Financial Ombudsman - a recommendation

[eerose5]

I have complained plus contacted the Law Society but they will not act against Cobbetts (NATWEST) because they are not my solicitors. Will only accept complaints against a solicitor acting under my instruction. Why am I not surprised? What other job makes and enforces their own rules? How many jobs are there where you cannot be sacked for being crap or useless and not have to retire? Answer - solicitors and judges!

[un1boy]

I have complained plus contacted the Law Society but they will not act against Cobbetts (NatWest) because they are not my solicitors. Will only accept complaints against a solicitor acting under my instruction. Why am I not surprised? What other job makes and enforces their own rules? How many jobs are there where you cannot be sacked for being crap or useless and not have to retire? Answer - solicitors and judges!

 

I complained to the Law Society about DG (HSBC) and you can complain if they aren't your solicitors. What they bascally said to me though is that they wouldn't uphold anything I said because they only had to work on their client's instructions, not look after our right's (even though we no nothing about the law!). Ho Hum....

[angry cat]

Re: Walter Merricks FOS - BBC TV programme Bank Robbery

 

I was absolutely disgusted with the Mr. Goody Two Shoes attitude of Ombudsman Walter Merricks about penalty charges.

 

Have you changed your view FOS?

 

Because, I have a letter from one of the FOS adjudicators, whch clearly states:-

 

"We would not say that MBNA cannot apply charges, such as the late payment fee, which is in accordance with its published tariff".

 

It would appear that the FOS has altered its view re the above conclusion.

Why?

and when you changed your mind, why havn't you contacted ALL the complainants that you have previously rejected? after all you have all the names & addresses on file.

 

The FOS are the pet poodles of the Banks - a disgrace.

 

My Complaint to the FOS has been sent via email

AC

[bartymuv]

just emailed my thoughts!

[Kevin Allen]

I complained to the Law Society about DG (HSBC) and you can complain if they aren't your solicitors. What they bascally said to me though is that they wouldn't uphold anything I said because they only had to work on their client's instructions, not look after our right's (even though we no nothing about the law!). Ho Hum....

 

 

 

I recently had cause to make a complaint to The Law Society about a firm of solicitors called Hodsons.

 

A third party company had informed me that Hodsons had written to me in December 2002 and after over three years of trying to obtain a copy of the solicitors letter I wrote directly to Hodsons.

 

No reply was received so I wrote again.

 

All I wanted was confirmation that they had sent a letter. A copy would be appreciated but mere confirmation would do. Over the telephone if they liked.

 

Straightforward enough you would think but not for Hodsons.

 

I contacted the Law Society who passed the matter to a firm called Gordons who spent two months dealing with the matter and getting Hodsons to supply them with information.

 

Eventually I was told that it was not a breach of Hodsons' professional duty not to reply to me as I was not their client.

 

I asked Gordons if that meant it was professionally acceptable for solicitors to ignore reasonable requests for information but they skirted around that and refused to confirm whether that was the case or not.

 

I never did get a copy of Hodsons letter but I take some satisfaction in the knowledge that them having to give a number of detailed responses to Gordons, acting for the Law Society, cost them FAR more than a telephone call or photocopy of a letter to me would have done.

 

What I did find out however, was that so called "solicitors letters" are not always from solicitors. Apparently, the third party in this case had a stack of Hodsons headed paper and merely entered the relevant details before issuing the letters themselves.

 

I was quite surprised by this but it seems to be an accepted practise.

[The old chap]

This dear gentleman has been dealing with my wifes bank for the last three months.

yes they have 'kept her informed' but the progress is very slow but we hope slow is susess.

the old chap

[bill-k]

This dear gentleman has been dealing with my wifes bank for the last three months.

yes they have 'kept her informed' but the progress is very slow but we hope slow is susess.

the old chap

A warm welcome to you, good sir. It is encouraging to see that there are still some gentlemen among us, even though that does not seem to be the case within the banking industry. They will endeavour to "Keep you informed" for as long as they can string this out. Unfortunately, slow is the nearest they will come to success, but I would advocate drawing up a timetable of your own, and dictating their timetable from that !!

[bottomburp]

deleted

[The old chap]

Thanks for the advice. Personally I have just started my own action against Mr Lloyd for £2600. Had My first answer from the bank thanking me for my lettter but 'nothing for you'. I hvae written the reply 2nd letter as suggest and will post it first week in Jan. Am a bit bothered about the court and its fee although I shall to get some deduction being adear old pensioner. Thanks again bill-k

[bill-k]

Thanks for the advice. Personally I have just started my own action against Mr Lloyd for £2600. Had My first answer from the bank thanking me for my lettter but 'nothing for you'. I hvae written the reply 2nd letter as suggest and will post it first week in Jan. Am a bit bothered about the court and its fee although I shall to get some deduction being adear old pensioner. Thanks again bill-k

You're indeed welcome, old chap !!

 

Have you started a thread for this in the Lloyd's section ?

 

Also, have you clearly worked out your claim, and the interest on a spreadsheet ? Make sure you're completely satisfied with your figures before sending the LBA.

 

HTH

 

Bill.

[aroyles]

the financial onbudsman, the oft and many other government departments are suposed to be here to protect us the public, but it seems the banks have all the power in the uk, if i were to go and rob a bank i would go to prison, when a bank robs us it,s brushed under the carpet (probably a carpet bought with bank charges illegaly taken from us).

My recomendation is maybe these government departments that don't usually do much to help be shut down, then the money saved could be given to banks to refund bank charges illegaly taken from us.

[bill-k]

Hello & welcome, aroyles. I agree, it does seem a criminal waste of resources when these watchdogs do nothing but sleep in their kennels, and leave voluntary organisations like CAG to do their work for them.

 

Unfortunately, I think if their resources were ever re-directed, then they would probably be channelled into a fund for providing pigs with flying lessons !!

[bottomburp]

deleted

[aroyles]

if you don,t mind me mentioning this, we are all wasting our time contacting government departments asking them for help, let's be honest, taxes of all descriptions have gone up this year, new taxes have been invented using green issues as an excuse, council tax has risen, so has water rates, gas, electric, interest and mortgage rates, not to mention car tax for those of us that has a 4x4 although it is eco friendly and smaller than the neighbours car that pays less road tax, and the good news is in the future you will be forced to pay a pension to the government with money you don't have, unless you opt out.

So after my moan here's a bit of fun, send your bank an xmas card,valantines card, whatever and put a letter in with it saying you are going to charge them £39 (as the halifax does) administration charges, telling them if they refuse to pay they will be taken to court, you may not win but it would be a pleasure.

One last word don't forget that the government will be charging the banks tax on the profits which are made up of the illegal charges taken from us the honest and struggling working public.

Shame on you Mr Blair and I hope you never have to struggle to make a living like the honest public, (well that's a lie I do hope you are brought down to earth.)

Anybody wishing to contact the prime minister about this please feel free, but remember theres no point knocking when there's nobody in.The lights are all off.

[spotton]

Open another bank account and have benefits paid into that. It is your choice.

[winifred]

When we were in difficulties with the Ha;ifax, we wrote to the Ombudsman, we were told to get in touch with our bank. We were also told that the problem was nothing to do with them. If we got no help from our bank we should contact them again. They are usless.

[Alasdair]

Email sent to the FO today

[lesh45]

my one is sent.

 

good luck everyone !

[mikesmotor]

While I support the FO's intervention in such things as helping to reduce credit card charges all that seems to have happened in that credit card companies have put up thier interest rates to compensate

[The old chap]

thanks for the advice. job done

the old man

[scouser9]

I have sent three E-mails and never got a reply off any of them useless bas*&(*&^

 

But heyho got my money back anyway.

 

Mikey

[winifred]

I have just e-mailed

[Stephen French]

Hi I have just joined and am pleased to see so many people dedicated to stopping people getting poor advice or getting ripped off.

 

I spent 25 years in financial services and now sadley detest most people in it.

 

I can confirm that the ombudsman lacks expertise and power and all people whom I have dealt with have been incompetent.

 

To back up my claim one instance recently was when progressing a claim for a caravan, FOR WHICH ALL DETAILS had been given to the ombudsman, I got a letter back asking such questions as what size was its engine, the claim lasted well over a year and the whole event was farsical. Many letters from the ombudsman kept asking for details which had been supplied over and over again by myself .

I am a member and receive their monthly magazine, which if you read it,

spends a lot of the editorial boosting each others egos.

 

Time to put a stop to that and make them accountable

[bill-k]

Hi Stephen, and welcome indeed !! Your story suggests you have a lot of good input to make, here, so I hope you will get a lot out in return, and enjoy success with whatever your claims are.

 

In case you're not familiar, check out the forum rules & FAQ's, then we're all yours !!

 

All the best,

 

Bill.

[Stephen French]

Thanks for your comments, I will try and give some good input which only consists of facts and helps members to make their own informed decisions.

 

All the best for the new year

 

Stephen