Hi all, Don't know if this is a stupid question but could we claim the charges back on a loan account? My other half took out a loan with Halifax about 5 years ago. He paid it back for about 2 years but then defaulted for a few months and got stung with a stack of charges. Now it's in the hands of a DCA and he's ended up paying virtually the same amount as the whole loan back to them (as if he hadn't paid a penny towards it in the first place). We've never had a statement of this account so don't know how long he's got left to pay or how much he's payed off so far. Do we go to halifax or the DCA for this? Thanks Linniloo

That is an utter disgrace - how do these people sleep at night, especially when, as you say, it was a result of their charges?! I think my other half felt humiliated when they told him he must close his account last week - it was a bit like opening up old wounds but I believe we have had the last laugh (as you will too Noodledoodle). Best of luck Victimnomore - I have just been posted a link about telephone harrassment if you would like it (thanks Survivor!) Linniloo, Click the link: http://www.consumeractiongroup.c o.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/37006-harassment-telephone-response-letter.html Should take you to a post by jonni2bad and contains a letter template for harrassment by telephone... ...Should be just what you're looking for Survivor Happy Monday evening everyone XX

Thanks Survivor, I knew someone would be able to help. That letter is brill - I love being able to state some sort of legislation -they can't argue with that can they??!

Hi victimnomore, This is exactly how my other half got into so much of a state with Halifax - in one month (just before christmas 2004) they asked him to make a payment of £300, but he could only get £280 - so they put his account on hold and slapped another heap of charges on (if memory serves, about £275 worth of charges)- thus making the situation worse and placing the account in the hands of a debt collection agency. Now, over 2 years on, we have claimed the money back (£1600) but they have started phoning us again - in fact we had a call about 1/2 hour ago! I will never advise anyone to bank with Halifax as long as I live - i have never heard of a bank treating people so badly. Good luck with everything - sorry we can't offer any real advice.

sorry to nag but they aren't leaving us alone - can anyone help? We're getting a bit desperate now!

Hi all, Just wanted some words of advice really: My other half successfully claimed back £1600 off Halifax for unfair bank charges. His account was put on hold and placed in the hands of a debt collection agency back in 2004 after bulding up an overdraft of £1600 (what a surprise - the same amount as the charges over the last 6 years!) and he had been paying back a bit each month to bring it back into credit. We moved house last year and redirected the mail so we didn't have to give out our new address and get harrassed by them after it had all been sorted out. His account was credited a few weeks ago with the £1600 and he then had surplus cash to collect from a branch - which he did on Monday. When he went into the branch, they told him he wasn't allowed to keep his account (this was after he had to fill in a load of forms to change his address and get to his money, as his cheque book had been burnt and his cash card cut up a long time ago!). Now, they are phoning us on a daily basis - we don't know know why because we haven't said my other half is contactable on our new phone number, as my other half won't admit they are talking to the right person. My questions are: Is it normal for the bank to refuse my other half his account when so many people on here have kept theirs open? The debt collection agency have told us that Halifax should now update his file and restore his credit score as if it never happened - is this true too? Also, why would Halifax be trying to contact us? (They lied to me today and said that it was "his bank" calling - I shouted back that they weren't his bank anymore!) Any advice and info would be gratefully received (as ever)

Hi Kbecksarch, We faxed our form on the 28th December and the money was paid in last Friday. I did start to worry and posted something on here - some kind soul gave me a contact name of someone they'd found to be very helpful at Halifax. Let me know if you need it and i'll have a rummage... Cheers linniloo

Thanks Aaronsdad - i'll pass this onto my other half and let you know how he gets on. How did you get details like this? It's such a valuable contact to have. What on earth did we do before we had the internet?!

Hi all - sorry, haven't quite got the hang of this forum stuff so apologise if this is in the wrong place. Just wondered if you could help: My other half got an offer letter from Alan Molineux, HBOS on the 27th Dec offering him the full £1600 refund from Halifax:o . I faxed the acceptance form back to the number on the offer letter that day and posted it recorded delivery but he still hasn't got the money. His account was handed over to Blair Oliver and Scott (Debt recovery) some time ago, and they haven't received any notification that the account has been sorted out:-x (they owe us an additional £400). How long are people waiting to actually get their money once they have offered a refund? Do they send a cheque or just credit your account? His bank account is still 'open' and available to view online and nothing has changed... Any information would be gratefully received.

Hi all, A couple of weeks ago I went £5.15 over my agreed overdraft limit for 1 day and now I will be charged £28 at the end of the month - I don't do this often - this is the third time in about 8 years (lord only knows how!) and want to phone up and argue with them. A colleague of mine seems to think that there is a buffer zone of about £10 on accounts now- so even though I did go over my limit by the vast amount of £5.15 for the entire day I shouldn't have to pay these charges. I want to phone up with my facts so i can argue the toss with them - any ideas of what to say? The last time this happened, they said that as they had refunded one charge in the past as a goodwill gesture they couldn't do it again. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Linniloo

Wow - thanks demon - that is brill! I will of course cut and paste that into a letter and send it ASAP. I don't think they can argue with that can they?!

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll have a look into the data protection act and devise a letter. Any additional help from any other members would be useful too!

Hi guys, I need some advice regarding a problem I am having with Sky. In July I moved house, and took the opportunity to cancel my subscription with Sky as the initial 12 month contract period had just expired (they tried to charge me for cancelling my last direct debit too - what a bloomin cheek! ). Im my last letter to them, I asked them to remove my name and address from their mailing list as I no longer lived at that address, and in today's climate of identity fraud this would help prevent any problems in the future. They clearly took no notice of this and continued to send mail addressed to me, to my old address, inviting me back to the service (my mail has been redirected but expires soon). I decided to phone them on the 9th november to reiterate this to them, and John in their Dunfermline office assured me that this would be done straight away. Since then, I have had 3 letters from sky, advertising new products etc. and don't know what else I can do. Is there anything I could quote or threaten them with in a letter, to scare them into taking me off their database? I would try and call them again but it takes so long to speak to someone i'd be quicker to write to them! Cheers LinniLoo

Hi SGX.Saint You are welcome (and fully entitled) to seek a second opinion if you are not satisfised with your treatment, and as your dermatologist has referred you back to your GP, just go and see you GP, explain your predicament and ask to be referred for a second opinion to another hospital. You won't get blacklisted or anything! Your GP should be fine with this, the NHS is now all about patient choice - they'll be luring us in with free sweets soon - patients = money. Let me know if you have any problems and good luck!