Zebra Finance Dealings??

[shadygiz]

Hi All,

 

I've had finance in place with the above company for around 4 years now, as i used them initially for a season ticket scheme for a couple of seasons. I also loaned around £1500 off them about 2 years ago (I only have around 4 payments left to make, about £330 oustanding).

 

Around november last year i was laid off from work, but still managed to make the complete months payment of £82 for november. In december, when i realised i couldn't make the payment, i rang Zebra and advised them of the situation and was told if i make a payment of £26 it would stop the default process against the records. I made this payment of £26 in december on my debit card.

 

Last month (january) i had agreed once again to make a token payment of £26, however on friday i had to use the last of my money to attend a job interview. I spoke to them on monday (feb 1st) and advised them and i agreed i would make the payment by this friday (feb 5th) and also advised them that i may be able to make a little more towards the payment later in the month, to which they agreed.

 

Yesterday (wednesday) i logged onto my online banking account and found several transactions on switch payment that i had not made. The transactions were for 5 x £20 & 1 x £10, totalling £110. I immediately rang my bank and was advised that the payments had been taken by ZEBRA FINANCE. They had basically emptied all the money i had in the bank account, which was set aside for food shopping.

 

I left several messages yesterday for their manager (elliot barlow) to call me back. I eventually got through to him this morning and was met by a very pompous attitude.

I asked him why he would take the money from my bank without my authority, to which he replied that they could do this as it is written in the T&C's.

I asked him why he would take the money when i had an agreement in place made only 2 days prior, to which he replied as i had not made the £26 token payment last month my account is now in default.

I asked him why i had not been advised of any default notice, even when i spoke with his colleague on monday. He replied that a notice had been sent out on the 28th Jan, i have not received this.

I then explained that this was counter productive as i needed the money to get to interviews and therefore getting back into work and therefore paying off their debt. He offered no explanation other than talking over me.

 

I explained to him that my partner is unable to work, so me being laid off has had a devastating effect on the incoming finances at present and emptying my bank account in this manner has deprived my children of the basic food essentials, to which he scoffed that the debt was more important.

 

I lost my rag with the guy at this point and he hung up on me.

 

In the meantime, i have cancelled my old card with the bank & I have reported this matter to the FSA & OFT.

 

Not sure where i stand with this tbh, but its hardly grounds for a working business relationship is it

[Rideout]

What can I say about 'Bully' Zerbra Finance. Same problem with me although a cool legal chat ended up in immediate re-emburstment

to a friends debit card I once had the full permisson by the friend to use. A Zebra never changes it's strips. PS watch out for an ilegal court claim letter through the post. ( the one they send to start a claim to the courts with hm logo, Highly ilegal but a known practice of ZF)

Take them to court, I would be suprised if they show up or have your legal papers in order. Me, i'm waiting for any sort of responce from them since I explained their legal possition by sending me such wonderful mail, Best mail I ever got from them, that was many years ago mind. The judge will not see kindly to them sending official letters on behalf of the crown like that.

Anyway, whats the situation today?

Edited January 18, 2012 by Rideout

[42man]

Dreadful....the OFT have recently changed the guidelines on this type of behaviour......

 

m. misusing a continuous payment authority, including by (this is a non-exhaustive list):

• debiting a debtor's account other than on a date or dates as expressly set out in the relevant agreement, unless otherwise specifically agreed with the debtor subsequent to the agreement having been concluded (for example, where an alternative repayment plan has subsequently been agreed between the creditor and the debtor)

• debiting lesser or greater amounts than those expressly set out in the relevant agreement unless the debiting of such amounts has been specifically agreed with the debtor subsequent to the agreement having been concluded (for example, where an alternative repayment plan has subsequently been agreed between the creditor and the debtor)

• debiting from a debtor's account other than the account specifically designated by the debtor (in a contract or otherwise) for repayment of the credit that is the subject of the continuous payment authority.

The OFT considers that while it is not unfair or improper for a creditor or a debt recovery business acting on its behalf to use continuous payment authority to recover 'recurring repayments' (for example, repayments of £100 per month, on the first day of the month, over 10 months, to recover a loan of total cost to the debtor of £1,000) it is unfair and improper to seek to use it to make recurring attempts to recover a 'SINGLE repayment' (for example, making numerous consecutive attempts to recover, in full or in part, a single repayment of £100 on a loan of total cost to the debtor of £1,000).