Hi thankyou for your replies. It was to pay off my overdraft which included charges, credit card and husbands credit card which also included a lot of charges. I did tell them I was on benefits but they said they would put down I was on a pension. I have repeatedly told them I am on benefits by phone and writing but my records still show I am on a pension and apparently I am retired as well. The loan did mean I was paying less but if at that point I had known about claiming unlawful charges back I wouldn't have needed it and I wouldn't have had to pay a large amount of additional interest. I am most upset by the banks behaviour towards myself since I made my initial complaint, rather than addressing it my records show every time I complained about the same complaint "no further action required".

hi some further detail I was sold a consolidation loan by HSBC while on benefits. they chased me not the other way around and it helped to clear my overdraft and past overcharges. I was then put in a position that I could not pay the loan by HSBC when they started charging me on my current account for everything! I was continuously harrassed by HSBC for payment while the overcharges on my current account were in dispute. As a result I complained to HSBC on more than one occasion. Response has been poor, they have just exceeded the 8 weeks limit for when I can complain to the Ombudsman. I am ill and am finding the stress difficult. But I still want HSBC to pay. any advice most welcome.

Hi Before you go to the Housing Ombudsman you need to have gone through the housing association/groups complaint procedures. You can get help from housing advise groups who can act as your representative, and help you get compensation, suitable housing etc and look at your landlords procedures for compensation. Make a request for all your information through the data protection act, I found this very helpful. Finally contact your local community legal services who will be able to give you advise and help you find a solicitor. Act quickly because your complaint could time out.

Hi I've done OK so far, got a refund of £1800 from HSBC and going back for more currently at second stage letter. To complicate matters I am also persuing them for a mis-sold loan. It's amazing how quiet HSBC become when you make a complaint. To those who intend to complain make sure you get your complaint number, who you are complaining to and their location and keep quoting the law, they don't appear to like that either. I now want to proceed further, for mis-sold loans do I go to court or the Ombudsman? I also believe they have breached the data protection act, is it worth complaining to the Information Rights Commission or again going straight to court? cheers tiredandangry