of who I have with me I make rude remarks about pricks (antennae) sticking out of the roof, and those inside. (Have a feeling coming on I'm going to be moderated!) I have been told - and believe - each and every electronic communication - received or sent - passes through that ghastly place and is filtered through meshes of increasing fineness until certain categories are set aside for sending to a similar institution in the US of A. No, Alf, I am not a nutter (check my other posts) but I resent what this country has become. Also, Mrs. Van and I are looking to your neck of the woods to get away from the West Midlands - all we want is peace, tranquillity, friendly people, sea air, and cheap local food for Mrs. Van to cook in her own unbeatable style. Good luck, Alf, if you want me to follow your thread give my scales a click on the grey blob at the bottom left between the funny thing on the left and the red triangle. Good luck. Vandermerwe

In these days of all-seeing surveillance and snooping it couldn't just have something to do with the dosh the banks make whilst manoeuvreing cheques around the system could it? Vandermerwe

Good luck mia - go for the so-and-sos. It's all about fleecing the public. Can thoroughly recommend Pepipoo and their moderators - it's the motorists Consumer Action Group. Best wishes. Vandermerwe

...and out of the strong came forth sweetness. "Cattles has seen its profits rise by 28% in the first half of the year as the consumer credit squeeze helped push a record number of new customers [sic] onto its books. About 250,000 people clamoured for loans from Cattles in the first half." Thus spake the press release duly repeated ad nauseam by the media. Cattles, who are they, I hear you ask? Who is this munificent benefactor with a quarter of a million people "clamouring" with begging bowls extended? None other than the squeaky clean FTSE 250 company owning The Lewis Group, CL Finance, Welcome Finance and goodness known how many dodgy DCAs. Not to mention their para-military wing in Cleckheaton. Only a 28% profit increase in the first half year - wonder what the full year will be like. Vandermerwe

Hi Exploited Saffa Noomill is quite correct and - most importantly you've come to the right place. By the way I have sent you a PM. Good luck Vandermerwe

Hi Hettimayzi. I think the site you are referring to is 'Bryan Carter ceased as a company!!!' Go onto the Debt Collector' forum and search for the name. Then set aside a few hours' reading time! You should be a much happier Hettimayzi after that. Good luck and keep us posted. Best regards Vandermerwe

Hi hiphil. Harry's right. Only ever deal in writing, keep a copy and used recorded (signed for) delivery whenever you can. It's a pain, but I reckon it's worth it. Remember if you call any of these people they will surely have systems which will record your new number on their computer. Regards. Vandermerwe

Nope, pd - just as Mrs. Van said. I'm a prat. Thought I had got it when I replied to johnnymitch, but I just don't get the border and shaded background. Trust old Pete to blow our cover to all and sundry - he couldn't possibly be jealous could he? I don't use the word 'gender' in this connection - always makes me think of Latin and German nouns and I don't know any neuter people. Well, there was always my old chemistry master who, to our shame, we called "Squeaker" because he had had a nasty accident.....but we wouldn't want to discuss that here would we? I actually like the word sex, but once again....... I'm always getting myself into deep water on your thread pd - it must be Los Momentos! As ever. Van P.S. How DO you write accents on here? P.P.S. I tried unfurling your 'f' but felt I was getting into uncharted waters again - what's it for?

[ Hey PD, i've done it!! arent i just fabulous?? ]

Hi Andymanx Just Google Telogram and you'll find all your questions answered! Regards. Vandermerwe

[You just told me not to 'google it' 'cos you you knew I would, then - but you lost me with 'momentos] Just go for the feminine version - trasnochadora - and you'll see exactly what pd and I mean! Van;)

Evening all. Glad to see my favourite trasnochadoras are up and about. I know pd I haven't braved your quoting test yet. I tried it on someone else and almost got it right, but for you it has to be perfection! I've got a couple of really stupid questions which I know you experts could answer: 1) How does one tell whether a poster is male or female? No doubt about pink dutchess and castle best, but what about someone with a handle like 'sodoff' for instance? 2) As I'm sitting with some 500 printed pages downloaded from the forums, how does a chap print, say, just one page or even one posting from a page? Please spare a moment during your nocturnal adventures to tell me. Have fun! Best wishes. Van

Yes, spot on Cerberus. I've never really understood why there isn't more cross-referencing between the media's financial columnists and CAG. After all, we're all after the same bunch of low-life. Thanks. Van

Hi Elizabeth. Two of the three oldest professions in the world regulate themselves. They are not perfect, but I have had occasion to complain to one of the three. Complaints about solicitors are now (again?) handled by the Law Society still based at their rather nice offices in Leamington Spa. Go to The Law Society - Complaints about solicitors or LCS: Legal Complaints Service home. As you will well know this government has never understood the maxim 'if it ain't broke don't try and fix it' so try the above - they are still the same crowd. My experience has been, if not favourable, at least satisfying. In one case I complained about a solicitor using the same fax number of a dodgy supplier of office requisites and the senior partner was forced to write a grovelling letter of explanation, duly copied to me. In the other instance an "Assistant Solicitor" at a local county council had to submit a five page letter with a dozen annexures to wriggle out of an accusation of professional misconduct. Had she been employed in the private sector rather than by the taxpayer it would have cost her employer the best part of a day's 'fee income'. Check the above websites and keep pushing. Please continue to post on here and, if you feel I have been at all helpful, give my scales a click (that's the grey blob between the green spot and the red triangle at the bottom left) and I'll follow your thread. Good luck. Van

Hi Folks. Did you read the full page article about Paragon in Sunday's "Financial Mail" (part of the "Mail on Sunday"). Not very complimentary!! Seems they have also recently sold a bunch of their debt to Arrow. Good articles, and well worth reading. They should be available on line and if anyone wishes I'll go through the old papers and post the details. Good luck. Vandermerwe.

Sorry Dunvegan and all for posting twice. The site was incredibly busy last night and I made a small correction while waiting for my reply to post. Van

Hello Dunvegan and Welcome! What you say about DCAs is totally correct, and you'll soon get some good general advice on here and suggestions for reclaiming unlawful charges. I've been where you are and earnestly recommend you contact two highly experienced charities for an initial discussion. They are: Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) - telephone 0800 138-1111 National Debtline 0808 808-4000 They are independent and totally free of charge. At all cost avoid organizations with similar names that charge either an up front fee or a percentage of your repayments. You'll come across frequent references to both the above charities on the forums. Personally, I use CCCS, but feel National Debtline has the better data sheets which you can download or receive by mail. Good luck, and remember to keep us posted, for this site is like "The Three Musketeers" - one for all and all for one. You'll also find some humour here as well - mainly sardonic! Vandermerwe

Ouch Pete! That's a bit near the mark. I see you still can't spell banking *ankers! Sorry pd - must have slipped up on to the astral to get away from it all for a while. Regards to both. Van