Tonight we have been celebrating the fact that we received aa cheque from GMAC for £1811.13 in respect of ERC. We wrote to Gmac early in November as we weren't happy at the ERC when we only had 20days to go before the mortgage had reached it's 3 years. We never expected them to refund anything to us. But last week they rang my husband and said they were prepared to give us the ERC back less interest. The cheque arrived yesterday via our solicitor and we have been to the bank today. The money will ensure that christmas is paid for and we won't have to worry in January. I will make a donation to this site over the weekend. I would never have done anything about it if it hadn't been for this site. Citi settled =£252 Monument settled = £253 Capital 1 settled = £295 GMAC ERC = £1811.13 Lloyds Tsb = Moneyclaim form sent for £1343 4th Dec 2006 :sad:

Today I received a threatening letter from Avon's solicitor. She told me that it is illegal to write a postdated cheque. "I have now had the oppurtunity to fully investigate this matter and would advise you that although it is not illegal to write a postdated cheque it is illegal to send a cheque knowing that there is insufficient funds in your bank account to facilitate payments." "Clearly by post dating your cheque and the fact you then went subsequently overdrawn would appear to infur that you knowingly wrote a cheque to be drawn on an account which contains insufficient funds. I therefore do not believe that Avon cashing that cheque is responsible for the charges you incurred." That was why the cheque was postdated - All I asked of them was to wait 4 days that was all. I accept postdated cheques from many of our customers were I work. I never think about it being illegal. If you are asked just to wait a couple of days so what? How dare she imply I never intended paying this money. She is implying I am a liar and I don't like that. I am honest and a hard working person. I run a home and extremely busy office I have to be homest, I am no liar. I wish to god I had never allowed my daughter to get involved with Avon. i hold my hands up it was my fault for letting her. Surely Avon should take some responsibilty for allowing Area Managers to recruit 16 year old kids. I spoke to my bank today and they refunded the bounced cheque charge £35.00 so I wrote the cheque and cleared the account. It's amazing though Avon have only responded to the outstanding balance of £49.99 and not a thing about area Managers recruiting 16year olds to sell there products. Avons customer services is only worth 1/10 in my book and even that is to much. Citi settled =£252 Monument settled = £253 Capital 1 settled = £295 GMAC ERC = £1811.13 Lloyds Tsb = Moneyclaim form sent for £1343 4th Dec 2006

My Husband rang HFC today to get a settlment figure. After an arguent with the operaor and being passed to a supervisor my husband was told that we could settle the account for £7880.00. But we have to send this by first class post today for them to bank tomorrow. Otherwise we will have to pay £8500. In July we had a statement form them and it stated the balance was £7600. we have paid about £500 - 600 since then. We thought that when a settlement figure was given it was mean't to be for 28 days not a day. We can't transfer the money until next week. How do we stand as it is so unfair because we don't have the funds to hand today we are going to have to pay £8500.00. They say the amounts include charges and interest they will loose because we are settling early. What a rip of.

In April this year my daughter was approached by an Area Manager for Avon. The woman was recruiting my daughters friend and sold Avon well and truly to my daughter on how she could make losta of money and buy products etc. My daughter was only 16 and needed me to sign the contract. I stupidly agreed to it. In hindsight I wish I had gone with my instincts and said "no. The first order was placed and the goods arrived. My daughter took the goods to school handed it all out a nd was promised by her friends we'll pay you later. By July she had not collected all the money - some of her friend had left school and she had not contact with them. I had several conversatins with Avon and explained to them the circumstances. I felt that they didn't believe me and they began demanding money and adding charges. In August the mum of one of the girls sent a cheque to me for the things she had bought. I sent a cheque to cover the balance remaining, I postdated the cheque to allow for the cheque I had been given to clear. Avon took no notice of my letter explaining not to bank the cheque. They banked the cheque and it went through before the cheque I had been given cleared. They charged me £15.00 for the bounced cheque and my bank charged me £35.00 as well. Leaving me with £50.00 worth of charges. All I asked them to do was wait 2 days before banking but thet tell me for security reasons they can't do this. I still have £49.98 owing on this - but I am so angry at the lack of response from them that I feel the £50.00 worth of charges should outway what I owe them. I should never have got involved with Avon I wish I had said no. But I am more annoyed that they aren't doing anything about there area manager who is out there recruitng 16 year old kids to sell Avon. I also made the mistake of allowing my daughter to trust friends to pay her. Every time I send a letter to somplain I receive a letter back from the finance section telling me that £49.98 is outstanding and I need to pay it. I will have to pay it, but I will hold out to the last minute as I think Avon are in the wrong for not doing anything.

The reason I thought the mortgage was September was because the original mortgage offer was made to us at that time. I thought the mortgage had been for then. Just a simple mistake. At theat time I was coming to terms with my gran dying and I don't think I was thinking straight. Thanks for the advice about Claiming back the ERC. I will down load the letter as soon as I get my printer working. Citi claimed 27/07/2006 - offered full settlement of £450 taken it this week Monument 27/07/2006 - offered half settlement of £252 - still thinking about it. Capital One 27/07/2006 £620 offered me only £251 LLoyds Tsb - 27/07/2006 £1091 - letter received telling me to run and jump Moneyclaim form to be sent Abbey National - £548 charges - taken 3 months to get statments - LBA to go Black Horse Finance £490 - letter received telliong me that it'sonly bank charges I can claim back?

Than you all for posting your views which are very interesting. The person who seems to be spouting the most seems to be doing a great job for the Lenders. What are you on commision? Yes we read the print yes we took out a mortgage which has penalties - but it does not mean it is right. Why should people like GMAC get away with this? why should the penalties be of £2140 because I want to switch to a better value mortgage. When you sign the contract you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Your word "not unlawfull" how about immopral, how about hitting people who are the most vulnerable harder. Not fair and in my eys immoral. Unless people stand up and say this is right they will continue to do so. I guesse when this site was first set up did they ever think that thousands of pounds would be given back to us? But it has because shouting loud enough and saying to banks building societies and gmac enough is enough and we arent tolerating it any more. Its easy for people to say well you signed and you did this and did the other. Maybe I didn't have a choice.

They may be charges that we have signed and agreed to, but it doen't mean it right. Unless people challenge it like we have done over bank charges then companies like Gmac will continue to do what they do. In a free market we should be able to pick and choose when we want to move our mortgages. What is good for us yesterday may not be good enough for us tomorrow, We should penalise them for not offering us the best deal. In an ideal world we should beable to say to a lender your rates not good enough I am withdrawing my services. When we took out the mortgage 35 months ago it was the best we could get. But we are moving houe - they can't offer us the best deal. When we contacted them to re-arrange a mortgage they told us that we can't contact them direct and we would need to go through our broker. As we didn't have one we have now had to pay a brokers fee - and they found Gmac to be uncompetitve and the deals were not good enough. So why should I be penalised for moving my mortgage when they refused to help. Companies like Gmac have had it to good for to long and it's time they were stopped - redemption penalties are a rip off. :-x

hI Sorry if I have posted these questions in the wrong place, but I wasn't sure where to go. We were at the solicitors today to sign the contracts for the new house we are in the process of buying. This has now bought the sale to a standstill We were going through the paperwork for our mortgage with GMAC. It states that if you redeem the mortgage in 1 - 2 years you pay a penalty of 5%, if you pay of the mortgage in 2 - 3 years you pay 4%. In our case this is £2105. We thought we had taken the mortgage out on the 29th September 2003. It turns out that the mortgage was taken out on the 20th November 2003. Will this mean that we will have to pay the penalty of £2105. We had hoped to move into the house on the 20th October. The couple who have bought our house have been wanting to get into the house since the beginning of September. The house we have bought the couple have now moved and the house is standing empty. It is about time redempion charges were banned. How can you swap and change for your own benefit if you are penalised for doing so. Lainey nic

Thanks for that I will give them a try.

Hi Can any one help me with the address for Black Horse Finance? Today I received my 1st letter back in a post office enveolpe saying addresse gone away. Last month they sent me a letter back saying that the bank details were incorrect. The 2 addresses I have used have been one in Bournemouth and the 25 Gresham street. If any one has an idea can you let me know Lainey LLoyds Tsb LBA letter ready to go £1014. CITI LBA Letter ready to go £903.61 cAPITAL 1 £450 Monument £660 Abbey - still no response Black Horse - giving me run around - default notice and charges of £475 applied this week

Dear All Thanks for ll of your help and advice which I have found very useful. The porspective buyers came to see us last night and apologised for the stress they had caused us. They agreed with us that the surveyor concerned had picked every fault possible withe our house. They also explained that this surveyor had cost them the previous house they wanted, as the buyers weren't happy with a low valuation and pulled out of the sale. They have offered to pay the difference of 2k themselves, but firstly we are going to work together to sort out the certificates that have been requested and some of the minor works that he found. This is the first time we have encountered a surveyor who seemed to be very - picky if this is the right word. we have had a great relationship with the estate agent and have not found them to be any problem to us at all. In fact they have helped us 100%. The young couple who are hoping to buy our house seemed to have been talked into a full in depth survey by the lenders. My house was built 70 years ago by a local builder who's reputation for his work was the best. I believe that in 70 years my house will still be standing. Lainey

The surveyor sag goes on Today the estate agent rang us to tell us the surveyors findings. This is what he found. 1. Detected minimal amount of movement in part of the roof space - but doesn't think there is any continuing problem - but wants it checked by a builder and a report to be done. Before funds are made available. 2. Certificates for downstairs toilet that was fitted 4 years ago - have spoken to the plummber/builder who fitted the toilet and they have said that no certificates were needed as no building regs were needed. We can't provide a certificate because there isn't one - but they may be able to issue a invoice but very doubtful due to the time lapse. He pratically laughed in my face and said are you sure it was a surveyor on and not a clown who did it. 3. Kitchen - He is asking for certificates for the alterations to the Kitchen - i.e removal of coal house and toilet. Which were done by the council at least 20 or 30 years ago. My husband has spoken to the council today and they have advised him that they can't providea certificate for this work as it is so long ago since it was done. Records were only kept for 4 years. These alterations were done well before we bought the house. Possibly before building regs were introduced. 4. Insufficient air blocks for ground floor - asking for the floor to be lifted to check for rot. We had an inspection done of the property in 2002 - We had a damp proofing company who recomended no action as this procedure was not necessary due to the destructive drilling to the floor. 5. Possible rot to external timbers touching external walls? 6 Chimney Breast - we have had no alterations or work to the chimney. We don't understand what he means. Asking for certificates for removal of fireplace to bedroom? The surveyor has recommended that until he has proof of the work that has been carried out he recommends they don't release any fund for a mortgage. The property would be worth £12400 if these works were carried out. But we can't provide the certificates he is asking for as they don't exist. His report seems to be very contradicting. we still don't know where we stand or what to do. Or are we stuck with having to accept £121500. for this property. We feel like telling the buyer that the sales is of and put the house on the market - this means we loos the house we so desperatly want. lainey

Thanks to you all for your valuable commnets which I have taken on board. I can see why they say selling your house is one of the most stressfull things you do in life. We are seeing the estate agent tomorrow as he has seen the survey for the buyer after that who knows. Regarding the unneccessary comment from Sohoscribbler - I miseed some zeros off ok!!!:? :?

Hi Layla I also thought that, so they could by my house for less. The estate agent has demanded a copy of the survey. He rang us today to say he had a copy and he would let us know what the report says. I have got to the stages now wher I wonder wether it is all worth it. But we so much want to move.

I am not paying for it - I am the seller it is the buyer surveyor that is saying my house is not worth £124,000. He has said that it is only worth £122,000. Yet I have had it valued twice by 2 estate agents and a survyor and they have all valued my home at £125,00. I have been told that we are not entitled to know what he has found our justify his valuation. I think this is totally wrong but I can't do anything about it as I am the seller. We are going to have to lower the price of our house again to £122,000. At this rate we'll be giving it away.

:confused: Hi Don't know if anyone can help me or not. We are in the process of selling our house, We were told by the Estate agent that we could expect to get £12500.00. We were offered £12400 and we decided to accept there offer. We have put an offer in for a property that we like and it will stretch us to buy it. On Monday the survey was done day by the buyers surveyor. Today our estate agent has rung us and told us that the surveyor has valued our house at £121500. way below what the estate agent told us. 2 years ago we had a survey done on our house for remortgaing puposes and he valued it at £125500. Over the last 12 months we have put in a new bathroom suite, put fencing to the front and rear, re decorated the house and worked on the garden. The estate agent has told us the buyers are very upset that they may loose the house and I am completely gutted as we cannot afford to raise the extra money ourselves. Is there anything we can do? we know that our home is worth more that what he says it is. We know what we had it valued at 2 years ago when it was a complete and utter wreck. Any advise would be helpful Thanks Lainey

Hi Martin I haven't stopped crying since the phone call this afternoon. We were also going to clear everything we owed by using our equity. We wanted a new start all round. I don't know how we stand as to having a survey done ourselves. It shouldn't happen, how can they be allowed to make such a difference. You must have been gutted also. I watched a tv programme the other night and 3 surveyors valued a property. Each one valued it differently with one surveyor quoting £28,000 less than the other. How?? Lainey

:confused: Hi Don't know if anyone can help me or not. We are in the process of selling our house, We were told by the Estate agent that we could expect to get £12500.00. We were offered £12400 and we decided to accept there offer. We have put an offer in for a property that we like and it will stretch us to buy it. On Monday the survey was done day by the buyers surveyor. Today our estate agent has rung us and told us that the surveyor has valued our house at £121500. way below what the estate agent told us. 2 years ago we had a survey done on our house for remortgaing puposes and he valued it at £125500. Over the last 12 months we have put in a new bathroom suite, put fencing to the front and rear, re decorated the house and worked on the garden. The estate agent has told us the buyers are very upset that they may loose the house and I am completely gutted as we cannot afford to raise the extra money ourselves. Is there anything we can do? we know that our home is worth more that what he says it is. We know what we had it valued at 2 years ago when it was a complete and utter wreck. Any advise would be helpful Thanks Lainey:confused: TSB Charges £838 - standard letter received sayin no way to refund - won't give up Citi - £454.00 as above Monument £489.00 received statements Cap One - £650.00 received statements Black Horse Finance £1025 - no reply to any letter

Thanks for that I will give it a try and let you know.

Hi I sent my 1st letter and £10.00 cheque to the Abbey National requesting details of charges. Got a letter backk saying that they don't hold my details on file and that they would look at the Microfish and send me details from that. I got that today - it doesn't show any chagres only my closing balance on the 31/05/04 for £595. This £595 is in charges, I am sure of it. But the statement they sent doesn't show any of the things I need. Does anyone have any ideas what I can do next. They cashed my £10.00 to send me info that I have already.

;) Hi I recently sent my request for charges against Black Horse Finance to LLoyds TSB Group, Registered Office 25 Gresham Street London. Thinking that this was the head office for Black Horse and Lloyds TSB. They returned the letter and cheque saying that they can't locate the account and ask me to send a 6 digit number and sort code. Is this the right address or does any one have another contact. Laineynic

Hi I have had a personal loan with Black Horse Finance for 4 years. For 18 months of the loan I was ill and it was covered by my insurance. During that time the payments were often late - not my fault but the insurers. This incurred charges, but I have no idea how much. When I was well enough to go back to work the insureres stopped paying my loan and it returned to normal payments. I did fall behind and I incurred more charges. Again I do not know how much. Four weeks ago I got a call from the office and they told me that they were pleased to say that they were now in a position to help me. I could carry on making a payment of £100.00 per month over the next 36 months - this would repair my credit rating and would stop futher action. All I had to do was sign the form and send it back. The form came through and when I looked at it the balance remaining was £2010.00 But with more charges this would now increase my debt to £3600. I decided to contact them and tell them that I didn't want to sign a new agreement and increase my debt and asked if I could carry on paying my £100.00 per month. Today I received a letter from them telling me that I had now incurred charges of £415.00 - becuase I had failed to sign the new agreement. I have repeatedly asked them to tell me how much I owe and justify the charges and they have brushed me of with I will send it later. I don't know what to do next. If I sign a new agreement I will be stuck with a debt for a further 36 months. Because I won't sign the agreement I have a debt now for £2425. They have me over a barrel. I reckon if I don't sign it I will keep getting these charges until it hits £3600.00 Sent letters to Capital One Monument Citi Lloyds Tsb Abbey Requsting details of Charges.