Dear all, thank you so much for your responses. In response to fairclare's questions: no, she does not receive any tax credits and I've spent a long time trying to get some answers to this but can't. Thank you hepburn07; I had seen that info previously and am still stunned that they don't include lupus on that list. My husband is epileptic and so receives free prescriptions, and he even questions why he should get, for example, antibiotics without charge when they're completely irrelevant to his condition! Fairclare if you have any further info then I am more than willing to work the phone for her! Thank you so much

Hello, I'm writing this for a good friend of mine as I'm so fed up at her treatment by, what seems like, everyone in the NHS that I would be very grateful if anyone can offer any advice. She has Lupus, has had for many years, and is currently on Long-term Incapacity Benefit, she has recently had a major operation on her carotid artery-following a series of mini strokes-which she was told was 80% blocked. This is partly due to "sticky blood" caused by Lupus. The problem recently is that she cannot afford to get the drugs needed for her to control the Lupus; and because she isn't "eligible" for Income Support she, apparently, can't get free prescriptions. Does anyone know of anywhere I can get some further advice for her? Is there anyone that can help her with this? i.e. an organisation etc? Would be very grateful for any responses. Thanks

Hello, I was helped by you once before and I'd be really grateful for any advice you have on the following: I started a thread some time ago re Newlyn's bailiffs and being forced into an agreement to repay £300 per month on an oustanding council tax debt. We have been paying this amount since last sept/oct and haven't missed any payments-though it's been extremely difficult to meet the payments. Since December my son has been very ill again; he has been in hospital and having tests etc, and potentially it could be extremely serious. Apart from this my husband, who has been with him as much as he can, doesn't get paid (as he is a contractor) for days he doesn't work. This means that we are very short this month and I've just rang Newlyn's to ask if we can defer this month's payment until 8th March-they refused telling me that if the payment isn't made tomorrow then the account agreement has been broken, we will incur charges and the bailiff's will be instructed. I have just emailed the council contact I have to ask if they can intervene on our behalf and am awaiting a reply. Is there anything I can do-my son is ill and we are just all holding on by a thread here, I really can't have bailiff's coming here and upsetting him. I would be very very grateful for any advice you can give. Thank you

Hello, I started a thread some time ago re Newlyn's bailiffs and being forced into an agreement to repay £300 per month on an oustanding council tax debt. We have been paying this amount since last sept/oct and haven't missed any payments-though it's been extremely difficult to meet the payments. Since December my son has been very ill again; he has been in hospital and having tests etc, and potentially it could be extremely serious. Apart from this my husband, who has been with him as much as he can, doesn't get paid (as he is a contractor) for days he doesn't work. This means that we are very short this month and I've just rang Newlyn's to ask if we can defer this month's payment until 8th March-they refused telling me that if the payment isn't made tomorrow then the account agreement has been broken and the bailiff's will be instructed. I have just emailed the council contact I have to ask if they can intervene on our behalf and am awaiting a reply. Is there anything I can do-my son is ill and we are just all holding on by a thread here, I really can't have bailiff's coming here and upsetting him. I would be very very grateful for any advice you can give. Thank you

Hello everyone, would be grateful for any advice on the following. I am in the process of changing utility companies (for many things; phone, gas & electric etc). My existing gas & electricity supplier have written to me to tell me that as I have an outstinading bill with them they won't allow me to switch companies...is this correct? Can they do this? I had an outstanding bill with BT when I switched (i.e. a bill up to the point that the switchover took place and they billed me and I paid it and that was that!) Would be grateful if anyone knows whether I can do anything about this? Thanks

Thanks for that djweeble; I will send them an email and take it from there. Thanks

Hello, I'd be very grateful for any help on this; we got into some financial diffifulties before christmas and the only way we could raise some money fast was to take a small loan from logbook loans-how I wish I'd read about them on this site first. The loan was only ever intended as a very short term thing, with the aim of repaying it in full next month. Well, yesterday I received a letter telling me that I was in arrears (of £46.80=2wks payment)-but I'm not. I have proof of payment (there have only been 3 payments so far) and I would like to send a copy of them recorded to their head office but I would like some ideas on how to word the letter-they've also charged me £12 in this letter! Please help-I really don't want this to escalate as I dont owe them any arrears and from reading about them on here I'm very very concerned. I'm unsure of how to word the letter but I want to say that a) here's proof that I don't owe you anything, b) refund the £12 and c) don't even think about taking the mick! Would be very grateful for any help. Thanks

Hello, we have been renting a property since later last year and our tenancy agreement is shortly up for renewal. Since moving in we have had a bees nest in the eaves-which was never resolved and we were fishing dead bees out of the bathrooms for months. Now we have insects coming out of the bathroom taps. We told the landlord who assured us her builder was coming yesterday (Sat). No builder and no contact. I'm beginning to sense a pattern emerging and wondered if anyone knew if we were legally okay to get this fixed ourselves (should they continue to ignore it and not contact us) and then invoice them? take it out of the rent? etc. I would rather they sort this and would also appreciate any advice on our rights in general in terms of this. Thanks in advance

Hello, We recently sent the prelim letter to Capital One; then had a letter back telling us that they would pay us back a percentage of the charges etc etc etc. As it stands the account has been sent to a DCA and there are just over £400 of charges to be claimed for. After working it all out it looks like we spent something like (for example) £500 on the card and paid back £495-the rest is charges. Is there any reason you can think of that we can't respond to their letter saying that we will pay what we've spent (i.e. we owe them a fiver), clear the default and we both walk away Be grateful for any advice.

Hello all, would be grateful for any advice on the following-we have arranged a repayment schedule with Ruthbridge solicitors but this morning we received a letter: "Dear Mr A, Despite many attempts to contact you directly by telephone and letter you have totally ignored our efforts to resolve this matter . We are now advising our clients to comence bankrupty proceedings. etc etc. This will result in your bancruptcy being published in the local gazette etc etc." We are paying the agreed schedule and they have not tried to contact us; the tone of the letter is pretty offensive (we will drag you through the mud and then publish the details) and I wondered if anyone had any tips on whether it's worthwhile putting our complaint in writing? If so, any advice? Many thanks

Hello, My aunt is renting her flat from a housing association. Her and her partner are both on sickness and/or incapacity benefit-one may have a tumour and the other has just had an op on her carotid artery following multiple strokes and she also suffers from Lupus!. I have just been told that for ten days they have been without heating or hot water as their boiler hasn't been working and they housing assoc and plumbers aren't communicating well enough to establish this fact and get their boiler replaced. They were offered a small electric heater but they cannot afford to run this. Do they have any legal rights with this situation? Surely they can't be expected to continue with no hot water or heating? They are both ill, barely able to walk long distances, and are expected to carry boiling water round their flat to wash! I'd be grateful if anyone can advise. Many thanks

Hello, is is acceptable practice to fax your letters to Cap One? If so, does anyone have a fax number I can use? Thanks

Hello, is is acceptable practice to fax your letters to Abbey? I have made a change to my LBA (increased the amount on receipt of further statements) and wondered if I could fax it across to them? Does anyone have a fax number I can use? I've looked through the 'email & contact details for abbey' thread and can't see anything for the milton keynes or london office? Thanks

Hi Jeff, I use an excel spreadsheet which does the calcualations for me each month. It has spaces for every incoming amount and then I've filled in the regular outgoings (utilities, council tax, mortgage/rent etc)-then there are spaces for variables. Then it adds and subtracts the relevant bits and I cry for a little while and then dust myself off!! Would be happy to somehow get it to you-it would be a blank template that you're welcome to. In fact, anyone else who wants a copy if welcome also D

Hello, We're just starting a claim against Capital One. Finally received the statements and see that we've spent £318.32 on the card, paid £305 and had charges of £400!! There are also charges for "purchase interest" and I wondered if I should be including this in the claim-be grateful for any advice. Thanks