Metropolitan Collection Services are registered at Company House as 01475006. The 3 shareholding directors all work for HSBC and the other shareholder is HSBC. That means that HSBC own Metropoloitan. When HSBC pass a 'debt' on to Metropolitian, that debt remains with HSBC. Metropolitan are not a 3rd party. This is important. When a PPI is sold unlawfully, the Financial Service Ombudsman will advise HSBC to repay the loan - but they will not interfere in how the bank acts. Where a debt between self and Metropolitan is outstanding, HSBC will use the demand to repay PPI in order to offset the outstanding loan. The FSO will not advise repayment to a 3rd party - and Metropolitan, despite its name, is legally HSBC. This is unfair because at the time when the debt was passed over, this information is witheld from the comsumer, and is therefore to their detriment. In short, HSBC act unlawfully by selling PPI and then repay the money to themselves. The customer has no redress in law and the FSO will not involve themselves in legal arguments. False economy? Well, yes, but never in your favour.