Natwest PPI...Where do I start?!

[allykat]

Hey everyone,

I am pretty clueless with PPI claims so any advice at all would be appreciated right now

 

Basics

- personal loan with my bank (Natwest) took out for 2k, (2001)

increased to 6k, (2002)

then finally in 2003 increased to 10k.

 

Always paid the loan until recently (missed 2 payments).

 

Since taking out the loan I have been out of work on 3 occasions,

the first through choice but then through sickness and then compulsory redundancy.

 

I enquired at my local branch about PPI in 2007, then again in 2010 (to be sure) I was told I did NOT have insurance.

 

But I do!

 

After missing a payment this November, they attempted to take 2 payments at once, both my accounts were emptied and closed on Saturday.

 

I phoned the bank who told me I have insurance on my loan and gave me a number to call.

 

Phoned yesterday and yes I have been paying PPI on a 10k loan since 2003.

They have had 16k off me so far, outstanding less than 3 grand.

The guy said I could make a claim (because I'm out of work until Feb) and would send me the paperwork...

 

but...I'm paying somewhere between 6 and 7k for this insurance..

....and I have only just found out I have it!

 

I asked for my agreement in 2010 when I needed it for my divorce..

..they said they didn't have it, and

 

twice they have told me point blank that I do not have this PPI.

I'm annoyed and want to know if there's any chance I can get this back?

 

I checked Natwest's site and they have a direct number to register a complaint.

...I can't get through as it's busy, but is this the best way to go?

How difficult is this process going to be and where do I start?

 

Sorry if I've babbled on,

 

I'm unbelievably stressed out at the moment,

got tax credits demanding money for overpayments,

an old catalogue has failed to send a CCA,

carphone warehouse are taking money out of my account every 3 months for insurance on nothing (I'm not with them)

and I have a credit card in arrears

things are spiralling it's impacting on my health and I really want to get control back

 

Any help at all would be gladly recieved...I am working my way through the sticky's too

 

Ally x

[BankFodder]

Firstly, get the written confirmation that you have PPI.

Secondly, you need to decide whether you want the benefit of the policy or if you want your money back.

 

Then we can help you

[BankFodder]

I'm having a further read of your story, will get back to you soon

[ims21]

Hi

 

Have a read of No.1 in my signature concernoing single premium PPI on loans.

 

If you haven't got the agreements and/or loan account statements, I would SAR the lender. Template is in the CAG library, the link to which is at the top of every CAG page in green. The cost is £10 and they will have 40 days to comply.

 

Put a line in your SAR request that you want copies of all loan agreements you have or have held with them.

 

When you get the SAR information back you can work out what your claim amount is.

 

Also go to the fos website and download their consumer questionnaire ready for completion and while you're there have a read of the case study PDFs.

 

ims

[BankFodder]

Have you got evidence that you asked about the PPI previously and they told you that you didn't have it?

[rebel11]

If you've been mis-sold PPI on any product's you've got, claim it back. If you've got Penalty Charges on any credit card accounts claim them back.

[allykat]

Hi, thanks for all the replies

 

Unfortunately I do not have proof that I asked about PPI as I did this in person not in writing

 

I'll get the SAR sent off, just spoke to a friend who has used a company to claim the money back for her, but they charge a 25% fee

 

I have no paperwork for this loan at all anymore, although they have said (yesterday) that I definately have the insurance, I do not have it in writing yet

 

Ally x

[BankFodder]

I've just had a chat with one of my colleagues on the site team.

We think that there is a way we could provide you with some direct help and move it all on rather more quickly for you

than you might otherwise manage on your own or through normal channels.

 

Would you mind sending me an email on our admin address.

 

Could you include a phone number - preferably a landline number and put your username in the subject line.

 

The we can have a talk and clear uip a few more questions and see if there is a good way forward.

 

Ta

[allykat]

Thanks so much I'll sort it out as soon as I'm home, be an hour or 2

 

 

Ally x

[allykat]

Hi, just an update as just had another missed call from Natwest/Triton

 

Natwest have not complied with my SAR,

 

they received this on the 5th Jan but have so far only sent proof that I have been paying PPI on two of the loans I took with them.

They have not sent any credit agreements as they no longer have them, and no statements for any of my accounts.

 

They have restricted my access to my accounts and are asking that I pay the overdraft and loan balance.

They are using the right to offset on my accounts,

which only have a small amount of money still being paid in each month (35)

I have transfered everything else into a new account.

 

I have sent a letter to Natwest reminding them that they have not complied with the SAR and have asked them to comply within 14 days.

I've had one letter from Triton re the overdraft and loan and they have been phoning me for about a week.

 

Natwest really have made my life unbelievably difficult and frankly I'd love to be a huge pain in their backside,

but on a serious note what do I do now apart from wait until they comply with the SAR?

I am not making the usual payments to the loan now and am slightly worried about this

 

As ever any thoughts appreciated

 

Ally

[allykat]

Help!

 

Still nothing further from my SAR to Natwest but Triton credit services are sending letters thick and fast and calling non stop as they want me to pay back my student account overdraft and remaining loan balances

 

Can anyone suggest what I should put in a letter to Triton? I intend to attempt claiming back PPI on 3 Natwest loans and a whole mass of charges, which would hopefully more than cover what I owe them

 

Natwest are using my child support at the moment as it is being paid into my student account weekly. Should I attempt to set up a payment plan with them or wait for the SAR? I really can't afford much at the moment having already fallen into mortgage arrears

 

I feel physically sick this is really worrying me

 

Ally x

[slick132]

Hi Ally,

 

Your Child Support is for your children and not the bank. You should make urgent complaints to the bank's Head Office, and phone the FOS, to complain about this.

 

See here about your right of appropriation - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?36790-Is-the-bank-taking-your-Benefits&p=289030&viewfull=1#post289030 You can adapt the letter to specify amounts taken by the bank on certain dates and demand that you be refunded.

 

The bank should have replied to your SAR ages ago so you should make a formal complaint to the ICO about the bank's failures.

 

There's also further help here about you suffering Financial Difficulty - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?557-Letter-for-an-application-for-consideration-for-hardship

 

[allykat]

Hi all,

 

thanks for your reply Slick,

 

I stopped the child support payments going to them, transferred everything to a new account.

 

I haven't made any complaints yet,

sent the usual letters asking for full sar,

but 6 months on and still waiting for statements

so I can work out PPI and charges.

They sent a few bits of information relating to the loans, told me the rest would follow, but it didn't.

 

Would it be a good idea to complain to this guy [email protected] ?

 

I spoke to an ex bank employee who told me I should get a response the same day if I email a lengthy complaint?

Has anyone else tried this?

 

I have no objections complaining to the ICO or whoever else, but would that interfere or cause further delays if I intend to take natwest to court?

 

many thanks

Ally

[slick132]

My own personal Rule No.1 - Keep all complaints as short, simple and concise as you can !

 

If someone sends you a 3 or 4 page letter, it can look like the endless ramblings of a madman. At least that's how I feel when I see a long post here on CAG

 

By all means, complain to the HO but keep it short and punchy. And, rather than explain everything paragraph by paragraph, enclose a separate list showing date and event, eg :-

 

2/4/12 - Spoke to Cust'r Relations about getting PPI data. No help but they said wait another 3 weeks for reply.

 

8/4/12 - Child Benefit paid into a/c but unable to access it as used to off set to loan a/c no. xxxxxxxx.

 

If they have still not supplied your SAR data, make a formal complaint to the ICO immediately. You've already let them get away with this far too long.

 

[allykat]

Finally an update of sorts!

 

Following my complaint to theICO,

they have 'investigated' and asked Natwest to send the rest of my data,

I have an email from them explaining Natwest's excuse,

and the excuse in letter form from the bank,

along with the rest of my statements for the SAR I sent them in Jan 2012.

 

Statements go back to 1994, but hardly any documents relating to the loans I have had with them, just a few printouts,

no agreements,

no terms & conditions,

no info relating to the PPI, except a printout with how much the policies were worth.

 

As it has taken almost 2 years to get these statements, I understand it might be too late to request charges are refunded? Unless I can prove hardship?

 

I have just become aware though of the the BCOBS and COBS and would actually like to sue the bank for breach of statutory duty or breach of contract....

 

if anyone has any advice at this point, it would be appreciated....

 

I will keep updating when I've read up a bit on taking banks to court

 

Kat

[ims21]

Hi Ally

 

Responding to PM....I will have a look at this in the morning but you will probably get some useful replies from others in the meantime

[slick132]

Hi Allykat,

 

You need to go through the SAR data carefully looking for details of all PPI payments and of any penalty charges made to any loan accounts or credit cards. PPI and penalty charges should still be reclaimable.

 

Please remember that a SAR will not produce credit agreements, etc. It is a request for DATA that the bank holds about you - not necessarily documents.

 

Can you identify PPI payments or penalty charges from the statement data.

 

Or maybe the PPI was front-loaded on the loans. Is there any info to clarify this.

 

[allykat]

Sorry about the delay, thanks for the responses too,

 

I've worked out the PPI, it was front loaded. I've looked but can't find charges added to the loan, all the charges are on my accounts only.

 

I have written to them to request they refund the PPI and also have asked them for a refund on some of the charges added to my accounts, but they have written back basically saying go away if you aren't happy go to the FOS.

 

I am now considering my next steps

 

kat xx

[slick132]

Hi Ally,

 

Did you send them a spreadsheet showing how you calculated the amount of PPI that you want refunded.

 

[allykat]

No I didn't send a spreadsheet :s

 

I wrote to the chief exec's department with my concerns,

which included complaints about the PPI,

the excessive charges/penalty fees,

the six DCA's Natwest have chasing the outstanding loan balance (which is made up of all PPI),

the hardship their actions caused when they closed my accounts

and the fact they are in default still with the SAR and have admittedly lost all the paperwork regarding the loans.

 

In their reply to me they claim the address I am writing from was not on their records,

(they have been writing to me at this address since I moved here 6 years ago,

and then they deny that the ICO have been involved,

(even though they have acknowledged this in another letter)

and of course the complaint leaflet was enclosed :/

 

Is it worth asking again?

Including a spreadsheet?

 

To be honest, I just feel like they have been ignoring me for the last 2 years,

it doesn't look like they are about to take notice now either.

 

I actually want to take them to court, but reading around a bit there are alot of people advising against court action in relation to PPI

[slick132]

Court action for PPI is not necessarily a good choice as it put the onus wholly on you to prove your case to the judge's satisfaction.

 

I think you may have muddied the waters by complaining about everything in one Massive Complaint.

 

Send a spreadsheet saying this is what you calculate you are owed and you require this to be refunded. That leaves little room for debate, apart from the amount.

 

The other problem is that sometimes bank staff aren't capable or willing to handle the various facets of the whole complaint.

 

The KISS principle is often the best.

 

[allykat]

Thanks Slick

 

I'll send a spreadsheet and just ask for the PPI for now.

 

Kat x

[allykat]

Hello again,

 

I did as suggested and just asked for PPI with the relevant department. They didn't respond at all so I emailed the Head Office person who said their letter was the Bank's final response and told me to contact the DCA who they say now have my accounts! Or complain to the FOS.

 

The remaining SAR documents were meant to have been sent on to me in October, according to the ICO, but they are still arriving in dribs and drabs....! Head Office still insist that the ICO have never been involved and say I should just pay the DCA. I have pointed out that the amount they say I owe is mostly PPI which I have requested back, but they don't want to know

 

Should I do the FOS route or small claims? This saga has been going on for 2 years or more.

 

Any advice surely appreciated!

 

Kat x

[slick132]

Hi Ally,

 

As the easiest complaint to make is for PPI, take this to the FOS immediately which you can because the bank have given you their "final response" already.

 

I would make a further brief complaint to the ICO saying, firstly you are still awaiting the banks full SAR response (tell them what you think is still missing) and they are only supply data in dribs and drabs, and secondly the bank even denies the ICO have been involved at all despite clear evidence to the contrary.

 

[allykat]

Thank you again Slick

 

I will contact the FOS on Monday about the PPI, but after looking through the latest SAR documents I'm a little disturbed to find that they are now claiming that I have already been refunded over £4,000 in PPI to my "customer account" in December 2012....

 

Unfortunately, they had closed my accounts at the beginning of 2012 so this would be impossible! Unless they have refunded themselves? Plus, the balance of the outstanding loan has not decreased so the PPI is still on there!

 

I really believe that they are just making stuff up now, but I will forward the info on to the ICO because it's not the first discrepancy I have come across in the SAR docs.

 

Onwards I go! Hopefully the ICO will take action against them this time

 

Kat x