halifax is the pits - **WON**

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi kay and vix

 

thank you very much for your reply, they should have the first letter today as i posted it yesterday 1st class recorded so ill just have to wait and see.

ive got a feeling they will probably ignore me but hey who knows

ill keep posted. i can see i will be paying my dmp to them and then requesting the payment back again, it will be good if its cleared then its more to pay to my other creditors, and ill get a little "xtra" for myself lol

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

just received the usual response letter :

 

Dear ******

 

thank you for your letter received on 18th may 2006.

 

I am sorry to learn of your concerns regarding charges on your account

 

We're keen to deal with your concerns as quickly as possible. A Customer Relations Manager will investigate the points you have raised and you will receive a reply shortly, but certainly no later than 4 weeks.

 

You will find enclosed a copy of our leaflet, which tells you how we will handle your complaint.

 

signed by a Wendy Jack

 

mm we'll see at least i got a bog standard reply, which is more than I thought i would get!

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

well well well today have received this letter from the halifax:

 

Dear *******

 

Thank you for your recent letter, unfortunately I was unable to contact you to discuss your complaint. (mmm im a stay at home mum and rarely go out)

 

I am sure you will appreciate that like other organisations we incur costs for every transaction made. When we pay an item against an unauthorised overdraft or return an item unpaid, we incur extra costs regardless of the shortfall involved. We believe it is fair to pass these costs on to the accounts affected, rather than absorb them into other areas of our operations, penalising all our other customers as a result.

 

We clearly outline our charging policy in the terms and conditions that apply to your account. In addition, we are committed to complying with the Banking Code, which sets standards of good banking practice for banks and building societies to follow when dealing with personal customers. The terms and conditions of your account state that you must have funds in your account to cover your transactions. We cannot be responsible if you have authorised payments against funds that were not available.

 

We are keen to help you avoid any unnecessary charges by providing various ways to keep track your your account. You can do this via telephone banking on blah blah blah. number. online banking or mini statements at cash machines. You can also contact one of our banking advisors at any of our branches.

 

Ultimately it is your responsibility to manage your account. However, as a gesture of goodwill I am prepared to refund £605 of charges in full and final settlement of your complaint. I must stress that future valid charges will stand and we reserve the right to close your account if you do not manage it correctly. If you are prepared to accept my offer, please sign and return the enclosed acceptace form in the pre-paid envelope.

 

You recently received a copy of our leaflet explaining our complaints procedures. Should any of your concerns remain unresolved please let me know what you'd like me to do to put matters right. We are keen to resolve your concerns, if we are unable to do so we'll provide you with details of how you can contact the financial ombudsman service for help. If I dont hear from you in the next eight weeks I assume you are happy.

 

If you would like to discuss your concerns, please contact me on *********

 

 

phew that hurt my fingers typing that lot!!! I havent seen a letter like this one before maybe i am unique lol

 

I need some more help please.

 

My letter before action is due to go out on Tuesday, now do I still send that with the added bit about accepting the £605 but not in full and final settlement.??

 

what also makes me pmsl literally is the postman brought two letters from halifax, the above one and another one which states notice of debt, which happens to be the "debt" i am claiming back from them lol

 

do i contact them about this notice of debt having already sent them a notice of debt management plan which is due to start on the 1st june 2006 or shall i just concentrate on claiming it back.

 

hope you lovely knowledgeable people will help me pleaseeeeeeeeee

 

thank you,

 

also on another note if they pay it all back my account will be about £360 in credit, do you think they will reinstate my account as they have already taken my cheque book and cheque card back.

 

sorry for all the questions but i SO want to do this properly

many thanks

[Lorraine]

Hi, just read your posting in mine thank you and I have answered yours. Lorraine

 

I received the same letter but offered me £500. Not unique (sorry)!!!!!

 

I refused and did letter before action and then did Moneyclaim.

 

Initially, you can say yes to the money but say that you will continue with the outstanding balance through the courts. I believe a few of us have done this and had their balances paid within the time frame.

 

Keep going.

 

Lorraine

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi Lorraine

 

many thanks for your reply, I will get going with my Letter before action this afternoon, and i will include in it accepting the offer as partial payment,

 

 

awww i wanted to be unique lol not really only joking

 

but i do want to be like you and receive all of it

 

and whats your opinion on them re-opening my account, do you think they will???

[mechs]

Hi Blinky,

 

Nahh you are not unique with this letter I think they have them pre printed, because whatever you ask them you get the same response they may alter the wording slightly PMSL

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

awwwwww wahhhhh mechs tee hee

just in a jovial mood, (makes a change)

nah i know im not unique but we can all dream

[johnsacco]

 

and whats your opinion on them re-opening my account, do you think they will???

 

I think it's very unlikely that they would re-open your account - especially if they are forced to return around £3000 worth of charges to you!

 

Sorry

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi john

thanks for your reply, although if they hadnt stuck all the charges on my account would of been ok, swings and roundabouts i suppose

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi

can anyone tell me if this is ok as a letter before action???

many thanks I want to get it right

thanks thanks and thanks again

 

Thank you for your letter dated 24th May 2006.

 

In response to your recent offer with regard to refunding £605 as a gesture of good will. I am willing to accept this payment only as partial payment to the amount requested of £2661.00.

 

May I remind you of the details of my original letter stating my request for re-imbursement of unlawful bank charges to my account in relation to exceeding overdraft limits and so forth are unlawful at Common Law, Statute and recent Consumer regulations.

 

Although I appreciate your offer, I would like to notify you that my request was for £2661.00, and should a positive response not be received by 13th June 2006, then I shall have no option but to file court action.

 

I require repayment in full of this money . If you do not comply fully within 14 days from the date of this letter, then I shall begin legal proceedings against you for the full amount, plus any other charges added since 15th May 2006, plus interest plus my costs and without further notice.

 

 

 

any opinions greatly appreciated many thanks again

 

 

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

eeek another question to my other question above lol

 

I know im having charges put on from the 15th May - 17th may

 

when i go to fill the court summons can i add these on as well, although i havent asked for them in the preliminary and lba????

 

Many thanks xx

[vix2000]

sounds fine to me. Write 'letter before action' in capitals at the top so they know you mean business!!! Yes, You can add any more charges to the court claim.

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi vix thank you very much

for your reply;)

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

im sending my letter before action off on Monday 5th june, im giving them until the 19th June as per my 14 days, the only thing is im going on holiday for a week on the 15th june, it looks like they wait to defend the claim.

 

Would it matter that i left the court proceedings until i came back , on the basis that they wont pay on the 19th June??

 

any opinions greatly appreciated

[barracad]

No it wouldn't matter - you're giving them more time to give you a refund before court action so you are giving them extra opportunity to avoid court action.

 

(PS - Love the avatar!)

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi barracad thanks for the information be nice to have a cheque plopped on my doormat when i come back for holiday!! teehee but im sure they will defend m they normally do lol

 

thanks for info

 

kind regards

 

 

ps its great avatar isnt it, id like to incorparate halifax onto it but dont know how lol

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

one quick question,

 

is it ok to put on my letter before action this sentence:

 

i require payment in full by cheque as you have subsequently closed my account.

 

any views opinions welcome and thank you

 

im not sure if this is too presumptious

 

thank you

[barracad]

I don't really see the need for it.

 

They'd have to pay you by cheque anyway if you no longer have the account. Unless they want to send somebody to hand over the payment in cash (that would be nice!! )

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

thanks barracad

yes i suppose they would its just the gesture of good will amount of £605 was either pay to account or cheque, i dont think they know there elbow from there backside to be honest lol

or the fact they have closed my account!

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

letter before action posted today

 

this is so exciting, im claiming up until the 15th May on previous letters,

and have just received a statement and there are more charges on there £178 more, oh yes another £178 to add to my £2661 which makes a nice sum of £2839 and if it goes to court plus interest looking at £3000+

 

they have until the 19th June

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

well still no word from the halifax im not surprised though

 

ive just been declined for a natwest step account

gee thanks hit a person when there down

never mind

i will continue my search for a basic bank account

(I only wanted natwest cause they have a solo card with it)

im sooo mad )

[mechs]

ps its great avatar isnt it, id like to incorparate halifax onto it but dont know how lol

 

Blinky, wife did this if you want it:

 

mechs

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

Thank you so much mechs and mechs wife

 

its even better now

 

many thanks for taking time to alter it for me

[colour-me-happy]

well still no word from the halifax im not surprised though

 

ive just been declined for a natwest step account

gee thanks hit a person when there down

never mind

i will continue my search for a basic bank account

(I only wanted natwest cause they have a solo card with it)

im sooo mad )

 

Hi, was it a step account you applied for? Their criteria for that account is that they will only decline you if you are/have been bankrupt, just check with them, it may have been processed as a different account

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi colour me happy thanks for your reply

 

yes it was a step account, just phoned customer services

and she said something on the experian credit report must of made them decline.

she advised me to get a credit report from them just to see if any one is using my details. I explained i was on a debt management plan, and she didnt seem to think that was the problem, im wondering if halifax have put something on there, as they were the last creditor to go on my debt management plan, and they havent acknowledged my notice of a debt management plan yet, because they keep sending me letters to say ive gone over my overdraft limit, and you will be charged £28.00, all the others have been covered by the dmp. and I didnt have a problem opening a barclays account! I wonder if its because the statement i sent had most of the bank charges on, which in someone elses eyes ie bank would think i cant manage my bank account properly, and as usual if the halifax hadnt of kicked me while i was down, hence the proportion of charges in one month i might of been alright. I wish the nat west could just tell me exactly what made them decide to decline, and I would of been able to shed some light on it.

 

I think its a case of "little Britain" "the computer says noooo" lol