Lilnz Vs HSBC

[lilynz]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm at the stage where I've sent off my claim to HSBC and am waiting to hear back.

 

My question is a general one... I've read a lot of the 'success' posts and noticed that a lot of people are being made offers that are a few hundred quid short of what they are claiming. Are the banks giving an explanation for why these offers are short? And if you end up rejecting the offer, will they end up paying the full amount anyway? Would be interested in how many of you are rejecting the offers etc.

 

Just wondering, as I would like ALL of what they owe me! I'm in NZ and £200 is a weeks wages over here!

 

Cheers

Lil

[nettyg]

i'd say it would depend on your financial circumstances or patience as they always pay out the full amount eventually. the bank offers are usually well behind your schedule of things, meaning you have usually filed your claim with the courts anyway and they offer based, on earlier correspondence.

[lilynz]

Thanks nettyg,

 

I think I'll try and hold out for the lot, as a few quid = a load of bucks for me!!

 

Cheers, will keep you posted on my claim. Is it better to ask questions etc all on the same thread, or should I use one thread for my particular claim and others for general stuff?

 

Thanks for you help

[lateralus]

keep all questions and comment relating to your hsbc claim right here - it's much easier.

[lilynz]

Thanks will do... I shall now be forever known as 'Accept of Reject?" LOL

[Philomena100]

i would generally say regret the offer if it is out by quite a bit but if you reaaly need the money desperately...then you could take it

 

but i like to look at it this way what would you have done before you heard about getting your money back? you would have managed somehow:D

[c_allen]

i always reject any offer thats not for the full amount, but i always claim the CCI, and if anyone is going for the CCI then you really really need to keep your claim whole.

if your not claiming CCI, then it's ok to accept partial then carry on for the rest

[lilynz]

Well, I'm in a state of shock...

 

Claiming £3,239 across two accounts.

 

Sent prelim to Service Quality Team via email and recorded letter. They received letter on the 10th May.

 

Got an email from Mark Loker on 11th May, saying he had replied and a letter had been sent out to me at my New Zealand address.

 

Received two letters today from Mark, making me a total offer of £2,553!!!

 

Wow, has anyone else had an offer so quickly lately, 14 days, with just a prelim letter?

 

It's not the full amount as they did knock off a few charges that had originally been refunded, but I don't know why they aren't paying the rest of the balance.

 

It has been suggested to me, that I write back and ask them to split the difference. Others are saying I should just accept or reject. I'm loathe to reject totally as being in NZ, it would really be a nightmare to have to get to the court stage, even though my Dad has power of attorney to attend court if necessary.

 

Need advice, am torn!!!!!! Could do with the cash now, but the difference is a couple of thousand dollars here, and thats a huge amount for me.

 

Also, why do you think I've had such an incredibly speedy offer? Maybe something to do with my email to HSBC CEO a few weeks ago, which sparked a conversation with the NZ CEO over here, who actually rung me up to make sure things were getting done for me in the UK. Or maybe another reason... I'm just being paranoid!

 

But, hey, I am pleased! Just confused about what to do now. So any thoughts anyone?

 

Thanks guys!

[boxbeau]

wouldnt know what to say personally lilynz, there are people on here with better experience than I am able to offer....who did you e mail over in UK?

[lilynz]

Well, Boxbeau, originally i had trouble finding an email address to send off my request for statements, so I trawled the net and found the UK CEO's address. Next day got a reply from David Lewis, Head of Customer Relations, saying UK CEO had asked him to pass my request on to the Service Quality Team.

 

The next day, the NZ CEO called me up personally, and said he'd had a chat with the UK CEO and wanted to make sure I would let him know if I hadn't heard anything from the UK within a week. he was really nice, but boy, did I feel a little intimidated. I didn't hear anything for over 40 days and ended up emailing David Lewis again who got me a reply straight away. I didn't ring NZ CEO about it tho, as I thought I'd give them the full 40 days, and I was too scared to ring the NZ CEO back! I'm a wuss!!!

 

So maybe that helped speed things along... strange tho eh?

[lateralus]

i think it's the country difference - you've just raised a few flags with that - so, i think, given that - and i remember what you had written before - my thinking is there is probably no limit on it - like 10 days as you are so far away - so, why not write a split the difference letter - don't put in it that you reject their offer - just try to up to anti and tell them that for, xxxx, you would feel comfortable and if they offered that you would be inclined to accept the offer. (nothing to say you couldn't take the first offer a little later if they reject this idea - or you could carry on - just keep your options open). give them a reason - for upping it - like the way your dad has had to keep going in about this and that - blah, blah, some thing, use the words goodwill gesture.

[lilynz]

Thanks Lateralus, good idea!

 

I think I will ask for a bit more, just didn't want to put anything down in black and white that may not be correctly worded.

 

So if I do ask ask for a revised offer and they refuse, I will still be able to take up the original offer? Sorry, but want to be sure I don't muck this up.

 

Plus, is there anything legally I should or shouldn't put in the letter, phrase-wise?

 

Am nearly there, thanks to helpful posters like you!!!!! :grin:

[lilynz]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm going to see if I can get Mark Loker to up my incredibly speedy offer, and split the difference with them, as its a good £700 short. Apparently, there's no harm in doing this, if they say no, I can still accept the original offer (correct me if I'm wrong!) or proceed to court.

 

So I have drafted the letter below. I wanted to make sure I wasn't saying anything wrong in this letter and that I'd covered myself legally etc, so please let me know if you think this is OK? Or if there's anything else I should add etc.

 

HSBC

Mark Loker,

Arlington Business Centre

Millshaw Park Lane

Leeds LS11 0PP

 

24th May 2007

 

 

Dear Mr Loker,

 

Ref: Account numbers: xxxxxxx and xxxxxxx

Re request for repayment of charges

 

Thank you for your two letters received 24th May 2007, offering settlement of our claim, (ref number xxxxx) of £xxxx and £xxxx respectively, and I appreciate the speed of your response.

 

Our claim is for £xxxxx and £xxxxx, which is considerably more than your above offer. I understand that £ xxxxx was mistakenly claimed, but £60 on 31st December has been incorrectly deducted by yourselves, as this does not exist on my schedule of charges, and should therefore be added back to my claim, making a total claim on account xxxxxxx of £ xxxxx and a total of £ xxxxx on account xxxxxx (amended schedule of charges attached).

 

I believe that if we were to take our claim to court, we would win the full amounts claimed plus considerable interest and costs, but I recognise that you are acting reasonably in trying to settle this matter in a timely manner and that you do not want to waste the courts time and resources. I have myself already incurred considerable costs, both financially and in time spent in making this claim, along with the holder of my Power of Attorney in the UK.

 

Although I do not agree with your assessment of our claim, and being aware that your resources are also under strain from dealing with these matters, I am willing to accept an offer of £xxxxx on account xxxxx and £xxxxx on account xxxxxxxx, and I would accept these amounts as full and final settlement of our claim, without having to go through the court process.

 

In the circumstances, I think that this goodwill gesture by the HSBC, would go a long way in helping to show that the HSBC is being proactive in settling claims in a fair and just way.

 

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely

 

What do you think? Worth a try? Too grovelling/not enough grovelling:lol:?

Thanks in advance CAG members

Lil

[lateralus]

it looks good to me - here's one little suggestion - a lady a few months back - very clued up but didn't want to file the claim so got it back with letters - here's her thread just in case she has something there which you might want to use:BatterseaCassie v HSBC (1 2 3)

[lilynz]

Hi,

 

Well... got what I asked for! Mark Loker emailed me today to confirm that he'd received my recent letter, basically asking HSBC to split the difference on what I was claiming for and what he'd offered. The difference worked out to be about £500, so I asked him to up the offer by about £250 across the two accounts (which is a lot of NZ$'s) and he'd sent out his response the next day.

 

Am now waiting for the paperwork to wing it's way to NZ! HSBC are going to transfer the money out to me in NZ (will cost me about £25, but worth it). Of course, I won't crack open the JD until I have the $'s in my hot little hands.

 

So again, I've had a fast, fast response, and without the need for the whole court prep and stress. I know I'm lucky and that a lot of you are having to jump through hoops to get your money. I think being in NZ and having previous semi-contact with the two HSBC CEO's has obviously helped in some way, not sure how, but I'm not complaining!

 

Will do the donation thing as soon as I get some of the dosh onto a credit card (all max-ed out at the moment!!) as CAG and it's members have been invaluable for the excellent advice, legal and otherwise, that I've received. So thanks everyone who posts here and good luck!

 

Lil :D:D

[lateralus]

oh, well done. don't let them off the hook until you've got your money!!

congratulations, nearly, nearly there!!!

enjoy!