HSBC / DG Solicitors

[longday]

Hi all,

 

I found this site when searching for DG Solicitors, and it looks like a fantastic resource, wish I'd found it earlier.

 

Please bear with me, this tale is probably going to be a bit long!

 

Until a little over a year ago, I was a self-employed electrician. I had a business account with HSBC, with a £1000 overdraft limit. When I changed to being employed, I went into the brach where I had my account to pay in some money, and because this would still leave me a bit overdrawn, explained the situation to the girl at the counter and asked if they could put my account on hold until I could get it all closed and wrapped up. She said she'd pass that on, and there wouldn't be any problem. I stopped receiving statements shortly after that, and naively assumed that they'd done what I asked.

 

Earlier this year, I received a letter from Metropolitan Collection Services stating that my deby now stood at £3600, and they wanted immediate payment. I contacted them, and after trading a few snottograms, I stated that I wasn't prepared to pay that amount, and that it might be better if we go to court and see what they say. I then received a letter from DG solicitors regarding the amount. After speaking to somebody there, in a very friendly and helpful manner, I submitted a proposal to pay £1600 by installments of £100 per month. They rejected the total amount, but confirmed that they would accept payment of £100 per month, whilst we argued over the final amount. I have been paying this since August.

 

Today I received a phone call from somebody who said they were from DG solicitors, although the number which came up on the screen was MCS's number. They asked me to increase the amount that I paid back each month, which I refused. They then stated that they would contact me again in February with the same request.

 

OK, that's the story so far. Firstly, does anybody know what the connection is between MCS & DG - are they the same outfit, or was somebody at MCS fraudulently claiming to be from DG.

 

Secondly, what right do they have to request additional payments, after confirming in writing that they would accept £100 per month?

 

Finally, am I actually liable for money's over the overdraft limit? As they had been asked to put my account on hold, can they legitimately continue to pay money out of the account?

 

Thanks for reading so far.

 

Longday

[djweeble]

Your first step is definately an SAR to the bank, as a lot of this "debt" is probably made up of charges, charges that you are entitled to reclaim, with interest. The fact that it was a closed account is largely irrelevant, as the money would probably be used to clear the debt anyway, leaving you with a clear sheet. Tell the DCA to bog off as the account is in dispute 8)

 

Welcome to the forum BTW.

[Bailiffchaser]

Metropolitan is hsbcs main debt collection agency. Write and dispute the debt. fire off an sar and tell the dc to get stuffed. dg is probably a offshoot of metropolitan. Anyway update once you have recieved a reply to the sar.

[haleakela]

Hello Everyone, like "longday" I wish I'd found this site earlier as I have a similar situation. I had a business account with HSBC (it was originally a Midland account). My business manager at that time decided to withdraw my overdraft of £10'000 during Winter which effectively forced me to close down my landscaping business in 1997/98 and the account was closed. After then I got divorced in 2000 and had some money from my financial settlement and I paid off what I could this left me with an outstanding debt of £10'000 . From then on I've had Shakespears Solicitors and now DG solicitors hounding me for money which I've managed to pay up very slowly, now currently at £30/month. I've managed to get the balance down to £7800.00 The reason being I do not want a bad credit rating should I need to apply for another mortgage. My ex-wife (who kept the house) was also a counter signatory on this account and liable for half the debt which was agreed in our divorce financial settlement (civil court). However she has always refused to pay this, even in breach of our financial settlement but I'm told that in severance I'm still liable to pay all the outstanding amount. I would love to get this reduced but DG only want monthly instalments. I have no assets but would love to get my life back on track without, what I feel, is not entirely all my debt.

 

Any advice would be most appreciated, but I cannot afford any lawyers.

 

Thanks in advance.

[sequenci]

Hi there.

 

HSBC / DG + Metropolitan are all one and the same!

[tbern123]

Hello

 

A lot of people may say this is a waste of time.. But have your tried to make a complaint to HSBC.

 

If I was in your position, I would write to their haed office explaining what happend. If they reject your complaint, I would then go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Contrary to what some people say, they don't always agree with the banks.

 

This may take time, but what is the worst that can happen ? The FOS may tell HSBC given the circumstances and what you were told in branch your offer of £1,600 is fair..

 

You don't know until you try

[longday]

Hi,

 

I must get into the habit of checking this forum more often - I'll set it as my homepage! I've just had another letter from DG, telling me that my temporary agreement of £100 per month has now expired, and that I must pay more. Funny, because on the letter that they sent me, it states £100 per month for 36 months, then a final payment of £73.58? But still, enough is enough. I've faffed around for too long, and have now sent off the request for a full breakdown of charges for the last 6 years (actually only 3 years, since that's the age of the account). I decided at the start of hsi year that I've had enough being pushed around by banks and Tax Credits people, and am going to fight back. By my quick guess, there's about £1400 worth of charges sitting on my account, so the battle starts here!!!

[Richard Spud]

Regards to All

[ScarletPimpernel]

A couple of years ago I had some dealings with MCS and DG Solicitors. At the time I was unaware that both belonged to HSBC. However, I wrote and asked MCS whether there was any connection between them and DG - I have their answer in writing that there is no connection other than MCS instructing DG. This is clearly no more than a lie.

 

I have now SARd HSBC, and included both MCS and DG Solicitors. I contacted MCS to determine whether they would need a separate SAR, and the monkey on the phone said:

 

"You send your request letter to HSBC, and they will pass it on to us. If we deem it worthy of a reply you might get something from us (MCS), but we don't have to send anything." He also told me that the 40-day limit doesn't apply, since "we have our own company policies"!

 

Needless to say, that particular monkey received a short, sharp briefing on the law. I always knew that being b*llocked rigid by a drill sergeant would come in useful one day.

[Richard Spud]

Regards to All