Sterling Administration Services Ltd/Littlewoods

[GRAZEL]

Can anyone help?

 

I was made unemployed back in 31st may 2005 I have a Littlewoods account which I have been paying extra care insurance on at around £27 a month which covers ( or is meant to ) redundancy.

 

I did not claim initially as I did not want to claim jobseekers allowance at that time. As my money ran out I decided to claim JSA from 31/7/2006 and I am still on this.

 

At the end of October I made a claim with Sterling who deal with the extra care insurance for Littlewoods.

 

They replied on 5th October asking for proof of employment for the 6 months prior to my redundancy.They stated they would also be grateful for proof of redundancy such as redundancy letter and 6 months payslips prior to redundancy.

 

I sent them the redundancy letter 0n 20th October. I stated that I did not have wageslips going back that far.At this point I mentioned there may have been some confusion as to when I was intially made redundant. I stated that this was on 31st May 2005 and not 2006 as I may have put on the initial claim form.

 

They replied on 25th October noting I had no payslips and asked for my P45 and P60. I replied on 31st October stating I could not find my P60 but asked them to please find enclosed my P45 ( I took this out my file and definitely inserted it into the 1st Class recorded delivery envelope).I know they phoned my previous employer for confirmation of my redundancy which was confirmed to them.

 

They replied on 6th November stating no P45 had been enclosed.

 

I replied on 9th November stating I definitely enclosed it and suggested they misplaced it. I also stated I had done everything they had required and saw this as a stalling tactic explaining I did not expect to pay insurance for such an outcome and then have to put up with aggravation and worry caused by them. I advised I would take legal action if I have to and asked them to look for my P45 again.

 

Received letter on 13th November acknowledging claim and it was being investigated. I received two letters this morning one stating they had not received the P45 citing ' very stringent' procedures for opening and logging post. The second letter regarding the actual claim stated that under t&c of my insurance policy ( I have never seen this to my knowledge) they will not pay any benefits if you do not pay your premiums when they are due. Then they say we have received confirmation from Littlewoods that no payment was made prior to the date of the claim, 30 April 2005. ( That date seems to have been conjured up from nowhere and makes absolutely no sense!) They regret they are unable to cosider my claim further.

 

I am furious with them and am sure they are trying to fob me off. Despite the claim I need my P45 back.

 

Sorry for long read but does an administrator or anyone think I have recourse to take this forward legally???

 

Thanks in hopeful advance!

[gizmo111]

Can you remember if you were in arrears?

I may have a copy of this ins at home - I will have a look when I get home tonight otherwise you may have to ask them for a copy.

SAR Littlewwods for statements to prove you weren't in arrears.

[GRAZEL]

Not sure, be good if you could let me know later, many thanks

[GRAZEL]

Did you get a chance to look Gizmo, thanks

[Gruffle Gaw]

Read carefully through your contract with them. Does it state that a P45 has to be produced or just that they have to establish that you have been made redundant? They have already had this confirmed by your former employer and you could easily demonstrate it to a judge's satisfaction in court, with or without the P45. If there is no specific requirement to produce a P45 in the contract I think this point may be worth hammering home when you next speak to them.

 

They are obviously stalling for time and hoping you'll get tired of this so you won't have to pay out. You can't turn back time, but ensure you get a certificate of postage (free from the Post Office) for everything you send to this company from now on, and send photocopies rather than original documents where possible.

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to get a replacement P45, but I think it would be worth explaining the situation to your former employer and asking if this can be arranged.

 

I imagine that the last thing you want at the moment is the extra expense of court fees, but if you get no joy and the production of a P45 is not a specific requirement in the contract, a letter before action may move things along in the right direction.

[GRAZEL]

Thanks for your help, much appreciated mate

[Gruffle Gaw]

You're welcome - please keep us updated.

[GRAZEL]

Hi Gruffle,

 

In response to my latest letter they gave in and are paying my claim!

 

We get there in the end.

[demon_x_slash]

Congrats.