I received a £50 ground rent bill from my property management group on 11th May 2006. This became due on 24th June 2006. During this time the contract for the property managers changed to a different company who issued a seperate services bill during this time for circa £750. I wasn't sure if this also included the ground rent so I rang them and they said I stiil had to pay the original ground rent bill.....no problems so far. rang the initial property management group today to pay the initial £50 to be told I'd incurred a £23.50 penalty charge as payment was past the due date...I didn't receive any reminder letter for late payment outisde of the one clause on the original bill.....am I liable for this penalty or can I just send them a cheque for the original amount stating that I hadn't heard from them and the confusion with the new property management company had played a part in the late payment???? Any advice? Realdeal

I've now written to their data protection team filling out all the necessary forms etc etc. what they're basically saying is that they need permission from my doctors to allow me to get access to their reports under the access to medical records act 1988. they've also grouped any reports submitted to them by their claims visitors under this also. the claims visititor was a registered R.N. but I never woul've described my meeting with her as something that would form the basis of a medical report!!??? they put alot of erroneous info in that report saying things like i had another policy with another company, I had a compensation case against my employer etc etc. all of which was complete rubbish....I've just written to them now asking for copies of the claims visitor reports as I don't regard them as medical reports and I feel they may have misreported my condition and situation... ANY ADVICE....PLEASE!!!???

just been on the phone to them and they've given some spiel about The Access to Medical Records Act 1988, befoer they can send me copies of my reports they have to get permission from my doctors????? sounds like a load of crap to me!!!! they quoted something from the act along the lines that if they think it could be harmful to my health etc. they need to conatact my doctor...etc etc.....does Data Protection Act overide any of this tosh? Anyone got any advice?

Hi All, In the middle of compiling complaint with FSA against Scottish Provident & Legal & General as I've been waiting 7 and 6 months respectively to get my claims assessed. Getting fobbed off with their usual euphamisms and endless appointments with 'necessary' specialists ,(the last who I met, a consultant psychaitrist, on saturday morning told me I was clealry unfit for work for at least another 6-12 months!!). One of their claims visitors reported falsely to them that (A) I had filed a compensation case against my employers (complete rubbish!!), and (B) I had another policy with the Woolwich ( more rubbish). They then turned around and said they had insufficient medical evidence despite having received medical reports from my GP, Consultant Psychologist, Gastroenterologist and medical report from my employer (also received from my GP). I've started the complaints process but I'm trying to gather as much information as possible and requested all medical and claims visitor reports they have on my file two weeks ago.......and I keep getting fobbed off!!!! what rights might I have under either the Data Protection or Freedom of information acts? This thread relates in tandem with another thread I have regarding these insurance companies on this forum....(thx again bookworm for all your advice!!!) Realdeal

hi bookworm, thanks for that, feel more positive now that I'm more aware of my rights and entitlements!!! Spoke to my IFA about income benefit and any negative impact on mortgage applications. told me it can't affect my current mortgage set up but if I'm still on benefits if I want to remortgage it could be problematic. Will discuss with CAB and IFA is sending me something in writing. The DWP seem far more helpful than the insurance comapnies!!!???? will let you know once i start getting any results realdeal

Hi bookworm, the CAB have put me in touch with DWP and they tell me I'm eligible for incapacity benefit and income benefit. I have been told by my other half that it is risky claiming income benefit as it may affect future mortgage applications. what do you think? DWP are calling me am on Monday to finalise claim details. have appt with CAB on 17th july, will let you know how I get on. have sent 30+ pages of complaint to both Scottish Provident and Legal & General so now have to wait the 8 weeks for the response of their investigations before bringing the full weight of the FSA down on them. Regarding SSP, it only started appearing on my wage slips as a seperate item in Oct/Nov 2005, ( I was signed off ill by my GP in August 05). My employer claims the company sick pay I'd been receiving before then had also included SSP. My solicitor has asked for clarification of the dates but my employer is not responding....I feel a tribunal coming on!!! will let you know how I get on with everything as events unfold!!! Realdeal

thanks for this bookworm, my SSP ran out in feb/march according to my employer although SSP only appeared as a seperate item on my wage slips in November....solicitor looking into it.......surviving on mortgage reserve at the moment and £600 pm car allowance...... gonna see the CAB next week....I'll keep you posted!!! Thanks again for your thoughts and I hope to make a donation as soon as I get my insurance....(could be a while!!!!) Realdeal

Bookworm, you're an absolute gem....thx for your thoughts and advice. Basically I am not claiming any state benefits at this stage as I naievly thought my insurance would've come through at this stage :o I will have a brief chat to my solicitor about it but she does cost £220 per hour and her involvement with my employer at the moment is costing a fortune!!!! What you were saying before regarding a payout as a result of an ET and how the insurers would look to offset their payments against; would this also hold true if I did have to file for ET but it's settled before it actually reaches tribunal? I've tried to find some case law regarding insurers not paying out when redundancy is an issue but there isn't anything I've been able to find so far. I did find something regarding compensation and payouts on the Association of British Insurers website but nothing specific to redundancy and how it affects insurance payout.....could you recommend anything? Thanks again for all your help Realdeal

thanks Bookworm, the policy provides an income.......hope that helps... wot does JSA mean? what if I settle before it goes to ET? sorry for all the questions!!!! At the moment I've told the insurance companies that to date I have not filed any legal proceedings against my employer. They sent a letter to me saying they had insufficient detail regarding a compensation claim against my employer but I've written back telling them I've made no such claim.....yet.....if my solicitor settles without filing for ET does that count? thanks again for the advice bookworm..... realdeal:???:

Hi Bookworm, thanks for that.......if it helps, my policy with Scottish Provident is Disability Income Benefit (sickness, accident or disability) whereby its all in the definition of "disability" which in the policy states:- " "disability" means they are, in OUR opinion, due to illness or accident, unable to perform the material and substantial duties of their own occupation as disclosed at the time the is accepted by us." my condition is not mentioned in either policy under the exclusion clauses.... whatcha think? thanks again Realdeal:wink:

HI bookworm....thx for the reply.....I do have a hard copy of the policy and there is no mention of depression or IBS in the document. Also there is no mention of illness as a result of work related stress being a cause to dismiss my claim. I've since contacted the FSA and sent a letter of complaint to both companies which I have faxed this evening and sending via registered post tomorrow...... can you suggest anything? thx again for showing interest realdeal8)

I was diagnosed with IBS and chronic depression last July/August. I filed a claim on my critical illness policy with Scottish Provident and also filed a claim on my mortgage protection policy with Legal & General after the necessary period of time elapsed. I filed for these claims in November 05 and Jan 06 respectively. Both companies are working in tandem and they have received all the required medical information from my GP and my Clinical Psychologist. I have had two seperate claims visits with Rubicon and I now have to attend an independent medical assessment with a consultant psychiatrist on 24th June. Rubicon have also been commissioned to conduct an employer visit which is yet to be confirmed. My employer is not really cooperating with the insurance company's requests and I've had to involve my solicitor and I could possibly have to sue them, (my employer), for Disability Discrimination as they have tried to conduct a redundancy process during my illness as a result of a management restructure. The insurance companies have told me they need to assess the possibility of a litigation claim and any other obstructions that may exist in me possibly returning to work. My employer has since put the redundancy process on ice. The insurance companies are also claiming that they need to determine if my illness is a result of work related stress which, if it is the case, they will not pay out on my claim although I don't recall this being stated in my policy......I'm also sceptical as to what, (if I did decide to sue my employer), my legal stance has to do with my medical insurance??? Can anyone give me some advice as I feel the insurance companies are undertaking unnecessary delays and in the meantime I'm going slowly bankrupt....