Has anybody turned the situation around and visited the DCA's at their offices?

Hi, Does anyone know if there is a cap on what a utility company can take from JSA? EDF are taking £3.55 per week for arrears from my JSA at source plus $9.50 for current usage. So out of £71 per week JSA, EDF are taking £13.05. Thanks in advance. Terry

Hi. Hope to make this post as succinct as possible. Thank you for reading and helping. 1.My Union's solicitors wrote to me saying they were taking my case (RSI back-strain from work), but according to the same letter, I am outside the statute for an action as I (not my GP) realised my pain was work-related in 2006 and they say it has to fall within 3 years. Solicitors knew this was the situation - they have my letter of grievance to my HR from 2007, so I don't know why they bothered to say they'd take on the case. 2. My workplace HR did make some noises about making an 'amicable parting of the ways' if first my GP report then their Occupational Health report, concluded it wasn't likely I'd be able to return to work soon enough (been off since Feb). I sent them my GP report last week and I have left numerous emails and phone messages to the HR person but got not a word in reply. She has never done this before. Whassup, d'you think? 3. If I'm too late for legal recourse, could I/my Union negotiate a leaving package anyway, d'you think? Or will they smell that I'm screwed legally if I try? I have just done the ATOS medical and am so screwed as regards employment and money. I do not want to live on benefits so: 4. I was even thinking of just doing Saturday nights at work; I'd get HB and Council T bens and maybe medicine help, but wouldn't have to deal with other benefit groups. That would be my last resort, because I'm terrified my back will get worse. I'd be able to rest up a lot afterwards, though. Sat night is the unpopular shift, of course, so my workmates would fall on me with a glad cry, but not sure employers would wear it. Thing is, I don't want to go through all the other negotiations, lose, and then rely on them being accommodating enough to agree to my last resort. Left a message with the solicitors and my union but neither has got back to me, so I'm appealing for any wisdom from you guys!

I'm privately renting a flat and last week my boiler broke leaving me with no hot water and no heating. I let the landlord know on Thursday 1/11/12 and he booked a plumber who came on Monday 5/11/12. The plumber filled out a gas safety certificate and said that the boiler needs a new pressure switch. The landlord says he has ordered the pressure switch and will have it fitted towards the end of next week. Would it be unreasonable to ask to have it done sooner as by then I will have been without either heating or hot water for 2 weeks. I've had to wash by boiling the kettle and filling up the sink but it's getting cold and I have long hair that's very difficult to wash in the sink.

Hey guys, I hope everybody is well. I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. I recently opened a savings account with Barclays and initially deposited an amount of 2100 to start it off. I was told that my card and PIN would arrive within a week. Anyway after about 2 weeks, I remembered and noticed that I still had not received either my card or my PIN number - I didn't think nothing of it obviously assuming that my money was safe and that they'd simply forgotten to send it. So, I called up Barclays and was put through to one of their staff and explained the situation. He told me, "Yes, you're right it appears the card hasn't been sent on our system" and asked me to go on hold. Which I did...for 25 minutes! So I got fed up and hung up. I tried once more and got through to a lady who apologised for me being on hold....and put me on hold! Again, another 20 minutes later so I hung up and thought forget it, I'll call again another time. Called again 2 days later and got through to somebody and explained the problem. This time I was put on hold briefly and when the gentleman returned, told me that transactions had been made everyday until my account was emptied of the 2100 pounds!! He gave me locations and times that were all over the place! We established it couldn't have been me as I was working around 60-72 hours per week around that time and straight after work would hit the gym in a location nowhere near where the transactions took place. Anyway, he apologised for the inconvenience and said that he was refunding the money but I'd need to fill out a form or they would take the refund back. He was a nice guy and although distressed I was happy with how he handled it. Anyway, I thought that was the end of it..Not so. I got a letter yesterday saying that they were holding me liable and that the money would be taken back in 7 days!! This wasn't explained to me at all by the man on the phone and I just assumed this was the end of it! They said the card and PIN were used together and therefore it implicates me. Also that I didn't report the card for 2 weeks. (That is insane! I was working 60-72 hours a week and then going to the gym! The card wasn't even on my mind as I assumed my savings money was safe) I looked at the FSA guidelines and what they're doing is basically wrong. They have zero evidence against me while I have every piece of evidence that it wasn't me! Also, the worst part is that since then my friends have decided on a holiday to Vegas and I thought why not, I didn't have money to afford it so I used most of the money from my savings account to book it and NOW Barclays are saying they are taking my money and if there is nothing in there that I will become overdrawn and incur fees! This is totally ridiculous and I feel so stressed. This is going to affect my credit and everything if this happens. How do they get away with this? Is there anything that I can do? I have already written them a stern letter with all evidence and how they have given me no evidence at all. Reading stories of the Ombudsman doesn't give me faith either. How should I proceed after sending this letter? Thanks a bunch for this

Hi, I'm currently claiming Income-Based JSA and receiving £71 per week. I am considering taking in a lodger under the Rent a Room Scheme. The rent would be £85 per week. How would that affect my benefit? At present I'm not liable for Council Tax either would that be affected? Any replies would be appreciated. Thanks Terry

i wonder if anyone can give me any advice, sorry if this is he wrong place. i left my abusive ex as he made my life hell. he's now got a judgment in default against me for bills and a loan that are all in his name he says i agreed to pay half. i have received a bit of legal aid but am basically told to get the judgment set aside i need to go and face him in court and put mys side across. while this sounds straight forward i am terrified and its keeping me awake at night. i left our home with a carrier bag of stuff. i never went to the police about the abuse but its documented on my medical records. btw i only found the judgement on checking public records after a problem with credit. thanks for any advice in advance.

I had two outstanding parking tickets. bailiffs then removed my vehicle and it was taken to storage. i was informed that i had to pay £713.54 in order to collect my car i was also advised by the bailiffs that if i did not have the outstanding amount i can hand over the keys to the vehicle and that the vehicle would be sold to cover my debt as my car was valued above the outstanding amount which was due. so i did just that i handed over the keys and the vehicle's V5, to cover the debt also after i handed in the keys no documentation was provided that i handed over my vehicle to them. Two weeks later i received a letter from the same ballifs, stating that i owe them £215.00 for a second outstanding parking tickets, i called and was told that i had seven days to pay and that if i don't a bailiff will be attending my home to repossess my belongs to cover the debt. I then informed them i don't have the money but i can pay in instalments, which was declined. They also informed me that my car has still not been sold and it is still in the compound, which is therefore occurring more daily charges. I therefore seeked some advice and was told i can take them to court and have my vehicle sent back to me and i can reclaim my money for court fees and compensation, because i was bullied into handing over my vehicle. Please is there anybody who knows how the system works in terms or taking bailiffs to court and reclaiming back my vehicle.

many moons ago I had a problem with NatWest and a payday loan they had paid despite me cancelling the debit card. after an initial complaint they reversed the payment but a few weeks later they re did the payment or should I say payments as they were taken in 7 chunks of £100. Anyway I went through their complaints procedure with no joy then the FOS who just rubber stamped their decision and thought that was that as i could not pay anything back at the time the account had massive charges and went into default. Just a few days ago i saw this BBC article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19598492 -which should probably grace the CAG front page as i bet it would be useful to a few cagers- which explicitly states that the banks cannot just make a payment to a payday loan company or anyone else against my will and how the banks are unsurprisingly still ignoring the law on this. Anyway as I now realise that the bank was wrong and the FOS was wrong i was wondering how i go about taking them to court. Would it be simply a case of taking them to small claims to get the money and charges refunded so that the default would be taken off?

I received a letter on Friday 14.09.12 informing me that DVLA are taking me to court. On 07.01.12 I part exchanged a car which had a private registration on it. I paid the garage money to transfer this on to a retention certificate for me. I received a letter from DVLA a week later confirming I was no longer the registered keeper of the part exchanged vehicle. On the 19.09.11 I moved house and changed the address on my driving licence about a week later. All the corospondance from DVLA was sent to my old address so things have been held up as I only visit my old address every few months to pick up any mail that may have been delivered there for me. The summons I have received from DVLA is for a registration mark that may have been origanally on the car that I part exchanged before I put the private registration on (about 8 years ago so I really can't remember what the original registration number was), although the make and model are the same as the car that got part exchanged. DVLA are saying that because I haven't re-registered the vehicle they are taking me to court. I have contacted the garage with whom took my car as part exchange and as yet they haven't returned my calls. Am I really responsible for re-registering the vehcle even though the garage own the car and i have a letter from DVLA saying I am no longer the registered keeper?

i am disgusted in the way you have acted after i had a claim with my car you have told me that my car is valued at £2500 then minus a £290 exess then minus £1282.12 yearly premium which leaves me with £927.88. i think this is an outrage and i demand an answer and my money what would happen in a case that i don't want to drive a car again do you get this money for doing nothing then???

My wife had decided to take the state pension early, she reached 60 in May. As a result we lost my pension credit award, and our working tax credit was reduced by £30 The problem is further accentuated by the fact my wifes earnings will drop from last year when she goes back to school in September. Is there any way of assessing which option is best. My wife has spoken to the pension service and they were of no use at all, apart from suggesting if she wanted too she could change back

I have just found out that banks are not meant to take benefit money to pay bank charges. We are charged around £25 a month for the interest on are overdraft would i be able to claim that back? My nan had a bank account with natwest for years which my mum helped to deal with but when my mum died my nan put me as a named person on the account, then about 8 years ago my nan put me as a joint account holder on the account. My nan died on the 11th of september 2006 and i wrote to natwest and said that i would like to keep the account and took on the responsibility of the £1,800 overdraft which was to the max as i had used it to pay a months rent in advance and a deposit. Since then i have lost count of how many times they have charged us for being over the over draft, not having enough funds to pay a direct debit and letters, and like i said we have been charged around £25 a month since 2004 for the over draft interest charges. For all those years i was receiving income support and housing benefit in to the account until i was transferred over to income related ESA with the support component this year, i also receive DLA so any monies the bank have taken have been from either housing benefit, esa or dla. What i would like to know please is can i request the bank to refund all the bank charges that they have taken since my nan died in 2006? and can i request the bank refund the over draft charges since 2006? Also has the bank take a over draft interest charge each month can i stop them from taking that or would i have to be left with no money so it has to cause hardship to be able to claim it back? Thanks

Not sure if this is the correct forum, or if this question is suitable for CAG at all really, I think it's consumer related, but apologies if I have got it wrong. I recently attended the Olympic Torch event in Lincoln, it was a free event but required tickets, the tickets stated 'no alcohol or picnicks'. However when we got there I was hauled aside when a 'bouncer' spotted my co-op bag and claimed he was giving me a 'random bag check' (it was obvious I was targeted due to the bag). He took a look inside and stated that no food was allowed on the field and that I had to move to the side and consume it there and then or not be allowed in. What followed was a quite predictable arguement from the jobsworth who couldn't provide any better answer than 'because it's not allowed'. But, there were food stalls all around the field! So, people were being stopped from taking food in presumably so that the stalls would get more custom. The field is owned by Lincoln City Council, and I wonder if someone could tell me if these people had any right to do this?

hi all i am desperate i have gone to my car this morning to take kids to school to find my car has been clamped i called the number on the big red and white sticker and spoke to a balliff he said it was for unpaid parking fine from december i need some help i had no knoweledge of this no letters can they do this he didnt even knock on the door help please......

Hey guys, To cut a long story short, I rent a flat, which is a nightmare to live in. It has no central heating, the cooker trips the electric if you tunr more than one ring on and has given me more than one electric shock. The shower is broken. The sink is leaking. The fire alarm doenst work. and I'm struggling for money - so four month ago i decided, its either keep paying him for this pig sty, or feed me and my wife. So i stopped paying. Then on the 10th may i recieved this letter from him, Mr (spelt my name wrong right away_ Re: NOTICE TO QUIT As you are aware, your rental has fallen considerably in arrears in breach of your tenancy agreement, and I am therefore giving you notice to quit. If I do not receive a response from you within the next seven days, with your payment in respect of the outstanding rents, I will assume that you are no longer a tenant and please let me have a forwarding address in addition to you vacating the flat I will also need you to make arrangements to pay off the arrears. I will also need you to make arrangements for the return of the keys. Yours sincerely --- I straight away phoned the council, they told me that its illeagal to evict without 8 weeks notice - so I sent the landlord a letter telling him this - May 10, 2012 – REF:PR/BB NOTICE TO QUIT To Mr , As you aware I have not been able to make rent, however, you are required by law to give me two months notice prior to eviction. I have confirmed this with Gwynedd Council. If any attempt to evict myself prior to the lawful timeframe is made the police will be called, and I will take this to court. Please note the relevant statue below. Housing Act 1988. SECTION 21 POSSESSION. Where the tenancy is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (informally just called a Shorthold tenancy) the landlord can evict the tenant under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. The landlord must comply with each of the following requirements, and the tenant has a valid defense to the claim if the landlord does not do so. Firstly, the landlord must give the tenant written notice under section 21 of the Act, ending the tenancy. If the rent is paid weekly or monthly, which is the usual arrangement, the tenant must be given not less than *two months* notice to leave. You could be charged with Criminal Offenses if you don’t follow this statute. Without Prejudice, **** His reply, Dear Mr I was very disappointing to receive your letter and note its contents, and i am disappointed indeed that you are making no effort whatsoever to pay your rent. This being the case, please note that I have immediately entered my claim in respect to your outstanding rent. and you should hear from them very shortly. Rest assured, in view of your attitude, that I will do my utmost to collect the outstanding rent. In accordance with the Housing Act 1988, section 21 you refer to, I formally give you two months written notice terminating your tenancy. I note that you contacted the Council, and I also have been in touch with them, and I will be able to establish if you have been receiving housing benefit in respect of your rental and not passing the monies over to myself. Yours truly, ---- So now i have received papers from the court which are very confusing saying i have to pay the 1250 rent plus court fees. Im really struggling here, please advice ! thankyou I have removed personal identity for you own safety. Conniff