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Mackenzie Hall. Do any of you know of them?


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Once again this thread refers to unprovable telephone conversations. Once again we see more arguments in favour of recording telephone conversations as a matter of routine. Nobody does it -- and they only think about doing it once it is too late. Recording telephone conversations is easy nowadays. If you want to record a call on conventional equipment go to Maplins and you can buy a device for about £15. If you want to record conversations using VoIP on your computer then you can get a recording programs such as Skylook which you can read about in the Marketplace section of this forum. You can even download a trial version.

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I've just checked and there's no publicly registered judgement against them. Did they pay it within a month of it being made?

 

As far as I remember it was paid quite quickly, but as I said before, I don't have the details to hand at the moment (I'm in Norway till Thursday), I'll dig out what I can when I get home.

Nil Illigitimus Carborundum

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I hope this is not considered thread hijacking, but having read this thread, I had to write of a similar experience with a company called Wescot credit services. My wife was contacted last november with a notice of debt, based at an old address. She contacted Wescot and was told the debt (£125) was due to an old catalogue account. Having wracked our brains to remember using the company we realised the account had been opened after we moved from that address (only two doors away, up the street). Also some of her security details were wrong (e.g. date of birth). My wife then received a final notice (£205) and attempted to clear the matter by phoning the company and then the police. She got a crime number etc. and Wescot said they would accept copies of our Council Tax bill for the period as evidence we were not liable. We duly got this and sent them a copy. However, the muppets decided that this was evidence of liability, since the address on the bill was the same street as the liable address! Having recently joined this forum, I was now in a position to fight back! I phoned their call centre to clear the matter but failed to convince their agent, or her line manager of the difference in address. The line manager got quite sniffy eventually and agreed to "cancel the debt". However, by this time I was fuming and demanded they write back and confirm the debt was never ours. The guy had the nerve to ask for more copies of correspondence so I told him to check with their correspondence dept! I then gave them 5 working days to send written confirmation and having failed to get a reply sent the following letter:

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Further to my telephone conversation of the xx/5/06 and in accordance with my stated intentions in that phone call (and your implicit acquiescence to those conditions by failure to reply to me by Friday xxth May, 2006), please find below a bill for my costs involved in settling this matter. This balance is due in 14 days of receipt. If any balance remains outstanding after the XXth of June, 2006, I intend to pursue this matter further, as well as writing to the OFT and relevant ombudsmen to complain about the harassment inflicted upon me and upon my wife, by your company.

 

As an act of good will, I will recount the pertinent points of that phone call, but please be advised, should this matter require further correspondence on my part, I will be charging administration fees of £10 per letter.

 

Having sent you evidence (in the form of a Council Tax bill) that my wife and I were not living at X2 (note the 2 in the address) XXXXX road on the Xth of XXX, 1998 but at number X6 (again note the 6 in the address) XXXXX road, I believed this was sufficient information for you to realise that we have been victims of Identity fraud and are in no way liable for the amount in question. (In fact I am happy to accept your agent’s acquiescence that we are not liable for the amount as mentioned in the phone call of the XXth). However, having received this information, your company then sent us a form stating in the additional comments:

 

“Above confirmation shows that you were living at X6 XXXXX road on X/X/98 (Start date of this account)”

 

correct up to this point, but continues:

 

“Therefore you are liable for this account”

 

Incorrect…Clearly someone has failed to distinguish between a 2 and a 6.

 

At the beginning of the phone call I verified with your call centre operator that the address at which the account was opened was X2 XXXXX road. Therefore I urge you to check your data. We did indeed live at X2 XXXXX road, but moved 2 doors away to number X6 when our Landlords returned to live at number X2. We have strong suspicions as to whom opened the account in my Wife’s name, but quite frankly, that is not a matter for us to deal with.

 

So, after attempting to clarify the situation with your agent whose name I was given as Mr. Pratt, (unfortunately I did not ask for a first name, but I am assuming you do not have any other Pratts working at your company), it was agreed that the debt would be “written off”. However, this is insufficient action to remedy the situation. I also requested written confirmation (by Friday XXth. May, 2006) that my wife’s credit file has not been affected by this affair. If any entries have been made to her file, we demand that they be fully retracted (NOT simply amended). We will be checking her credit file with the CRAs but will allow you 30 days in order to complete any retractions required. Furthermore, I require written confirmation that this debt was never incurred by us. I am not asking for an apology for the treatment we have received, but I do require financial restitution for the time and effort this matter has demanded from me.

 

Therefore; current outstanding balance:

 

1 phone call on xx/5/06 £0.42

This letter (1st class recorded delivery) £1.00

2 hours of my time at £10p/h £20.00

 

 

Total £21.42

 

Please note, I am not charging you for previous phone calls or mail sent out, but reserve the right to do so (as well as apply interest on the debt at a reasonable rate) should this matter not be resolved to my satisfaction by return of post and within the timescale specified. I will accept cheques in the name of Dr XXXXX.

 

 

I look forward to your prompt reply

 

 

 

 

Dr XXXXX

(For, and on behalf of Mrs XXXXX)

 

 

Sorry for the long post but I hope this may help somebody. I also now realise that this debt was statute barred and that Wescot were playing the same "fishing" game as Mackenzie Hall.

 

Docdros

Abbey: £978 plus £136 in overdraft interest plus £200 estimated

12/5/06: Data Protection Act letter sent, recv.d: 15/5/06

13 mths statements recv.d: 27/5/06

Data Protection Act chq clears 30/5/06

31/5/06: Reply to microfiche letter sent

19 & 23/6/06: received microfiched movements

3/7/06: Sending LBA letter

20/7/06 Claim submitted online

18/8/06 Abbey defence and 50% offer received

21/8/06 AQ received (last date for filing: 9/9/06)

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Not yet. But it's more about standing up to bullies at this stage. Also the wife's credit score is important (still need to check that yet). Glad you like the "Pratt " line. I was quite proud of that. Couldn't figure out if the guy was genuine or just p***d off with me! I did manage to ask if it was with one "T" or 2, though. This response seemed to cover both possibilites

Abbey: £978 plus £136 in overdraft interest plus £200 estimated

12/5/06: Data Protection Act letter sent, recv.d: 15/5/06

13 mths statements recv.d: 27/5/06

Data Protection Act chq clears 30/5/06

31/5/06: Reply to microfiche letter sent

19 & 23/6/06: received microfiched movements

3/7/06: Sending LBA letter

20/7/06 Claim submitted online

18/8/06 Abbey defence and 50% offer received

21/8/06 AQ received (last date for filing: 9/9/06)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, having sent a letter and a £1 postal order to Mackenzie Hall, I have received no reply within the 12 days, and so I have two options. i can let the whole thing go, or send the details to the relevent authorities. Can you guess which of the two options I am drawn towards taking?

I need to do a bit of research here, and maybe you kind folk can help. Given the circumstances I have noted in the thread do I continue by forwarding the information to the relevent authorities? And if I do, is there any possibility of any back-lash?

Personaly I am of a mind to hang the buggers out to dry :)

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Glad you like the "Pratt " line. I was quite proud of that.

:D:D:D Excellent - I know Westcot, having worked for one of their suppliers in the past. The call centre manager at that time was a total PRAT of the first degree!

Jeep (The Wife & I)

Halifax joint a/c (£3800 charges + £40 interest on charges over 11 years) - paid in full 23/06/06

Halifax joint a/c new charges £1100 - LBA sent 02/08/06

Halifax 2nd a/c (£1500 charges + £150 interest on charges) - partial payment received 13/07/06 (no s69 interest) - AQ filed 07/08/06 - Court awarded 50% of s69 interest (Bank didn't turn up!)

Halifax Visa (#1) Data Protection Act sent - statements arrived - £350 so far

Halifax Visa (#2) Data Protection Act sent - refunded £170

DONATE - Support this site, it supported you!

Follow the route: FAQs > Template Library > Parachute Account > Bank Forums > Spreadsheet

All advice given in good faith and without prejudice or liability, to be taken at your own risk!

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Well, having sent a letter and a £1 postal order to Mackenzie Hall, I have received no reply within the 12 days, and so I have two options. i can let the whole thing go, or send the details to the relevent authorities. Can you guess which of the two options I am drawn towards taking?

I need to do a bit of research here, and maybe you kind folk can help. Given the circumstances I have noted in the thread do I continue by forwarding the information to the relevent authorities? And if I do, is there any possibility of any back-lash?

Personaly I am of a mind to hang the buggers out to dry :)

 

You would probably be best waiting for the 30 days to expire as they will then have committed a criminal offence.

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Oh my, this gets better and better :)

No reply regarding the letter requesting all the details they hold, but *another* direct debit mandate.

Only this time, the balance has dropped from £4,700+ to £4,240. And the payments have dropped from £47 a week to £10 a month.

Unbelievable :)

I will not be replying...

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Oh my, this gets better and better :)

No reply regarding the letter requesting all the details they hold, but *another* direct debit mandate.

Only this time, the balance has dropped from £4,700+ to £4,240. And the payments have dropped from £47 a week to £10 a month.

Unbelievable :)

I will not be replying...

 

Looks like they will be paying you soon !!! :):) if it keeps on like that!!

Chrismc v Vertex Data Science Ltd

SD Set Aside WON + Costs

 

 

Chrismc v Barclays

Won - Settlement Agreed at 11th Hour.

 

Philips Bailiffs

Lost - Judge changed at last minute, it didn't help!

 

G-MAC Early Redemption Charges Waived

Won - Early Redemtion Fees Waived in Full.

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Quick update on my Wescot scuffle:

Got a reply accepting we are not liable for the debt, as well as this assurance that the wife's credit file would not be affected:

 

"Also, as the date the account entered default was over six years ago,this account should no longer be shown on her credit file."

 

Didn't stop them trying to chase the debt in the first place though did it?!

Turns out my sister in law has also had a run in with these jokers so watch out for them peeps!

 

Didn't get my invoice paid, but to be honest, I am happy the matter is closed and a credit check on my wife's file shows no entries, so I am happy to let it rest there.

docdros

Abbey: £978 plus £136 in overdraft interest plus £200 estimated

12/5/06: Data Protection Act letter sent, recv.d: 15/5/06

13 mths statements recv.d: 27/5/06

Data Protection Act chq clears 30/5/06

31/5/06: Reply to microfiche letter sent

19 & 23/6/06: received microfiched movements

3/7/06: Sending LBA letter

20/7/06 Claim submitted online

18/8/06 Abbey defence and 50% offer received

21/8/06 AQ received (last date for filing: 9/9/06)

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Unless you have an abject apology from them, you should report the facts of what happened to your local Trading Standards department. They may not act on this occasion but they will hold details of it on file for reference when they inevitably receive more complaints in the future.

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In addition to filing a complaint with the trading standards department of your local council send a copy to Joe Donnelly, Principal Officer - Trading Standards

East Ayrshire Council 14 London Road Kilmarnock KA3 7AF [email protected] Apparently they are collating complaints and passing them onto the Office of Fair Trading

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In addition to filing a complaint with the trading standards department of your local council send a copy to Joe Donnelly, Principal Officer - Trading Standards

East Ayrshire Council 14 London Road Kilmarnock KA3 7AF [email protected] Apparently they are collating complaints and passing them onto the Office of Fair Trading

 

Thanks for that. I will do just exactly that :)

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I hope this is not considered thread hijacking, but having read this thread, I had to write of a similar experience with a company called Wescot credit services. My wife was contacted last november with a notice of debt, based at an old address. She contacted Wescot and was told the debt (£125) was due to an old catalogue account. Having wracked our brains to remember using the company we realised the account had been opened after we moved from that address (only two doors away, up the street). Also some of her security details were wrong (e.g. date of birth). My wife then received a final notice (£205) and attempted to clear the matter by phoning the company and then the police. She got a crime number etc. and Wescot said they would accept copies of our Council Tax bill for the period as evidence we were not liable. We duly got this and sent them a copy. However, the muppets decided that this was evidence of liability, since the address on the bill was the same street as the liable address! Having recently joined this forum, I was now in a position to fight back! I phoned their call centre to clear the matter but failed to convince their agent, or her line manager of the difference in address. The line manager got quite sniffy eventually and agreed to "cancel the debt". However, by this time I was fuming and demanded they write back and confirm the debt was never ours. The guy had the nerve to ask for more copies of correspondence so I told him to check with their correspondence dept! I then gave them 5 working days to send written confirmation and having failed to get a reply sent the following letter:

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Further to my telephone conversation of the xx/5/06 and in accordance with my stated intentions in that phone call (and your implicit acquiescence to those conditions by failure to reply to me by Friday xxth May, 2006), please find below a bill for my costs involved in settling this matter. This balance is due in 14 days of receipt. If any balance remains outstanding after the XXth of June, 2006, I intend to pursue this matter further, as well as writing to the OFT and relevant ombudsmen to complain about the harassment inflicted upon me and upon my wife, by your company.

 

As an act of good will, I will recount the pertinent points of that phone call, but please be advised, should this matter require further correspondence on my part, I will be charging administration fees of £10 per letter.

 

Having sent you evidence (in the form of a Council Tax bill) that my wife and I were not living at X2 (note the 2 in the address) XXXXX road on the Xth of XXX, 1998 but at number X6 (again note the 6 in the address) XXXXX road, I believed this was sufficient information for you to realise that we have been victims of Identity fraud and are in no way liable for the amount in question. (In fact I am happy to accept your agent’s acquiescence that we are not liable for the amount as mentioned in the phone call of the XXth). However, having received this information, your company then sent us a form stating in the additional comments:

 

“Above confirmation shows that you were living at X6 XXXXX road on X/X/98 (Start date of this account)”

 

correct up to this point, but continues:

 

“Therefore you are liable for this account”

 

Incorrect…Clearly someone has failed to distinguish between a 2 and a 6.

 

At the beginning of the phone call I verified with your call centre operator that the address at which the account was opened was X2 XXXXX road. Therefore I urge you to check your data. We did indeed live at X2 XXXXX road, but moved 2 doors away to number X6 when our Landlords returned to live at number X2. We have strong suspicions as to whom opened the account in my Wife’s name, but quite frankly, that is not a matter for us to deal with.

 

So, after attempting to clarify the situation with your agent whose name I was given as Mr. Pratt, (unfortunately I did not ask for a first name, but I am assuming you do not have any other Pratts working at your company), it was agreed that the debt would be “written off”. However, this is insufficient action to remedy the situation. I also requested written confirmation (by Friday XXth. May, 2006) that my wife’s credit file has not been affected by this affair. If any entries have been made to her file, we demand that they be fully retracted (NOT simply amended). We will be checking her credit file with the CRAs but will allow you 30 days in order to complete any retractions required. Furthermore, I require written confirmation that this debt was never incurred by us. I am not asking for an apology for the treatment we have received, but I do require financial restitution for the time and effort this matter has demanded from me.

 

Therefore; current outstanding balance:

 

1 phone call on xx/5/06 £0.42

This letter (1st class recorded delivery) £1.00

2 hours of my time at £10p/h £20.00

 

 

Total £21.42

 

Please note, I am not charging you for previous phone calls or mail sent out, but reserve the right to do so (as well as apply interest on the debt at a reasonable rate) should this matter not be resolved to my satisfaction by return of post and within the timescale specified. I will accept cheques in the name of Dr XXXXX.

 

 

I look forward to your prompt reply

 

 

 

 

Dr XXXXX

(For, and on behalf of Mrs XXXXX)

 

 

Sorry for the long post but I hope this may help somebody. I also now realise that this debt was statute barred and that Wescot were playing the same "fishing" game as Mackenzie Hall.

 

Docdros

 

 

Strangely I had a letter yesterday from Westcotts. I glanced at the envelope, then opened it, before realising that it was adressed not to me, but to the previous occupier, who shares the same initials.

 

A phonecall to them informing them of the mix-up followed. Apart from being sligtly miffed that I had no forwarding address they were quite happy to accept the people had moved on, and gave me an assurance that the letter dated 13th June would be the last one I received. Here's hoping :)

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Here's hoping :)

 

We're still getting letters, calls & visits for the woman we bought this house off 5 years ago.

Yorkshire Bank £2201.24 - Settled in full

My Abbey £731.34 - Settled in full

Hubby's Abbey £1239.49 - Settled in full

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  • 2 weeks later...
In addition to filing a complaint with the trading standards department of your local council send a copy to Joe Donnelly, Principal Officer - Trading Standards

 

East Ayrshire Council 14 London Road Kilmarnock KA3 7AF [email protected] Apparently they are collating complaints and passing them onto the Office of Fair Trading

Fantastic!!! I am so going to fire off a letter of complaint!

My partner received a debt collection notification from them for a debt he did not owe.

I called Mackenzie Hall, and they were blatantly rude and vile to me. Completely unprofessional.

Up until recently I have been working as an office manager for debt collection agency*, and know they were taking the 'merde'. If a member of my staff spoke like that, they'd be through the door straight away.

I recently sent them a request under the DPA - which they have not obliged, nor have they acknowledged my letter of complaint.

I'm going to check when it was sent, and will be informing the Information Commissioner in due course. Wish me luck!

Some important notes:

· A debt collection agency can be instructed to chase after a debt by their clients, however if they are unable to provide you with either a invoice/statement/credit agreement - then they can not chase you legally for the debt. Nor should you be expected to pay for this under the DPA, as this is copy invoicing to facilitate payment and to prove the debt is yours.

· An agency can not make provocative and un-necessary calls (i.e. more than 1 call every 3 or so days) as this is harassment.

· Late collection fees are NOT legally enforceable (unless specifically stated in the terms and conditions or such like which you must be aware of). So do not pay these.

· If the wording of a debt collection agency letter to you is inappropriate, and far too strong, you can report it to your local Trading Standards, who have been known to tell them to re-write their standard computerised letters.

· Some agencies employ 'Super Traces' for approximately £200. These agents, and are known to call/visit neighbors, ex-employers, NOK etc to try and find out where you are. Sometimes, pretending to be a long lost relative/want to get in touch with you as Aunty Mary has died and want to attend the funeral etc. Amongst other guises.

· If the agency does not record their calls, then they will certainly be entering notes into their debt collection system. This information should be available under the DPA.

· Agencies often allow their staff to use pseudonyms, for the safety and security of their staff (hence why you'll often find Mr Baker/Mr Watson etc).

· If you owe money to the client of the agency, ask them if they would be willing to offer a discount for prompt payment. You'd be surprised how much they might offer (not unknown for up to 50%)!

· If you are suffering difficulties on your payment, then immediately write to them, stating this with and income and expenditure report and a proposal of how much you'd be able to pay and ask for interest to be frozen. I have had customers paying £1 a month on a debt of £7,000. They might ask for a periodic review, but eventually it's not worth it for them to collect it, and might offer you a huge discount if you can pay a small lump sum as a full and final settlement. Or even luckier to you, might just write it off...

· Even if you emigrate and owe money to creditors, some agencies have a working partnership with overseas agencies who may trace and collect the debt on their behalf (usually on a 15-30% commission rate).

*I hope you found the above helpful. Please don't send me any hate messages for having worked with the 'enemy'! I promise to post some more helpful info soon.

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Some good info there gherkin :) yes and Mackenzie Hall are one of the lowest of the low in the debt collection game!! they use some pretty underhand tactics.

Chrismc v Vertex Data Science Ltd

SD Set Aside WON + Costs

 

 

Chrismc v Barclays

Won - Settlement Agreed at 11th Hour.

 

Philips Bailiffs

Lost - Judge changed at last minute, it didn't help!

 

G-MAC Early Redemption Charges Waived

Won - Early Redemtion Fees Waived in Full.

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Right....nearly 40 days since I sent the letter and postal order demanding information, and no reply, other than another text and another letter telling me a settlement figure had been reached.

What would you say should be my next move, folk?

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Remind me, is this a CCA letter or a Data Protection Act letter?

This is a CCA letter, to be exact this one:-

 

Reference:- M********

In response to your letters, dated the 15 of May, I need you to clarify the particulars of your claim before I can discuss this matter further.

 

I do not acknowledge any debt to your clients, Citifinancial Europe PLC and have never received any correspondence from them. I require you to supply the following documentation before I will correspond further on this matter.

 

1. You must supply me with a true copy of the alleged agreement you refer to. This is my right under your obligation to supply a copy of the agreement under the legislation contained within s.78 (1) Consumer Credit Act 1974 (s.77 (1) for fixed sum credit) - your obligation also extends to providing a statement of account. I enclose a £1 postal order in payment of the statutory fee. A copy of this agreement should be supplied within twelve days of the above date.

 

2. A signed true copy of the deed of assignment of the above referenced agreement that you allege exists.

 

3. You are notified that you are obliged to supply these documents, whether you are the original creditor or not under S189 of the CCA 1974.

 

Non-compliance with my request is a criminal offence under the above Act and will result in a report being submitted to the relevant statutory authorities.

 

As you are aware, a credit agreement that is not properly documented and signed by the customer is totally unenforceable under the CCA and therefore is a complete defence to any court claim that is issued.

 

Take note at this stage, that any legal action you may contemplate will be both vigorously defended and contested.

 

I would also like to point out that under the Limitation Act 1980 Section 5 “an action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued.” Therefore, you must also show that any debt you require payment of has been acknowledged by me in writing within the last six years.

 

I request that once you have provided this information, all other contact be through letter, and that any further letters have dates which accurately reflect the date on which they were sent. I will not discuss this matter over the telephone as I find your staff to be rude, pushy and unhelpful..

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