So after a year of having appointed a 3rd party to deal with our debts, making regular payment every month, we still get the calls, never leaving a message. Sometimes deny they are calling regarding a debt, but worse than that, when we inform our DMC Churchwood of the calls both Metropolitran and DG Solicitors have done this now: They deny having called at all??? Every phone call we get, we dial 1471 to get the number of who called. 0500 992299 for MCS and 0500 400400 for DG Solicitors. Why do they lie? We are unable to record calls, but we do log them down, but surely there is something more to be done, trading standards say they are doing nothing extreme so will not persue the matter, they just shrug it off. Surely there is something more we can do to put an end to this?

OK, so this all started out with HSBC constantly harrassing us with nonstop calls, even after we had started a debt management program and were keeping up with the monthly payments. Eventually, the HSBC give their accounts over to one of their pet companies Metropolitan Collection Services, who even agree to the payments they are getting. However, we are still being subjected to calls from MCS. Last weekend, they phoned, no one answered, we called our Debt Management Company (DMC), who then phoned up MCS who then denied phoning up. Then, they phoned up yesterday, no one was able to answer and no message was left (they never have left any messages), they phoned again today, I answered it and an amercian accentet woman asked for my fiancee. I refused to pass the phikne over, knowiung what the call was about and stated they are supposed to contactg our DMC, not us, but she was adamant that she should talk to my fiancee, again I stated NO, any debt issues then you should contact our DMC. Then the woman pipes up with 'did I say I was phone up about any debts?' They have no other reason to call us. I have passed the details over to Trading Standards, I am sick and tired of this crap and there must be something we can do no, we have been in the Debt Management program now for over a year, never made a late payment or anything, but after all this time, the worst company has to be Metroploitan Collection Services, they simply refuse to contact our Debt Management Company. Any further advice would be very much appreciated. Note: apologies for any spelling mistakes, am on medication for a damaged disk after a whiplash injury, shame as it seems to take longer for my blood to boil as well when it comes to such matters as this.

An update: FINALLY, HSBC have passed the debt on to their little pet company Metropolitan Collection Services. (0500 992299) Here's the part that really p**ses us off, they have now atrted the harassement calls instead, so have been in touch with Trading Standards, my fiance has again becoem to scrared to answer the phone, our debt management company are also involved, by rights, MSC should only be dealing our DMC, I have even stated this to MSC, but still we get the phonecalls.

OK, so back in 2000, we lost a house, the mortgage was with Bradford & Bingley, we moved on, got on with our lives after that, then a few years later they found us, we offered what we could afford, it was actually slightly more than we could afford. Anyway, we didn't sign a single form, we kept them, but maintained the repayments. Then almost a year later, they started demanding we do a financial review, I said 'NO' you can stick with the £100 a month and be done with it. They didn't like that, so threatened us and stated that it was in the agreement that we singed. I piped up and clearly stated 'I never signed any damned agreement' It took them a while to get back to me after that as they knew they couldn't enforce a financial review, I also stated that if they wanted to take the matter further by going to court, then so be it, we know they would lose hands down and end up getting a lower payment. Needless to say, they [EDIT] sold the [EDIT] debt to Asset Recoveries who are being really insane about the review situation, they continued the usual repayements we had with BBBs, but then in October/Novermeber last yhear enough was enough and we consulted a debt consolidation company who took everything on for us, we are now being harrassed by [EDIT] Asset Recoveries, even though he shouldn't be dealing with us anymore, but the debt consolidation company. [EDIT] Sometimes, it feels good to have the ball in your court and fight back at these financial organsations when you knw they dont have a leg to stand on.

I reported them to Ofcom twice, then Office of Fair Trading who have now passed it over to Trading Standards. Trading Standards are now on the case and should be getting back to me within the next 5 working days. Obviously I shall keep updating the progress, but again this morning, my fiancee had another message asking her to call this Mr Ellison on the same number. She has been advised not to.

Change of Tactics now: It would appear that HSDBC may be changing their tactics by trying to get my fiancee to call up someone by the name of Mr Ellison on 0161 972 4170 Why dont they just deal with the debt management company instead of this constant harrassement? Had my fiancee in tears this morning, but at least they left a friggin message for once.

My fiancee would, and as much as that idea does raise an eyebrow for amusement factor, she hasn't logged into her bank account for almost 8 months when we did the debt consolidation, she was advised to change banks, which she did, so has since forgotten her log in details. It is distressing to her and I am very tempted to answer the phone and just have a blast at them, it's ridiculous when they should generally just be dealing with the consolidation company, but it would appear that they are trying to hold on for as long as possible, whihc is also adding more interest to the loan no doubt. I have contacted OFCOM twice using the online forms, but fear this wont do much, so might just write a letter to HSBC as advised above, they must be in breach of something for this. I do appreciate everyones feedback, it's been great and certainly useful. Thanks

We had considered an IVA with one company, but for some really insane reason, the repayemnts they wanted us to make would have ended up with us paying actually a lot more than we owed, so didn't understand that at all, the company we are with now, Churchwood, have been absolutely brilliant, got everything organised with the exception of this one loan account with, but that's HSBC for you, always been problems with them. But Churchwood have suggested that is we keep up repayments like we are doing, then an IVA with them may be considered later this year once my own business is sorted out. As it was, our final alternative was bankruptcy, which we didn't want, but it was a last resort, but Churchwood were there and they helped us both a lot, so would recommend them anyway. RDM, thanks, we have also contacted Churchwood this afternoon and they agree the approach to OFCOM would be justified for us, so we shall be following that through. All the best Rick

Thanks rdm2006 (is that your initials, if so, we share the same), your advice is just wanted I was hoping for, hopefully it should do the trickm but we may just go to OFCOM as well with this as it has been going on now for so many months, when by all accounts, they shouldn't even be dealing with us anymore, but the debt consolidation firm. All the best Rick

But the problem we find with HSBC is that they call constantly several times a day, we are not picking up, the matter is the hands of an offical debt management company. The answer machines comes on, but HSBC never and I mean NEVER leave a message, when we have dialled the number up, we get the usual automated crap telling us it is HSBC bank and that we can hang up, not that we want to call them anyway. So we cant record anything because there is nothing to record, but should we log down the calls for reference, this is causing no end of stress to my fiancee now and would love to take action against HSBC for this as we are trying to deal with the situation through a professional company, but this obviously means sod all to HSBC. Any advice on this matter would be most appreciated, thanks

I write this on behalf of my fiancee, together we recently took the step to sort out our financial problems, by consulting a debt company who have worked with us to sort out troubles out. We started this last October and it took a few montsh before all the debts were organiosed properly, we are maintaining the one montly payment, no problem with that, thew companies concerned are even accepting the payments, that is all but one company, HSBC. My fiancee had a loan, the outstanding amount would be less than £7K, she had kept up with the repayments, she also had a credit card close to its limit of £10K. HSBC accepted the amount offered by the debt company, but are apparently refusing the amount offered on the loan, stating the offer is less than 1% yet the amount accepted on other HSBC debts is less than 1%. I believe this to be a delaying tactic so that further interest can be accumulated to the account before they eventually send it to one of their debt collection companies so that our own debt consolidation company can sort out the details. However, this is causing extreme distress to my fiancee, many times sher has broken down in tears asking wqhy they are being so awkward about this, when all wer want to do it, pick up the pieces. What makes this so much worse, the constant PHONECALLS, 08007 numbers, 3 or 4 times a day, neither of us answer the phone, I cant becuase I am now working away, but my fiancee is scared to, she has been advised that any contacvt should be directed to our debt consolidation company, but HSBC will not back off, they keep phoning up, they never leave a message and I mean, NEVER. so when you think that we have been getting these phonecalls since October/November time, almost every day (they do it every day for a couple iof weeks then leave it a few days before starting again for another few weeks), that is a lot of phonecalls and unnecessary stress, when they are still accepting the payments made, but not agreeing to the payments. We have already changed the number and dont really want the hassle again, so any advice would be really appreciated on how to deal with this. Many thanks Rick