BTw re debts to family they said to inclue it but bear in mind that creditors will not accept you unfairly prioritising debts to family above them ie you have to treat it as you would any other debt.

to be honest the advice was pretty genric, least I've got CCCS left to try. I'm sending the CCA's, TBH whatever the legailty it feels somehow like cheating. I borrowed the money and I want to pay it back, I object to the punitive interest though. Good news on the SOA, it doesn't seem to matter whether I include my partner or not the money for debts seems to come out about the same. Given that my goal is to stop (or minimize) interest the plan is thus Write to creditors myself. If this fails go for DMP. If they still won't play ball go for a formal solution, or ignore them until they sell to DCA. I only have a joint account with one bank therefore to the others I can just base it on my income. I have thought long and hard about the relative merits of telling the truth or lying to them. I have come to the conclusion they would screw me if they could, so its best to get my retaliation in first. Thoughts?

I don't care what is in the temrs and conditions HOW can they make a major change to the contract TO THE DETRIMENT OF CUSTOMERS and have customers be bound to it. Has ANYONE tried insisting that they would pay back on the original terms? I can't see how they object since you can't take silence as acceptance of new terms.

Sorry to keep baning on about this but SURELY if they have changed the contract then you are entitled to cancel it and INSIST that the balance is paid off on the terms you agreed to EG the £6 a month for the the person that applied to not the £30/month they will now charge. Re good banks I'm nervous about recommending them, cos there service can be poor (I've mostley managed ok though). Alliance & Leicester were giving away £100 subject to certain usual conditions like minimum amount credited. I have a 0% OD with them but after a year that reverts to £5/month. this is still better than interest I get charged by other so if this offer still about its worth considering if you are often in the O/D. Another word of caution though they are now owned by Santander. I remember the queus out of the door of my local Abbey branch when they changed the computer system, so potential nightmare when they migrate A & L accounts.

Yeah I looked at the budget sheet, but I found it too vague, other ones I've looked at break things down much more. I was concerned that if I include payments to friends and family the banks will think I'm making it up or argue tha I should be paying them less. £10 to specsavers is for my contact lenses, I also obviously need eye tests and glasses now and again. How much is reasonbale to allow for prescriptions (I have asthma so have three types of inhalers, one of which I use all the time other less often). I pay £30 a month to my OD because the interest was £25, now it comes out about £20/month. If I don't in a month or two I would exceed the OD. Council tax is about £67/month. With Virgin I have my phone, tv and broadband, for which I think £34.50 is quite cheap! If I speak to national debtline will they be able to advise me on this? I don't know why I find this so difficult

Well I'd say you need to be chasing up the information commissioners office if you haven't heard anything! I am not sure what to advise re the claim, since you really do need the information which they have not provided. Do you have any idea as to the amount of the charges?

"It would appear that the current 'stay of execution' works one way ie they can take me to court, but any complaints I have against them are 'on hold'." Unfortunately this is EXACTLY the position, which is why with respect, I disagree with some people about the waiver. It is FAR too cosy an arrangement for my liking. Your claim will most likely be stayed but you have to operate on the assumption that it may not and prepare thoroughly. I believe some people have had success in going after the CRA's as they just take whatever the bank tells them for granted.

"As I understand you can't change supplier if you have outstanding debts." That is true but, as this post shows, there are flaws in the system. If, for example, you have a direct debit it place bizarrly it IS often possible to change suppliers since they assume they can take any baance by DD. This is not the case as the customer can cancel it. As I understand it the issue is not so much the balance owed to the current supplier. Depending which company is cheapest there is a good chance the OP owes money to that company and they WILL transfer the balance onto an account if the OP switches to one of those companies. With regards to paying any arrears (having re-read the original post it is unclear if there are any with the current supplier) you need to factor in what you are using as well as any balance otherwise you will always be in debt. Agree with above, debts to companies you no longer use are non-priority, they can't cut you off and they can't forcibly fit a prepayment meter. Speak to any of the organisations mentioned and they will confirm this. Given your circumstances theym adding any collection costs would be futile.

Erm wasn't there something said sometime ago about not making changes to the detriment of customer whilst the case was on going. I believe Lloyds and RBs are open to the same charge.

And I've realized in doing this first draft that there are essential things missed out like card tax and servicing, but I was wondering is it best to tell the whole truth? For example I have a least two sources that state it is reasonable for a couple so spend up to £338 on groceries in a month. That seems a lot to me. We have a joint account with Nwide so I can't see my original intention of saying I have a lodger, or just doing it on my income working. I am really struggling with this and feel very stupid, I can understand many complicated things, so why is something so straight forward so hard???? Any and all help appreciated.

This first one needs a little explanation, long story short my landlord is my ex girlfriends dad, (we were together some 5 years) and we're still on good terms. Plan was for me us to buy the house and rent at £250 till then. The offer is still open (clearly I'll need to tell him at some point there's no way I can buy!). So I borrowed some money from him to clear a joint loan and end a financial association between myself and ex partner. So I've been paying this and rent. This finishes in Dec, so I would have an extra £250 a month then. However the big problem in terms of ever clearing the debt is the amount of interest I am being charged. Interest looks like this HSBC Card around £60/month Halifax £30/month MBNA £75/month HSBC OD1 £21/month HSBC OD2 £2/month Nwide OD1 £19.50 Nwide OD2 £2/month A&L £5/month £214.50/month goes on interest

Ok sorry this has taken so long, I really wanted to be able to do this on the computer and post the results directly but I couldn't see anyway of doing this so here goes with the hard work way. Ok firstly the truth... (until Dec) Income £1020 Rent £250 Total £1270 Total debt Balance Interest HSBC CC £6060 18.9% Halifax CCC £5100 8.9% MBNA £3000 30.35% Nationwide OD £1676 18.9% NNwide OD2 £293.14 18.9% HSBC OD £1459 18.9% HSBC OD 2 £123.76 18.9% A & L OD £1950 £60 per annum Balance owed to family £3600 APR 5% Total debt £23261.90 Rent/Loan £500 HSBC Card £145 MBNA £77 Halifax Card £55 Council Tax £69 Gas £37 Elec £20 Water £23.88 Specsavers £10.00 TV licence £11.95 Virgin Media £34.50 Car insurance£33.73 Payment to £30 OD Shopping £170 Petrol £80 Loan from family £100 Total £1397. Shortfall of £127/month.

I'm betting after considering the claim they will say no. Just a wild shot in the dark

"just spoke to my bank this morning is it right that they carry on adding charges untill this court case" I believe any reasonable person would say it is not, but this is a bank we're talking to (I have decided to refer to Nationwide as a bank as it acts as such). They will continue to add charges and interest, and there's not a lot we can do about it. Such is the magic of the cosy little deal the banks have entered into with the powers that be. If, as ALL banks literature states, they take complaints seriously then you would've thought they would look at your individual complaint. Instead they are happy to pile on the charges, even when the legality of those very charges is being challenged. Putting it another way would the test case have lasted this long if there weren't grounds to challenge the charges???? Your next decision/action after putting the in above mentioned disputes is to consider what you want to do about DCA's and CRA's. The bank WILL put information on your credit file. Personally I would challenge this out of principle, it just seems wrong to me they can make such entries when the amount is clearly in dispute. But its your call, I'm sure you'll find help on CAG whatver your course of action.

"We'll give you all the training you need so financial services experience isn't a must. Much more important are sales and customer service skills, plenty of self-motivation and the ability to get on with all sorts of people.” This is exactly the problem, it means if you have an enquiry about an older product its pot luck if you get someone who knows the answer. If they've been there a while you might get lucky, if not well best of luck. Whether or not the advert was withdrawn is not important, what matters is the wording IS what they are looking for. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to whether the decline in thier service is in anyway linked

"Tell Halifax in writing that you do not accept those new T&Cs and will no longer be using the account, but can not afford to pay off your o/d before closing it, and ask that they keep on running it under current T&Cs whilst you pay it off, the way credit cards have been doing." I can't see any reason why we can't do this, I know bank account are not the same as credit cards; but it seems to me this is a fundamental change to the contract they are making. Furthermore I simply don't think they should be allowed to get away with it. It sounds great we're no longer charging interest, but effectively they ARE charging a much higher rate of interest. I spotted one line in the booklet saying you may be charge more, I would wager the majority of people who use thier overdraft will pay more. If some kind of boycott can be organized that's the only way they will have a re-think. With reference to savings even without these charges you would be better off paying off the OD. Most overdraft rates these days are punishing and savings rates a derisory. Depends on your individual circumstances of course but as a general principle it is correct.

"Why do you think minimum payments on credit card are barely cover interest? Is it because they want to make it easier for debtors so service the debt? WRONG!!! It is because they want to keep debtor being debtor as long as possible." Which is fine in good times but, as we are seeing now, more and more people are struggling and the non-prority debt payments are the first to go. So the banks increase the interest (which was already very high) to reflect the risk. This pushes more people over the brink...

"Surely something can be done?" I don't think there is. You can complain but with the Waiver I don't hold out much hope I am afraid. Damage limitation is there not a friend or relative you could borrow money from to tide you over?

If no other bill has been issued then the difference can only be to do with collections costs, but they still should send you a breakdown. Plus it seems very harsh to add any costs when they know where you are and only a month or two has expired. Was the bill for £12 clearly marked as a final bill? I only ask because often they overlap, and many times you get a bill issued on a certain date which does not actually bill to that date.

Or it could be that the amount of £12 was left over from a recent bill and the final bill was not in fact issued. Many people assume changing supplier is instant but it takes at least 28 days. However its most likely the above post by nottslad is correct. Nevermind the reminder they should've issued another bill if the amount is any different.

nottslad is right its a few hundred quid, and the fact it even goes to Ombudsmen (aside from the fact they may take NPower to task) means it will go the thier most senior people. IE there is a team that only deals with complaints which have gone to the Obudsmen. This is usually the biggest problem with any vast corporation - getting the issue in front of someone who actually has the authority to do something about it.

"As for not having an overdraft you were told when you opened that the facility was available." No, it does not matter what you say the account can and does go overdrawn. Unless you have a savings account you CANNOT be guaranteed that an overdraft will not magically appear. I am disappointed in the recent OFT report that they did not force the banks to invoice seperately for thier charges. If they are indeed 'service charges' then that is only fair.

I presume this was a direct debit since a standing order is a payment you request to be sent ad DD is claimed by the company... Where were the statements going in this period? What were the payments for? Should they have been debited???? Welcome to the world of ridiculous bank charges, did the transactions cost them that much? No Did they cost them anything? Impossible to say since they won't tell us, I'm guessing any costs are minimal. Conclusion... You've been fleeced like the rest of us, get a claim in, join the queue and hope the OFT doesn't let us down.

"You really need to be careful if you're financially linked in this way." This is true and leaves me a little bit stuck, if I remove the name from the joint account will this solve the issue? BTW I'm putting the two or three permutations of my SOA up on this Sat. I am just going to put down basic salary, no overtime no bonus, in the same manner I would if applying for a mortgage (ha ha that's not going to be any time soon!!!). I'd be obliged if you helpful folks were able to take a look

"This would only be true on assumption that the creditors are acting in your best interest. In reality nothing can be further from the truth. They pursue their own interests only which are usually complete opposite to interests of the debtor." Respectfully I disagree, in acting the way they do the banks are not helping peole in debt at all (the opposite of what thier literature and the banking code states). Worse than that they are NOT acting in thier own best interest. As per post above if people go for and IVA or bankruptcy the banks won't even get the money they lent back, see where I am coming from. It appears they are acting in a selfish manner but they are not being properly selfish. BTW Whilst the CAB does get charitable donations from the bank they are supposed to act in the best interests of the client. Any good advisor will tell you that.