Are you being harassed on the telephone by your bank or by debt collectors?

[finsnan]

My first complaint in writing went to them in November 2006 but they never replied to this. I wrote to them again on April 13th, complaining and again asking for a copy of their complaints procedure, but didn't receive one, just a letter saying "go away", I have now written six letters asking for a review of the case and got absolutely nowhere, the last letter I had from them said that if I wasn't satisfied I could write to a Senior Investigator, which I did, but even this added an extra stage into their own procedure which should have been complete at that time. But thanks for the information - I will go to the FOS tomorrow, I thought I had to wait for this last stage to be answered by them.

[ODC]

My first complaint in writing went to them in November 2006 but they never replied to this. I wrote to them again on April 13th, complaining and again asking for a copy of their complaints procedure, but didn't receive one, just a letter saying "go away", I have now written six letters asking for a review of the case and got absolutely nowhere, the last letter I had from them said that if I wasn't satisfied I could write to a Senior Investigator, which I did, but even this added an extra stage into their own procedure which should have been complete at that time. But thanks for the information - I will go to the FOS tomorrow, I thought I had to wait for this last stage to be answered by them.

No

 

They have 40 Days to resolve your complaint.

 

The FOS will only deal with matters where a complaint has been made after 6th April 2007

[finsnan]

Hi - sorry ODC, does that mean I can or cannot complain, sorry I'm confused as this has been going on so long? The first complaint I made was in Nov 2006 but the first of this round of letters was sent to them on April 13th 2007. That was the first letter I actually received an acknowledgment of but it was a letter I sent in May which they appear to be investigating now....

I hate them. I've had a lousy night worrying about this. Thanks for your help.

[ODC]

Hi - sorry ODC, does that mean I can or cannot complain, Of course you can complain to the FOS now that the company have failed to resolve your complaints sorry I'm confused as this has been going on so long? The first complaint I made was in Nov 2006 but the first of this round of letters was sent to them on April 13th 2007. Thats fine as its after 6th April That was the first letter I actually received an acknowledgment of but it was a letter I sent in May which they appear to be investigating now.... They should not be DEMANDING payment or making threats while the matter is under dispute and they are investigating your complaint

I hate them. I've had a lousy night worrying about this. Thanks for your help.

Manys a sleepless night we have all had because of the tactics used by these people who never seem to have any interest in your problem and trying to work out a mutually satisfactory arrangement. They are not worth worrying about. You will get all the help and support you need on here. No matter what your problem is someone will have experienced the same thing before. These people all follow a standard pattern so you are not the first and will definately be the last. Remeber the Original Creditor is always responsible for the actions of its employees or any agency it employs to deal with you

[finsnan]

In my post today - a really stroppy letter from HSBC Credit card services saying that "due to the way I have conducted my bank account" I am now no longer allowed to use my credit card and to cut it up now!!

 

I had paid the balance off in full, never missed a payment on it, ok I didn't owe anything but I did want to keep it as a line of credit!!!! And this is a bank I banked with for 30 years..

 

As well as making me really angry, at the same time I feel sad that they are being like this. When I had a proper local branch where I knew the people I could have sorted this all out in a week.

[ODC]

This latest letter sounds like a standard computer generated threat letter. I now think its time you involved the Banking Ombudsmans Service in this matter, You have been treated shamefully in this sad affair. Another person who loves to deal with arrogant banks like this is Tony Hetherington of The Mail On Sunday. He has a finace column which is excellent. Perhaps an email to him may buck up their ideas

[bed32]

The Financial Services Ombudsman (FOS) can look at any complaints about your bank, not just those since April.

 

You should certainly complain to them at this point - they will not be able to look at the matter until either (a) the company have sent you a "final letter" or (b) at least 8 weeks have elapsed since you made the initial complaint.

[ODC]

The Financial Services Ombudsman (FOS) can look at any complaints about your bank, not just those since April.

 

You should certainly complain to them at this point - they will not be able to look at the matter until either (a) the company have sent you a "final letter" or (b) at least 8 weeks have elapsed since you made the initial complaint.

Cheers for that. I was getting the April date mixed up with the date they can deal with the DCAs:)

[finsnan]

Have just spoken to the Financial Ombudsman, they have advised me to say that they will write to HSBC today telling them that they are now involved and will tell them to suspend any further action on my account, and I am also to reply to this really nasty letter with a two-liner telling them that FSO are now investigating and asking them to suspend any further action until the matter is resolved. The FSO say HSBC cannot be forced to suspend, but that they would regard it as very bad form if they don't. So I am just hoping that FSO intervention will resolve this matter once and for all. I am now feeling sick with worry.

[ODC]

. I am now feeling sick with worry.

Do not be worried. You have done nothing wrong and everything right. Its HSBC who should be worried. The matter will be very serious for them now that the FOS has become involved

[bed32]

There is nothing really to worry about - FOS will almost certainly sort this out and there is nothing HSBC can really do in the meantime. Even if they were to register adverse data on your credit file (which is unlikely at this stage) you will be able to go to ICO and get it removed.

[finsnan]

Oh - I didn't know that you could get it removed! I'd read somewhere that once it was on your file the best you could do was add a note to say that you thought it was inaccurate! Thanks so much for the support guys, I really need some support right now...

Sandra x

[rory32]

I'd read somewhere that once it was on your file the best you could do was add a note to say that you thought it was inaccurate!

No, The Data Protection Act requires any inaccurate information to be removed from your credit record.

[bed32]

You can't always get these records removed, but where a large part of the alleged debt comes about because of unlawful charges, or fraud and so on, they should remove the information and if they don't you could force them either using ICO or the courts.

[finsnan]

Have just spent ages photocopying all of the letters in readiness to send to the Financial Ombudsman, this is all so stressful, but I can't afford to lose my reputation over this, especially as I don't think I've done anything wrong.

Sandra x

[Catlover64]

I too have been having trouble with the Funding Corpn. In a nutshell, I have a complaint outstanding with the Financial Ombudsman relating to late payment charges which I am refusing to pay as I believe they are unlawful.

 

Anyway - Funding Corpn were harassing me via my home phone, mobile and text, plus sending me letters up to three times a day, despite my calling and writing to them via recorded delivery saying the matter was now with the Financial Ombudsman. After the last raft of letters last week, I called the FO again to complain. I was told they could do nothing about the harassment, but to seek legal advice which I did.

 

As a result of the legal advice, I dropped into the local nick on my way back from the law centre armed with the paperwork from my complaint, and made a complaint of harassment against FC.

 

Guess what? No more calls or texts, although I did get a nice letter from them today saying I had no grounds to complain to the Financial Ombudsman, as my complaint wasn't related to insurance and they fely quite sure the FO would agree with them.

 

Funny that....

[redbryn1]

hi i was getting 5-6 calls a day from the HSBC in the end i emailed their complaints department and threw in a CAG mention today i received a letter apologising profousley and they have know taken my number off their computer. my next port of call is the international numbers which come up on my phone but never answer when i pick up!!

[ScarletPimpernel]

I have also been harassed recently by HSBC phoning endlessly. I explained to them several times that I do not discuss financial matters on the phone, and also wrote. They replied, waffling about how OFCOM allows them to do this and that, but finally stating that my number 'has been removed form our records'; since when I've received another 15 calls.

 

I have now raised a formal complaint, stating that I consider the bank lying to be a very serious matter.

 

This all relates to an overdraft that they allowed to go over its limit; I argue that they should not have paid anything that would make the account go over limit, because I did not ask them to. They say that they treated any d/d request as an 'informal request for overdraft', which is how they try to justify their £25 admin/penalty charge.

 

Getting into the spirit of things, I told them that I would treat any further attempts to contact me by phone as an informal request for consultation, for which I would charge £100 a time. The calls have stopped...

[finsnan]

Quick update! I have posted all of the documents off to the Financial Services Ombudsman now; I wrote to HSBC last Thursday (1 week ago now) telling them that I was going to do this and warning them about putting stuff onto my credit file. Since then I received a letter hurriedly pushed out (I think they sent it on Tuesday but dated it 13th July!) saying that they had received the documentation I sent (which was on 27th June) and would look into the matter within the next 30 days!! So I've copied that letter and sent it to the FSO too. They'll hopefully get the message soon that I am fed up. My friend tells me that the FSO will charge HSBC about £800 for the privilege of investigating their behaviour which is roughly about what they say I owe them now. So I think that serves them jolly well right!

[chezt]

Not gonna post to all individually but WELL DONE GUYS! You are all geting fantastic results & this makes good reading

[illonavamp]

This is an interesting post, in view of the fact that Morgan Stanley Credit Card (who now go by the name of Goldfish) are quite possibly the worst offenders on the planet!

 

If you miss a payment with these people, your name goes into their computerised calling system.

 

On one particular day I was called no less than thirty two times, over and over again right up til gone 9pm at night - half on my landline and half on my mobile phone. With the mobile phone I have it will say '18 missed calls' then when you select that item it will give you the phone number and the number of times it called - but then somehow once you've viewed the information the number of missed calls is wiped, it just shows the number that called you.

 

I've had half a mind to purposefully miss a payment in order to record the phonecalls at their very worst in order to expose them to whatever authorities would be interested - how would I go about doing this?

 

I'd be interested to know how other people record calls of this type, particularly those that aren't answered. I could photograph my mobile phone screen and maybe video the landline calls coming in.. or something.

[vinegarvera]

I have just had a distressing call from a dca.

Because I would not confirm my date of birth, he said he would not stop calling he was legally allowed to call 3 times a day!!

I asked that he only corresponded in writing, he said because I would not comply with the security checks he would not help me at all by dignifying anything i said.

 

I am so upset can anyone help???

[ODC]

I have just had a distressing call from a dca.

Because I would not confirm my date of birth, he said he would not stop calling he was legally allowed to call 3 times a day!!

I asked that he only corresponded in writing, he said because I would not comply with the security checks he would not help me at all by dignifying anything i said.

 

I am so upset can anyone help???

I assume you have sent them the Telephone Harrasment Letter. If so report them to TS and the OFT.

 

I wouldnt be upset. You have actually beaten them they could not proceed with their threatening call. The really are talking claptrap about three calls a day. If you tell them to stop then they should comply with your LAWFUL request. I remember once a muppet from Clownells who told me if I would not give him my details and mobile phone number he would see to it that all 350 employees at Clownells would ring me every day. I aske him he he realised how sad he sounded. He said what do you mean. I played the tape back to him and hung up. Im still waiting on the other 249 staff to call me.

[vinegarvera]

Thanks ODC, as ever you have restored my faith I was beginning to doubt myself especially when he said "dont tell me about telephone harrasment, I know everything there is to know. are you legally trained?"

Well I'm not so I was stumped, I ended the call with "well the amount has been paid so look a fool and take me to court then." Now i am itching to call back as I cannot believe I let them upset me so much, I am usually so calm.

 

Can they record any details of that call if I would not answer security questions???

[AnimalMagic]

Send a subject access request specifying the telephone logs and a transcript of the calls to be used as evidence in a court case. You may find the calls stop immediately