Subbing! Great thread and just the sort of information I am looking for at this time! I'm assuming the answer is probably no but can you offer F&FS when you have CCJs?

Thanks for the response - much appreciated! I shall ignore. If I receive any more from them I shall send them a nice(ish) letter full of big words!

Hopefully am in the right section for this question (hello all not been here for a while ) We have a couple of CCJs - probably around 9-10 months old. Recently had a letter from the solicitors/collectors we are paying the CCJ payments to saying ' you have have been paying this for quite some time and we now require you to complete outgoings form etc etc so we can review your payments and increase them blah de blah and if you dont we can apply to the court to increase your payments... Obviously I am paraphrasing but can they do that? I have been paying from day 1 on time every month. I have ignored them for now but just want a heads up. My sensible head is telling me the courts would take a dim view of them taking up their time trying to extract an extra few quid out of me when they have made their judgement and it isnt even a year on...?

Aggghhhhhhhhhhh not been on here in ages. But I too have just returned home to this lovely letter and without wanting to lower the tone here but WTF!!! How on earth can they get away with this? I ran away from Barclays to the seemingly warm open arms of the Halifax and then BANG. It must be illegal somehow surely?? It is an ARRANGED overdraft Also they say ' from 6th December 2009 we'll no longer be paying the 0.1% AER/Gross Credit interest we pay you on the balance in your account, or charging you debit interest on any overdraft you use... blah blah blah My point is...we'll no longer be paying the 0.1% AER/Gross Credit interest we pay you on the balance in your account Does this mean they WILL pay me £1 per day everyday my balance is in CREDIT?? I dont think so! Grrrr Winkers! Replace the letter 'i' with any letter you see fit. If you produce a template letter for the OFT I will duly sign and send it off. I am seriously beginning to wonder (possibly a bit too hopefully) that it is looking more and more like the banks will lose the test case and they are desperately trying to shore up their funds in advance.

Sorry for not coming back sooner - I have had internet problems at home etc and I just suddenly remembered. It is/was indeed a [problem]. Thankfully no harm done and quick call to them cancelled cards etc and none of the details had been used. As far as I know no paperwork has been sent out in the meantime either. Surely if they did send stuff out then the [problematic] are traceable via a return address? Ah well. As I havent had my home phone plugged in for months IM unlikely to recieve such a call

Now I am at work at the moment and not sure if this is just a [problem] or not. My In laws have recieved a call today saying they are from Barclays and that they are owed around £400 in charges!! Now I havent had chance to find out if they were asked any details (for [causing problems] purposes) however they were told they would send them a form out that they need to fill in and send back. ???? Now question 1) if it IS barclays... why are they offering?? My inlaws have not claimed! Is something happening in the background that is making them pay up? A point I ought to make is they are both on benefits. Is there something in the legalitys of taking charges from benefits per social security act so they are taking the lead and paying up? question 2) where are my charges??? Lol No seriously - if it IS barclays then wow. If not then it is either a phone [EDIT] to get card details OR one of these Claims firms conning people into making the charges claims but paying them a fee for doing it. Mmmm cant wait to get home and find out more! ps. in the meantime they are finding their telephone banking passwords and will ring Barclays to check not [problem]. Appreciate your views.

Genius!! What about sending a drawing of some money?? Will that work?

If we could afford it - I would let the money build up in the account - and leave it sitting there.... taunting them They really are terrible though!

Go for it! I got legaly bits from here anyway I just added the further mores

I'm no expert but I have floated around this site for a long while now and the advice here is second to none. I think everyone will advise you first and foremost to list your debts here so people can advise. List Credit cards - who with, how much , how old (how long have you been with them) Loans - as above - detail secured and unsecured. Hire purchase? Your priorities are council tax, Utilities and food - everyone else can whistle until you have sorted those. There is light at the end of the tunnel - stick around here and you will feel empowered to take these debts on - believe me. List the debts - no one will be judgemental at all - no one will ask how/why you got into debt but those in the know will need to see/understand to be able to advice you correctly. Good luck - we are all in this together and dare I say it - we are slowley winning!

]I'll post in the right place this time - I want to say I had a result on getting the money back the bank swiped, thanks to the advice on here. Thank you!! My thread in wrong place here! [url=http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/176269-help-ref-getting-some.html]http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/176269-help-ref-getting-some.html[/url

Result Checked my account this afternoon and the money is back and the charges incurred refunded! Thank you very much guys! Love this site:D

Thanks!! After reading further I hashed myself a letter together. Due to ilness couldnt send until today. I have given them 7 days... here's hoping! Copy letter below if anyone interested. Dear x I discovered on Friday on receipt of your letter dated 2nd January 2009 that you have taken £x directly from my current account. The purpose of this letter is as follows; Without prior warning and without obtaining my permission this money was taken from benefits received from the HMR&C, such payments are clearly marked as originating from Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits. These are the only credits made to this accountIt is illegal for you to appropriate such benefits, and as such I am demanding an immediate refund of this money as it is required to pay for essentials such as childcare, clothing, nappies etc for my toddler son. I refer you to the Social Security Act below: Social Security Administration Act 1992 187 - Subject to the provisions of this Act, every assignment of, or charge on (a)benefit as defined in section 122 of the Contributions and Benefits Act; (b)any income-related benefit; or ©child benefit, and every agreement to assign or charge such benefit shall be void; and, on the bankruptcy of the beneficiary, such benefit shall not pass to any trustee or other person acting on behalf of his creditors Furthermore, you took the sum of £x from my account whilst there was only a balance of £x This caused me to be £x overdrawn and into the reserve overdraft . I have incurred reserve usage fees to my knowledge to date as follows: 30/12/2008* Reserve Fee £22.00 07/01/2009 Reserve Fee £22.00 Note your letter states you were taking the money on 2nd January, however my bank statement shows that you took the money on 29th December 2008. I ask that you return this money to my account immediately and arrange for the bank charges incurred (and any that will occur in the meantime) to be refunded also. Please respond to this letter within 7 days confirming that the money and charges incurred have been returned to my account. I copied the letter and their letter/bank statement to them and to my local barclays branch for their info on the charges incurred and made a point that I have retained a copy for 'further action if necessary'.

bumping - sorry I hope to contact them today to try and get my money back.

Hi All Not been on in a while. I have a quick question - Im sure there is a full answer here somewhere but I cant find it. I jumped ship from Barclays to a parachute account a while ago - however - I still have one account with them that is (was) still in the black and my Child Benefit and child tax credits gets paid into them. So far - Barclays (current accounts) have never touched this or tried to take money to pay overdrafts on other accounts. I assumed they they didnt as they know full well that the only money paid in is the above benefits. On 29th December - Barclays Debt management took £243 out of that account to pay into my loan account (as I hadnt paid it!). There was only £91 in the account and and this took me £1.64 over my overdraft allowance and hey presto.... £22 charges now added left right and centre. Am I right in thinking I can tell them to give me my money back right now as it is benefits? And also tell them to pay back the charges that THEY made me incurr because of it? I wasnt aware of any of this until today - bank statement came and letter saying they had taken my money dated 2nd Jan. No prior warning. Any advice on a strongly worded letter? I NEED this morning to buy my car tax at the end of the month Is it the Social Security Administration Act 1992 I need to quote? Also the right of appropriation letter doesnt seem right either. Please help. Thanks all

Oh my goodness. Please please don't feel that way. I know it seems like absolute hell but there really is a way out and the rope isnt it. I'm on here today (first time for a while) for a little boost as just found out my husband may be made redundant soon. We are already up **** creek as it is so will probably lose everything come January. But you know what... there are many people on here who can help. That's why I'm here. Just talking and seeing that other people are also in the same boat does help no end. And although I am a little teary at our news today - I have said to my husband - it doesn't matter. We have eachother and we have our son. Everything else is just stuff. Please don't remove yourself from your family. They love you and would rather have nothing than not have you. Please take care and talk to your family.

Whoops thanks - I will bookmark for future. I'm sending my letter off today anyway. I will be keeping records now - but obviously when Im not at home Ive no idea how many times they have called but when I am in - it is none stop. They called at 8.58 last night.

Well I'm back after a short break of back to burying my head in the sand. Why oh why am I so stupid??? Anyway - I don't expect any of you to answer that question although you may if you wish. Anyway - I was getting a bit sick of chewing sand so I have motivated myself (again) to sort the debts out and tackle the problems head on. I have a question about Barclays although probably applies to many banks maybe? We hot footed it to another account at the end of August to ensure we could eat and pay the mortage. Basicially we have left 3 accounts - one joint and hubby and I both have an account in each of our names. Hubbys and joint both have huge overdrafts and are getting hammered by charges so the negative balances are rising. Oh and a joint loan with Barclays that we have currently stopped paying but thats another story. My questions are this: why is the bank only harrasing ME by phone hundreds of times a day (yes I know harrassment letter will be in post tomorrow I promise) including at my work. We have only recieved phone calls and letters ref the joint loan and joint bank account. But calls are for Me and me only same as letters. Hubbys own account also hugely overdrawn (way over the 'buffer'). Yet nothing - no calls, letters - zilch. Hubby thinks it is cos I am female and they think I will be easier to bully into paying my food money to them. I just sort of want to know what their game is really so I'm not wrong footed by them. Do you think they will give up on me and start on hubby soon?

3rd phone call this morning. Had fun with the guy asking how my situation was any different from yesterday or the day before that and that I offered a nominal payment and that you rejected etc etc. He isnt authorised to take my number off the auto dialler...poor boy. He also couldnt understand why I wanted a copy of the recorded phone call and really struggled to explain to me why I couldnt have a copy of it. Kept em on the phone for a good 12 minutes It was Collections in Manchester - they didnt give another name. It's for an unsecured loan account - I'm 1 month in arrears although I warned them in advance that I would be and offered nominal payment for the next few months and that full payments resume January. They said no so they didnt get anything. Wont be long before start getting chased for current accounts though. Huge overdrafts and rising now they have put that new stupid reserve in place. No money going in accounts now either. Barclays yesterday when they called said they could take payment from my current account which is showing a balance. It was in overdraft the silly monkeys so they would be paying themselves! Anyway - I took the guys full name. I might call back and ask for him then ask his date of birth for security reasons. Please can I thank this site (again) for giving me the confidence to stand up to these people and actually have a laugh about it. I am not trying to avoid debt but I wont let them bully me.

Can I class 1 call to my home (last night) and 1 call to my work (just now) telephone harrassment? Last night I told Barclays that I would not discuss anything over the phone with them - written only and they told me they would keep phoning and that they couldnt stop the phone calls unless I sorted it out over the phone. I told them it was telephone harrassment. They told me that the law allows them to do this!! ha ha ha I asked what part of the law is that then? Barclays... huh? Me: Which part of the law allows you to harrass me by telephone when I ask you not to? Barclays... umm that's just a statement we have been given to read out. Me: I am well aware of the law lady and you are incorrect. I was ridiculously excited after that phone call - I felt like the battle had begun. So is it too soon to send harrassment letter? Or shall I let them waste their time a bit more. Am naffed off they phoned my work number though

Thanks for the advice -I suppose a letter couldnt hurt. Just wished I knew what he was planning on doing in advance so I could have warned him NO NO NO NO NO!! Cheers guys

Could anyone help with a sample letter template to Yes Loans. Just found out my BIL paid £59.50 to them to apply for a loan he didnt get. This is ridiculous as they claim to guarantee a loan. I'm sure there is something dodgy about this and that he can reclaim it. He is currently jobless and incomless so he desperately needs this back. Thanks in advance.

How awful is that?!? Surely unless you have recieved a letter from the bank saying they were withdrawing your overdraft facility then they cant just do that?? There has to be some law surely..?

Barclays usually return the cheque anyway don't they? Or they certainly did when I SAR'd them last year! Maybe they are feeling a bit strapped for cash?

So now what? I sent them the above (2nd) letter - again by recorded delivery. Delivered and signed for. Still absolutely NOTHING in response. What riles me more than anything is the ignorance. I'd rather they write me back and say 'not a bl***y chance' than just totally ignore me. Meanwhile - mortgage co. has reapplied for the payment. Rejected again today so another £35 charge from Barclays. Also - they have so far allowed every single other Direct Debit to leave my account and not the single most important one... despite my listing it as the number one priority in my original letter! Surely (in my sensible reasoned opinion) if they were going to refuse then they should refuse EVERY SINGLE DD that was due out of my account the second I hit the overdraft limit? How (very) DARE they! Anyway - I'm wondering if I should go through their complaints dept about this? What do you think?