Thanks for the advice Welshman! Have contacted Barclays - it seems that Adrian Ruffhead who was dealing with my case has left - he was succeeded by Rebecca Connelly who has also now left! I have been told that someone called Emma is now dealing but she is currently busy! Have left my number and am hoping for a return call. If I don't hear back in the next half hour I shall probably call again. Will keep you posted and thanks for the advice. Won't send the letter to the court until I speak to Barclays.

Following on from my previous post, I have drafted a letter of response to the court. Does anyone have any feedback before I send it??? My response reads, as follows: "I have received a letter dated 29th January from Mrs Sears of the Listing Section (copy attached for ease of reference) and would ask that this letter is placed before the District Judge at your earliest convenience. I wish to respectfully appeal against the decision that the original hearing date stands. I enclose a copy of my airline tickets (for myself, my three children aged 9, 7 and 3 and all the other members of my family who are due to fly to Orlando, Florida this coming Saturday). As I mentioned in my previous letter dated 8th January, this is an ‘unexpected’ holiday with my whole family which was paid for by my parents as a Christmas present. When I originally started my claim, back in July 2006, I did not have any holiday scheduled and did not foresee any problems with making myself available for a hearing of the above case. I am very keen to resolve the issue with Barclays, having spent a considerable amount of time in pursuing this matter. I have already prepared and submitted my supporting documentation for this case to the Court and to the Defendant. I can guarantee my availability for any other date after Monday 19th February that would suit your convenience for a rescheduled hearing date. I do not want to jeopardise my case and would, again, respectfully ask that you reconsider your decision and reschedule the hearing date so that I may represent myself in my case against Barclays Bank. I hope that I have not been disrespectful in my wording but I am not too familiar with the etiquette of the law system and hope you will allow me some dispensation with the composition of my letter." Any comments gratefully received!

Can anyone help me please. I received a notice of allocation from the court giving me a hearing date and time. Unfortunately it is scheduled for when I am away on holiday (this is a Christmas present from my parents for all my family to go away together). I wrote a letter to the court manager explaining that I would be away on holiday on this date and would not be available. I explained that I started the claim in July 06 when I had no holidays scheduled and that this was an unexpected holiday given as a gift to me blah, blah, blah. I stated that I am in an impossible position as I have the opportunity of a holiday of a lifetime with my parents, sisters and their families etc but that I did not want to jeopardise my case against Barclays is this has been going on for over six months. I enclosed my supporting documentation / case bundle and asked that it would be at all possible to reschedule the hearing date given the circumstances. Today I have received a letter from the court saying that my letter was put before the District Judge who made the following comments: 1. The hearing stands 2. Leave to claimant to appeal by letter. I spoke to the court for an explanation of what procedure I now need to follow and what point 2 actually means but they could not advise me. They referred me to a government funded "Community Legal Services" helpline but they could not explain it either. They told me to take the letter to my local Citizens Advice Bureau. Has anyone been in this position or can anyone help or advise me on what action I need to take. I go away on Friday and I am running out of time! My biggest concern is that having got so far from those early days back in July last year that I could potentially fall at the last fence which will be just devastating!!!! PLEASE HELP, ANYONE !!! URGENTLY!!!!! Thank you. Hayley aka Desperado!!!

Having received a hearing date from Southend Court for next month I am preparing my paperwork. Have downloaded the brilliant 'basic court bundle' and put most of it together with correct page numbers etc. However, not being the most technically minded PC user in the world, I don't know if I have missed the last section: OFT Statement Summary. Can anyone let me know how long this section is and briefly what it is as it doesn't seem to be at the end of my bundle!!! Everything else on the template was very straightforward with the heading of each section appearing at the top of each page but I just can't see OFT Statement Summary?! Sorry to be so thick but so very nearly there now - any help gratefully received!

Please help! Yesterday I received a "general form of judgement or order" from my local court. It says that the claim is to be stayed until 13 december. The matter will then be referred to a judge in paperwork on that date. Have I missed something crucial?? Should I have taken action on this - I filled out the questionnaire and posted it back well within the time period requested and I thought that was the right thing to do. Does this mean that I should have taken further action and didn't so therefore I have messed up??? If anyone can offer some advice I would be very grateful. Many thanks

Hi there Thanks for your helpful advice - have now read all the relevant threads and have completed the questionnaire form I received from my local court. Your advice and guidance has been absolutely brilliant - there is no way I could have got this far (or to be honest would have stuck with it for so long) without this site and I shall definitely donate some money if I ever reach the end of this journey! I am off to Southend now to deliver my questionnaire. Will keep you posted. If anyone is reading this thread my only advice would be, DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there Not sure whether I am doing this right - am totally confused by the whole 'thread' thing but hopefully this will appear in the same section so you can see my history. Anyway, have today received a letter from the court saying that Barclays have filed a defence and I have to complete an allocation questionnaire on or before 23rd October and pay a further £100 court fee. Any advice please on how I proceed now? Obviously having come this far I am committed to seeing this through to the end but just need a little encouragement as the defence that Barclays is legal jargon that I don't really understand!! Help and advice from anyone gratefully received!! !

Hi there Thanks for your comments and sorry about the whole 'thread' thing. Bit new to all this and didn't understand how it worked. Having read icefall's experiences I am even more determined to see this through to the end. I have brought myself up to speed with how the process works and feel a lot more prepared. So, Barclays, Bring it on!!! I'm ready for you. Thank you for your support and I shall keep you posted (without starting a new thread!!!!) Barclays - we are coming for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there I have looked at various messages from other members and kind of know the answer but need a bit of reassurance! Having got to the money claim online stage (i.e. potentially taking Barclays to court!!! v. scary!!!) I was under the impression that it would be settled within 14 days. Today is the deadline but, having tracked my claim online, I now see that Barclays have acknowledged my claim!! Does this mean that they now have a further 14 days to sit on this? Do I need to take any action or do I just wait for this further period to lapse? Are there lots of other people who have got this far i.e. is this quite a standard thing that Barclays like to do to hold on to our money just that little bit longer? Any advice or comments gratefully received. H x

Having been inspired by various articles in the press and, of course, this great website I have taken the path of no return. I have gone through the various stages - sending the letter to the bank, getting an offer of half the money back, rejecting it as full and final settlement etc, etc and today - having received another letter from Barclays saying that I should have taken their offer because now I'll have to take them to court - I have done exactly that! So, I have submitted my money claim form to the court, paid my £120 fee, and now wait, nervously, to find out what will happen next! Fingers crossed - I shall keep you posted.

Having been inspired by various articles in the press and, of course, this great website I have taken the path of no return. I have gone through the various stages - sending the letter to the bank, getting an offer of half the money back etc, etc and today - having received another letter from Barclays saying that I should have taken their offer because now I'll have to take them to court - I have done exactly that! So, I have submitted my money claim form to the court, paid my £120 fee, and now wait, nervously, to find out what will happen next! Fingers crossed - I shall keep you posted.