Just subbing this thread - have read all 18 pages with interest. Have no particular interest in this case as my issue is rather a secured loan, but do like to see the bad boys (and in this case their initials do seem highly appropriate ) getting a spanking thanks to the help of Caggers! Only found these forums a few days ago by chance, but think you Caggers are the bees knees, offering a wonderful service to people who wouldn't know better otherwise and wouldn't get the fair treatment which they deserve. George p.s. would like to add that I am a banker (not in the faintest involved with credit though) and in our defence we really aren't ALL bad. some of us are also just trying to earn a decent living!

Thank you for your comments PriorityOne - they are quite reassuring. Best to let sleeping dogs lie at the moment then and not try to tackle this head-on.

Thank you for your comments PriorityOne. My father's main fear is that if he is made bankrupt he will no longer be able to keep his bank account (I'm not even sure if this is true). He has banked with the same company (not HFC) for over 15 years and therefore has a reasonable credit rating *with them*. This is the thing that worries him. I skirted around the subject a little with him yesterday to try and find out some more info - he told me that he had received a letter from the HFC last year which he ignored. According to the letter the balance outstanding was approximately £23'000 (presumably this includes interest, but I'm not sure how much of it is interest and for how many years they are trying to claim interest for...)

Hi All I believe that I have posted the following thread on the wrong board in error. I posted it there as I had seen other similar queries on that board, but now believe it should actually be here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/legal-issues/228624-mortgage-shortfall-help.html#post2531842 Can anybody help? Thanks George

Sorry to keep adding details, but I've just noted with the help of an online search, that although the keys were handed back mid 1999 the house wasn't actually sold by HFC until April 2000 - which is after the Feb 2000 date which I believe may be relevant regarding limitations or CML agreements or something? Also, I note that the website shows the a house on the same street was sold 6 weeks prior for £6'500 more, however that property was a smaller, terraced house as opposed to a 3-bed semi-detached which my parents house was. The house was also sold on for a second time 9 months later for £9000 more than when the building society sold it - possibly indicating underselling? I believe the capital shortfall was in the range of about £12k-£15k. Does this information have any bearing on my father's case?

Sorry, have to correct myself - the mortgage provider was actually HFC not the Cooperative.

Hi I'm new here - so first of all I would like to apologise if I have posted this in the wrong place, I have done so based on other threads found here relating to a similar topic. I am writing regarding a shortfall issue of my - now separated - parents. Mid 1999 my parents handed the keys of the marital home back to the building society. It is since believed that the house was sold on at a loss resulting in a shortfall (if my memory serves me correctly a letter to this effect was received by my father approximately 2 years ago). After the house was handed back my parents moved abroad as a result of work commitments. Whilst my mother still lives abroad my father has since returned to the UK. On a couple of occasions post believed to be relating to this shortfall has been sent to my grandparents but has been returned to the sender unopened as he was living abroad at the time. I am aware that this is still currently within the 12 year timeframe, however I'm not sure how the 6 year time frame discussed in previous messages and here Debt Factsheets - Mortgage Shortfalls applies in this case as the keys were handed back before 2000/2004 but the first contact was not made until after 2000. Also, having read through various threads it was my understanding that the time period for expiration keeps running until the debt has been acknowledged, however having read sequenci's post here (http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/legal-issues/121046-county-court-summons-mortgage.html) it would appear that even letters which have been ignored/returned are perhaps classed as contact?? My father has no assets and is currently living back with his parents as he has insufficient income to pay for a place of his own, however he is petrified that he will be forced to pay this debt (especially as my mother is out of the country sunning herself with her lover). He is also petrified that they will force him in to bankruptcy, as he already had a previously poor credit rating as a result of company bankruptcy which indirectly resulted in them having to hand back the keys to the mortgage lender (I believe it is the Cooperative Bank). This is now affecting his health as he is worrying about it constantly. I have suggested sending a letter (without prejudice) requesting the details of the debt, however he is scared that this will consitute contact and therefore mean he will have no choice but to face up to it (most likely resulting in bankruptcy). Is this the case? He has been to the CAB who have said that the bank probably won't pursue it due to lack of assets, but he is scared of opening that can of worms. Can anybody give me any advice on this? I'm sorry, I know the details are very sketchy (probably too sketchy) but I don't want to push him for details as I know that he is worried sick about it. Oh, btw - they purchases a MIG at the time of purchase and therefore my father doesn't understand why he is still being chased. However as a result of moving abroad he no longer has any details of the policy etc. so isn't sure how if/how he can use this as a defence. I would love to help him, but don't know how. I live abroad myself and have my own hefty mortgage so can't help him financially - I wish I could . I just hate the fact that this is looming over him and he feels like he is constantly running away from the problem but that it will catch up with him at any point.