Thanks all..... OK, so I will send a LBA to request the removal of these defaults within 14 days. When the 14 days are up (and they've no doubt done nothing about removing them) do I then file some sort of claim against them? What would this entail please? Incidentally, I've recently requested 02 remove a late payment marker from my file as it was a fault of theirs not mine that a payment was late. They changed it within 24 hours, without needing any "evidence" from me of my credit file, and now everything is showing as up to date. So this just goes to show that AK are talking complete rubbish when they say they can't make any changes without me sending in a copy of my file. I still fuming with them:mad: Also, should I be asking the CRAs to remove the defaults as well? Experian certainly seem to be barking up the wrong tree as far as dates are concerned. I feel so helpless, they all seem to be colluding to say whatever they like about me and blackening my name in the process. None of them care or are willing to do anything about it.

Please, please can anyone advise what I should do???

Also, just found this on Experian website: Is that wrong? I'm confused:confused:

Thread revival... The last letter I received from AK was to say they acknowledge receipt of my last letter, passed to relevant dept to action blah blah blah on 25 Feb. Heard nothing since. Today I checked my Experian credit file... guess what, a new default registered in Feb 09 with regards this flippin' alleged debt. I am FUMING In a fit of rage got on the phone (I know, I should be doing it all in writing, but I was sooooo annoyed). They say they won't do anything about removing the default without me sending in a copy of my credit file. They have bought the debt and the right to process my data. Surely this is wrong??? I told them I'm not sending in any personal information about myself and they must know what they've told CRAs about me without me telling them again. The woman said the information goes to the CRAs "automatically" so she doesn't know what they're being told and can't remove anything without seeing a copy of my credit file. WTF??? Also, they again insisted that statute barred goes from date of default not date of last payment. What do I do?? I'm at a loss. I feel I've done everything right from my side and they're messing me about. Now I have defaults all over the place from them and it's affecting my credit. :mad::mad: HELP PLEASE!!! I'm soooo cross, I can't think straight as to what I should be doing now

Thanks Erika I am very much a research oriented girl and like to have all the facts on paper (I've actually made a folder of all the laws, rules and regulations for easy reference.... I'm a bit 'Monica from Friends-ish')!! That's why it was frustrating for me not be able to find out this "low income" figure or threshold anywhere. Tomorrow I intend to spend most of my time on the phone to DWP, Tax Credits etc etc to ensure that I can get everything I'm entitled to.

Oh don't worry, I've made sure I'm getting the SMP! I've had written confirmation so I know it will be paid. DWP website states

Thanks Erika - I will be on the phone to Tax Credits straight away to tell them of my change in circumstances, fingers crossed it works out in my favour. Just as an aside - I'm not on contratual maternity leave as my contract ends on 31st March, so I don't have a job to go back to unfortunately.

Thanks SN1 ... according to the calculator I'm basically up sh!t creek as far as being able to survive is concerned I'll have £6 a month to spend on food after all my household bills are paid

Hi All... I'm facing imminent unemployment and am trying to find out what benefits I'm entitled to claim, how much they will be etc in order to budget for the future. All I seem to see is statements like "if you are on a low income, you may be able to claim xxx benefit". So I just wondered if anyone knew what a "low income" actually is these days? Incidentally, I am pregnant (29 weeks when finish work), have a partner but we live separately (all finances separate), have 1 DD (7yo) and will be receiving SMP when I finish work - so guess this counts as income. Just wondered if I could claim housing/council tax benefit or anything else Hope someone can help! Thank you x

Thanks both. I kinda thought that they didn't have any obligation to offer me an alternative date. But you're right Alipeeps, I'm more annoyed about the way they've handled the situation than anything. Particularly after a previous meeting with HR when they confirmed my contract would be ending, they were full of promises about how they would do all they could do help me get another job, give me first look at internal vacancies etc etc. I don't really know who I would complain to, as all this came from the HR manager. Who, incidentally, has made quite a few "mistakes" with wrong advice about my entitlement to Statutory Maternity Pay. godpikachu - I would have definitely made the effort to go in for the interview had I been in the country, unfortunately I was in Spain for the week. Wild horses wouldn't have kept me away if it were a UK holiday. Oh well. Another one bites the dust. Benefits here I come

I recently applied for a job (internally) and was offered an interview. Unfortunately, the interview date was during my Annual Leave and I was unable to attend. I immediately informed those concerned about this as soon as I received the invitation to interview, and asked for an alternative date as I would be out of the country during the week the interview was shceduled. Despite this, no-one got back to me with any further information until I made contact 2 days later. Nobody could tell me what was going on; it appeared the people dealing with it in the HR dept weren’t even in that day. I was informed by the dept who was offering the job that HR had advised that I not be given an alternative date for interview. I felt this was totally unfair, as unless I cancelled my holiday, I was out of the running for the role. Upon returning from Annual Leave I was greeted by this email (sent on the day my interview should have been) - Hi Following your application for the above post and recent conversation with xxxx regarding you being unavailable for interview today, I can confirm that an alternative interview date was offered to you for Friday (day after the original date offered), although I note that you are also unable to attend on Friday due to annual leave. I can confirm that if we are unable to appoint a suitable candidate at our interviews this week then there may be an opportunity to offer you an interview in the future. I trust this clarifies the position for you. thanks I am appalled at the advice given by the HR department and the fact that the above email is a complete fabrication of the truth, as not one person got in touch with me to inform me of the situation prior to me making contact myself. I feel that I have been treated most unfairly, having been left with the option to either cancel my holiday or forego the job opportunity altogether. As I do not have endless pots of money and could not afford to lose what I’d already paid for the holiday, I was left with little choice. Sorry for such a long post - I suppose my question is, do candidates have a right to be accommodated for an interview once it is offered? I personally think HR advised not to give me an alternative date because they know I'm pregnant (although obviously would never give that as a reason). As an aside, my current contract finishes at the end of this month, so I am going to be unemployed and desparately needed that job - or any job!

In the vain hope that anyone has any advice, I am updating again... My OH's tenancy has now ended. A checkout was completed with the LL and other tenant. The LL agreed to get the deposit sent back to her so she would split it equally to return to each tenant. However, it has been well over 10 days and OH has still not received his deposit back. LL says she hasn't reclaimed it from the DPS yet. I am still labouring under the impression that his deposit was never protected in the first place, and now the LL has not returned the deposit within the 10 day timescale. Should he be suing the LL now? Please, please, I would be very grateful for anyone's opinions.

Finally had another reply from the DPS - So as expected as per Planner's advice above. However, we are very confused as to why my OH should send the tenancy agreement to the DPS - surely this is the responsibility of the LL? And would it even change anything? OH is now facing the definite prospect of having no money returned as it will all go to the co-tenant who will not pass anything on. I'm still of the opinion that my OH's deposit was not protected sufficiently in the first place. Any help/opinions gratefully received.

Ooh, thanks PGH7447, I will put that in. Fingers crossed they will get the message... although somehow I think this may be the beginning of a looooong battle *sigh*

Thanks again for your replies everyone - I've drafted a letter as follows and would be grateful for opinions (Thanks to CAG for the use of the template letters which I've adapted) Does it sound ok?

Thanks all for your replies - you've confirmed what I already thought about the alleged debt being statute barred from last date of payment, not date of default. So now not sure whether to just ignore them as Manc1 suggests, or reply telling them they're wrong, or what?! I must be honest that I haven't kept records of when I checked my credit rating - probably the last time I looked was a good 6 - 8 months ago as I didn't think I had anything to worry about. I only checked it recently because of this letter from AK, who seem to have put this default on towards the end of 2008 (which wasn't there the last time I looked). In the meantime, I'll be doing more research on the forums as you suggest havinastella. Is there a next move or do I just keep quiet?!

Latest update - received a reply to my letter from AK. They've ignored the fact that it may not even be my debt and say: Are they having a laugh or what? They want me to send personal details of myself to them, when they still can't prove its my debt. Also, even if the default had been registered in 2003 (which it can't have been as it's only just shown up on my credit record), I thought the time limit for statute barred debts began from when the last action was taken/payment made on the account, not when a default was registered I'm confused as to how to respond as they seem to be trying every trick in the book to say that I owe this alleged debt, when a) neither they nor I know if it's actually mine and b) no action has been taken or money paid on it in the last 6 years if not more (how can I pay something if its not even mine and I don't know about it??!) Any advice gratefully received.

Sorry, I just didn't see you mention that anywhere previously. It might be helpful if you posted the exact wording of this promise by the LA/LL so that it can be used to help your claim. If the main reason for your claim is the disrepair/inhabitability of the property/grounds, I imagine this would be a particular point on which you would base the claim.

Thank you for having a look Planner - much appreciated. The rent and therefore deposit has increased since the original tenancy was in place with the different tenant, so the amount held with the TDS scheme is incorrect as far as the new and current tenancy is concerned. This will be a huge stumbling block as there are irreconcilable differences (to say the least) between tenants and if the full deposit is given to the co-tenant there is no way he'll pay anything back to my OH. My OH just wants to get out of there and have his deposit returned in full. The whole thing's been a complete nightmare. Doesn't seem to look very promising for him though . Oh well, we tried. Thank you once again for taking the time to help. I know its all rather long and confusing!

Just a small point (and I'm no expert) but doesn't the fact that the inventory states the 'disrepair' of the garden etc as mentioned also in post #9: Mean that the OP accepted the condition of garden/property when the TA was signed initially? I thought that was the point of an inventory? Surely that means that you can't subsequently complain about it as it was accepted in the first place? Sorry if I'm barking up the wrong tree here!

Also, just to add further complications, there was no inventory or schedule of conditions completed or provided to my OH under the new contract. So it is a worry that the LL may claim for damages that happened before he moved in and under the old contract with previous tenant. There is a "Good Discharge" clause which is concerning too as it states Sorry, I keep harping on, but like I say we are very confused as to what action to take from here. If anyone has bothered reading this far, I do hope someone can offer help or guidance as to what to do. Thank you.

Sorry, forgot to add the DPS reply, which doesn't seem to properly answer any of our questions. It includes our latest response as well so the 2 emails are merged into one - hope it makes sense! We seem to be going round in circles here and getting no clear answers. I really don't know what to do for the best

Hi All. Further to my recent thread, I have queries regarding tenancy deposits in a joint tenancy. I hope that someone can help as having contacted the Deposit Protection Service, they do not seem to shed much light on the problem. The email sent below outlines the problems (apologies, it is rather long....) Having checked the tenancy agreement itself, it does not state 'Joint Tenancy' it merely has two names in "The Tenant" box. Also, in "The Deposit" box it states: Please, can anyone help with this? Surely as my OH has been named on the tenancy agreement as paying a deposit it should have been registered separately with the DPS?

Thanks all... I will pass on the info and keep you updated as to next steps my friend takes ... ie complaining to the SRA if I've got anything to do with it! Although as far as I'm aware there's been no paperwork at all from the PPC itself, only two solicitor's letters from Trethowans (the first already replied to and the second as posted earlier). They seem to get nasty pretty quickly. I'm away this weekend, so taking my 'consumer rights' head off (a la Worzel Gummidge!) But will definitely be back on Monday to let you know of any progress. Once again, thank you all for your interest and replies, much appreciated.

DDWales, thanks for your reply... you appear unsurprised that it's Trethowans too! Is there anything in particular that should be pointed out in a complaint to the SRA? I bow to everyone's superior knowledge of this subject... not to mention that you all seem to know Trethowans!