Halifax problems-advice please

[FedupwiththeHalifax]

I was given an arrangement by my bank (halifax) that would automatically cause me to default without warning unless i coughed up 3,000 (student overdraft, biggest mistake of my life!)

 

Of course I wasn't told this at the time! I was told when the "arrangement" ended I would need to renew it and pay a little more maybe to get it cleared, but I was never told how soon it needed to be cleared by and I was told I would not be defaulted if I kept up the payments (which I did it was halifax who stopped them)

 

I'm disabled, out of work, and totally failed by the benefits system, my partner and I live on his PART TIME shop wage and the charity of family. However thankfully I should be able to pay the full amount off by next month to avoid "legal action" But I'm 25 and just starting my adult life and I need the default notice overturned if I'm going to have any chance to buy a house or anything like that.

 

Thing is, if I had be told this automatic default notice was going to be served, I would have borrowed the money from family, or even worked the streets for heavens sake to avoid the default notice!

 

I was recommended by family and freinds to enter an arrangement for £5 a month that would hold them off for 6 months at least so I could get the money together, 3 months down the line I'm served a default notice.

 

First person I spoke to refused to give me a straight answer (here the pro

blem) I said 'I could afford £5 a month and that was all' (as recommended by family including someone who used to work for the Retail Bank Collections) then I asked him what I needed to pay to prevent a default notice, he told me I'm paying £5 a month. Well I know that but I can borrow money... so I asked him again, if I could find the money by borrowing from family, how much would I need to pay to prevent a default? He told me all I could afford was £5 a month, I think I maybe asked him 5 times for an answer and got nothing. So i hung up and called back to get somebody else. By this time though he had put through the agreement for £5 a month and the next woman said there was nothing she could do until it ended and I would be contacted after it ended to make another agreement. Well I wasn't, and got 2 letters through the door, one a warning of "legal action" and 2 days later the default. Phoned again today was told its automatic and when I said what I was told in the original phone call he covered his ass by saying he didn't know what I was told, so I told him to check the recordings. Hah.

 

Totally fuming as you can imagine, as had I been told the truth in the beginning i would have begged borrowed, and sold my own grandmother to avoid this.

 

Thinking of taking legal action of my own, Mother-in-law works for a lawyers office so she can get her boss to help me. but to be truthful I have little to no idea about the system so anything you wonderful people can tell me would be great.

 

I want to pay off the debt and I will as soon as i can, I just need this default notice to be overturned.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 15, 2011 by MARTIN3030

[rebel11]

Hi FedupwiththeHalifax

 

Welcome to CAG

 

The guys will advise as soon as they are available.

Edited January 15, 2011 by MARTIN3030

[sir_gilmour]

Hi

Welcome to The Consumer Action Group.

 

 

I am just letting you know that as you haven't had any replies to your post yet, it might be better if you post your message again in an appropriate sub-forum. You will get lots of help there.

 

Also take some time to read around the forum and get used to the layout. It is a big forum and takes a lot of getting used to.

 

 

Once you start to find your way, you will soon realise that it is fairly easy to get round and to get the help you need.

 

It can be bit confusing at first.