Paratus amc, what are they like?

[will lliw]

Hi folks, I have been reading around about Paratus as they are my mortgage err, people.

 

I have a 96k inerest only mortgage i took with GMAC but its cheaper than renting at the minute so alls good !

 

I have read that they arent the best as they seem to be hell bend on liquidating there assets

since they no longer issue new loans and all that plus there is a tiny amount of arears, a few pennies less than a months payment!!

 

just recently made redundant and wondering if i dare tell them!?

 

The clocks ticking as the last of my redundancy will go on this coming months payment as I cant get MIR for maybe 3 months give or take a week!

 

Anybody have any experiances like this with Paratus?

[citizenB]

What plans had you made for redeeming the mortgage ?

[will lliw]

What plans had you made for redeeming the mortgage ?

 

Do you mean how will i pay it back at the end of the term in 20 years?

[citizenB]

Yes

[sillygirl1]

Paratus are an Asset Management Company (hence the AMC) and are, as you state, after money.

 

They are chasing me for an old mortgage shortfall and have no chance of getting anything as I am on basic unemployment benefit. They do not seem to care about the CML code or the OFT Guidelines on Debt Collection as neither 'count' in their world as it is a mortgage shortfall of about £4,500, made up of all sorts of dubious estate agent and other fees. I did point out the whole point of being repossessed was to stop my indebtedness to the company but they don't seem to care.

[will lliw]

Yes

 

 

Sorry

 

 

No plans to redeem, not yet. Fingers crossed the housing market will improve in the coming 20 years.

Edited July 25, 2012 by will lliw

[will lliw]

Paratus are an Asset Management Company (hence the AMC) and are, as you state, after money.

 

They are chasing me for an old mortgage shortfall and have no chance of getting anything as I am on basic unemployment benefit. They do not seem to care about the CML code or the OFT Guidelines on Debt Collection as neither 'count' in their world as it is a mortgage shortfall of about £4,500, made up of all sorts of dubious estate agent and other fees. I did point out the whole point of being repossessed was to stop my indebtedness to the company but they don't seem to care.

 

 

Im sorry to hear about your situation, i hope you dont worry to much about it. I understand that Paratus AMC also ignore the pre action protocal aswell, which is why im trying to find other people like yourself who have dealt with them and see what they are like.

[sillygirl1]

If they ignore the pre-action protocols then they could be in trouble. They seem to be using Optima Legal who keep not answering some questions and forgetting to put information in they promise. The whole organisation are a complete shambles. I don't know if they are going to try court but I simply will cross reference their defence with the original eviction information and let the court know this all happened in 2005 and not 2006 as they claim, and that their shortfall is made up of questionable charges.

 

I had a mortgage with GMAC, second charge with London & Scottish who were the company who repossessed me, NOT GMAC.... yet GMAC have marked my credit file with the wrong date, insist they repossessed me nearly a year later than the actual event. This is fairly typical of their behaviour.

 

Have you tried to get money back from GMAC regarding fees etc charged to your mortgage account? They were fined by the FSA for this a while ago. They haven't provided me with any kind of breakdown of their figure which I refused to accept.

[will lliw]

Thanks silly for a very interesting and informative post. Havent looked into the fee refund yet but will keep that on the back burner when I get my other business done!

[GPCUK]

Hi there,

 

Unfortunately Paratus are a nightmare to deal with. Pls check out our blog for a bit of backround,

type gmacparatuscrooks into google and you should find it.

 

Hope everything goes well.

[sillygirl1]

Just had another chasing letter from this lot yesterday, suitably worded reply sent, including pointing out that I can also provide a qualified British Sign Language interpreter to attend a meeting with them as they clearly do not understand written English!.

 

I also pointed out that their little list of 'intended enforcement action should a judgement be obtained' is pointless as they are all unenforceable due to the reasons shown.

 

Finished by mentioning complaint going to OFT, Trading Standards etc (and now I think the Solicitors Regulatory Authority) and my local MP are in order.

 

My credit rating is shot, I am unemployed and there is little prospect of employment for me as employers now seem to use credit ratings as means of weeding out 'unsuitable' applicants. I am now on that point technically unemployable until retirement age! All the more reason for this lot to lay off and write the alleged due amount off.

 

I believe in writing letters to creditors in the same format they send me, answering each paragraph with a rebuttal where necessary and reinforcing my stance by, initially, non legal language. Should they persist then I use the OFT Guidelines on Debt Collecting and list each one they have breached, and send the correspondence to the OFT as part of a complaint.

[GPCUK]

Just had another chasing letter from this lot yesterday, suitably worded reply sent, including pointing out that I can also provide a qualified British Sign Language interpreter to attend a meeting with them as they clearly do not understand written English!.

 

I also pointed out that their little list of 'intended enforcement action should a judgement be obtained' is pointless as they are all unenforceable due to the reasons shown.

 

Finished by mentioning complaint going to OFT, Trading Standards etc (and now I think the Solicitors Regulatory Authority) and my local MP are in order.

 

My credit rating is shot, I am unemployed and there is little prospect of employment for me as employers now seem to use credit ratings as means of weeding out 'unsuitable' applicants. I am now on that point technically unemployable until retirement age! All the more reason for this lot to lay off and write the alleged due amount off.

 

I believe in writing letters to creditors in the same format they send me, answering each paragraph with a rebuttal where necessary and reinforcing my stance by, initially, non legal language. Should they persist then I use the OFT Guidelines on Debt Collecting and list each one they have breached, and send the correspondence to the OFT as part of a complaint.

 

You mentioned the Solicitors Regulation Authority in your post- is it TLT they are using? If so there are LOADS of examples of this firm doing things they really shouldn't.

[sillygirl1]

No, in my case it is the overly optimistic Optima (ill)Legal they are using.... haven't had TLT chase yet. Before Optima it was HL (ill)Legal, Kings Legal (only one letter from them then silence) and the back to HL (part of same group as Kings) then Paratus themselves and Optima/Paratus both chasing.

 

I doubt whether the SRA will do anything as they seem as toothless as a lot of the 'regulatory' organisations when finance is concerned.

[GPCUK]

Yes agree about the SRA being toothless. From our experience of what Paratus have been doing to people, I really think they shouldn't be allowed to trade anymore. We're recommending that people write to the FSA to report them. They cannot investigate individual complaints but if enough people complain then they will investigate. Would you like the details?

[sillygirl1]

Yes please, if you can post up the FSA details and any individual contact you might have there.

 

I emailed my letter across today and would like to see the blokes face when he reads it!

[GPCUK]

Sure, details below:

Georgina Philippou

FSA Enforcement and Financial Crime Division

The Financial Services Authority

25 The North Colonnade

Canary Wharf

E14 5HS

 

As I said before they will respond to say that they can't look into individual complaints, but there are loads of people who have complained already so hopefully they will

start an investigation soon!

[sillygirl1]

After my letter emailed on Sunday to them they (Paratus via Optima Legal) have sent a reply and are putting my claim on hold for 3 months to let the FOS investigate - which, as we know can take up to 2 years! Methinks they know they are onto a looser.

 

I am not likely to find employment in the next 3 months because of a very bad credit rating (which should have no bearing on the employment situation as I mostly do admin work - but such is the state of the country that most employers are now using credit checks as a way of weeding out 'undesirables'.

 

I will write to this shabby crew with the FOS reference number and tell them that they have offered me a refund WITHOUT a statement to explain how THEY came up with the figure, despite me asking for this on three or four occasions, they also have NEVER sent me a statement since I was repossessed, and won't send one now.

[waronwant]

Any chance of you copying it onto here so that we can get a giggle from the letter/email you sent?

 

I've just had a reply from GMAC via Paratus today, where they are saying they forwarded a cheque in 2010 for redress of just under £400 to the address of the house that I sold - should know I haven't lived there for 5 years now, and apparently the cheque was cashed!!! They're saying that they only have to refund for charges for non payment by DD, which I believe is garbage, as the FSA stated that charges not reflective of actual admin costs were unfair/illegal, which includes the £50 arrears charges every month. Going to send them a letter back advising about the wrongly addressed cheque (I certainly didn't get it!) and telling them not to bother replying, just wait for the summons as I'd always intended this to go to court as it's the only way to get a forced breakdown from them. I work regularly in a court setting, so I'm not intimidated by it at all. Bit of a pain having to do it, but it'll be worth it, I think, at the end of the day.

[Papi3378]

Hi folks, I have been reading around about Paratus as they are my mortgage err, people.

 

I have a 96k inerest only mortgage i took with GMAC but its cheaper than renting at the minute so alls good !

 

I have read that they arent the best as they seem to be hell bend on liquidating there assets

since they no longer issue new loans and all that plus there is a tiny amount of arears, a few pennies less than a months payment!!

 

just recently made redundant and wondering if i dare tell them!?

 

The clocks ticking as the last of my redundancy will go on this coming months payment as I cant get MIR for maybe 3 months give or take a week!

 

Anybody have any experiances like this with Paratus?

 

Don't get me started on these. I lost my job and sent them numerous MI12 forms to which they said they never received. They always say in their letters if you're having financial difficulty please call us and we will be able to help. Liars!!!! I have 3 kids and at the time my partner was 7 months pregnant with our 4th. They proceeded with the repossession of the property which was 2 months in arrears. Despite asking them if we could pay a little extra to clear the arrears we found out the extra £50 we were paying was just paying the charges every month so technically the arrears were never coming down. They treat you like dirt and from the get go these people are out to get your home one way of the other. Cut a long story short the house got repossessed even though we explained we were doing a quick sale from property buyers. So for 6 weeks me my 3 girls and my heavily pregnant partner had to be temp housed. Now we are happy in our rented home. 2 months ago we received a letter from TLT stating the house had been sold and there was a surplus amount of funds which was owing to us. Can we get this money, No! We both don't own a passport so we a to get out photos verified so our optician kindly verified it for us and we sent the rest of the ID letters to TLT. It should've taken 3 weeks to process and the funds released according to TLT. 5 weeks we waited and nothing

My partner called them today 14/12/12 for them to say oh we sent you a letter out on the 9th dec 2012 explaining your photos cannot be verified by a optimetrist. Who in my eyes is a fully qualified person who I used 12 years ago for my passport. So now we have to try ad get my doctor to verify our photos before we get our money. I just feel between TLT and paratus they're nothing short of criminals. TLT have said that there was a 1 month turn around too on the phone. Nothing like this mentioned in any correspondence. Just a shame they're not as swift and determined to give you money owed as they are when they want to repossess your home. Truthfully if I met anyone who worked for either of these companies face to face, well lets just say ill be doing time for it.

[GROMMIT]

Hi folks, I have been reading around about Paratus as they are my mortgage err, people.

 

I have a 96k inerest only mortgage i took with GMAC but its cheaper than renting at the minute so alls good !

 

I have read that they arent the best as they seem to be hell bend on liquidating there assets

since they no longer issue new loans and all that plus there is a tiny amount of arears, a few pennies less than a months payment!!

 

just recently made redundant and wondering if i dare tell them!?

 

The clocks ticking as the last of my redundancy will go on this coming months payment as I cant get MIR for maybe 3 months give or take a week!

 

Anybody have any experiances like this with Paratus?

 

My ex-business partner took out a self declaration type mortgage with GMAC (now Paratus), in our joint names without my knowledge.

GMAC did not bother to verifiy with me the validity of the initial mortgage application. They did not invite me to, or ensure that I was present at, any of the repossesion hearings which took place. (in fact they were unaware of my correct address of 15 years standing at that time), and they have always refused to provide any evidence whatsoever of my liability.

Despite my making it abundantly clear to them, that the mortgage was obtained fraudulantly, they are still chasing me via a debt collection agent for the mortgage shortfall, following said business partner's bancrupcy 4 years ago.

That's what they're like to deal with.

Edited March 15, 2013 by GROMMIT

[citizenB]

@GPCUK

 

PM me please, I've tried to get hold of you via email on the gmac crooks site but it bounces.

 

ANYONE else who has or is involved with these induhviduals please get in touch with me. I CAN HELP but I need numbers to do it.

 

It is not advised that information is shared via private messaging. Please read CAG site rules

[shimself]

I've just had an email from a high up at paratus which says (paraphrase), they are not like that any more. Comments anyone?

[sillygirl1]

That is what they would like you to believe.

 

I'd email them back and restate your problem and see what happens.

[shimself]

That is what they would like you to believe.

 

I'd email them back and restate your problem and see what happens.

 

I'm too new to PM you, which would be better. I got interested because they've just taken over a p2p lender, I challenged them about this bad reputation and I've got an email from a high up saying they are better (including a very low rate of reversals by the Financial Ombudsman they say which sounds good to me)

[Ell-enn]

I know someone who's had a letter from Paratas telling them that they are now adding an amount each month to their normal mothly payment to pay off the charges levied on their account! how do they get away with that ??