Capstone/Preferred/SMPL or whatever they're called now

[Leo1]

Has anyone managed to claim back charges from these?

[midge61]

Hi

 

I have just had some refunded via a complaint made to the FOS. My complaint was not initially about charges but they did come into it.

 

I have also had another complaint against another company settled today via the FOS but they have only agreed to refund half of the charges but with interest and compo for distress will still be a tidy sum.

 

If you go via the FOS they look at whether you were treated fairly and whether the company could of done more to help rather than just pile on the charges. So if you can show that they were not being fair or they made some sort of admin error (most likely in case of Capstone) you may be able to get somewhere.

[Leo1]

Has anyone successfully claimed back arrears fees/late payment charges etc from these numptys?

 

I reckon they owe me quite a sum in late payment fees as I get paid four weekly rather than monthly and they refuse to alter my mortgage payment date so I get charged £25 late payment every time

[flower2]

Yep. I am in the process. I have received over £600 back, not as much as I wanted but better than nothing. Used the FOS who have been very helpful. They offered more & paid less so I have gone back to the FOS. Capstone say they made a mistake, but they offered more so I am going to make there life hell they have made mine hell. If I made a mistake it would different.

 

Write to them asking for the charges refunded they won't give you them. Make sure you send recorded delivery as you will need proof you have written to them chances are they will avoid the question. They will fight but stick it out I rejected the 1st offer from Capstone & got a better one.

 

GOOD LUCK

[Leo1]

Thanks for your reply! I can see a glimmer of hope!

 

Did you do the usual Subject Access Request and use the template letters?

[flower2]

No, I originally wrote to them asking them to freeze the litigation fees they were apply each month as they were adding more than I was paying in arrears therefore only going backwards. Thay have been frozen for the time being, it's was FOS that claimed back the other charges. If they had done as I asked in the first place it wouldn't cost them as much.

 

I would write to them asking for a change in payment date if you haven't already done so. Make sure you ask for a reply in writing, within a time scale I only gave them 7 days from receipt of the letter. You can check when it was received on the POst Office web site.

 

Once they reply with a refusal either telephone the FOS which is what I did or down load a claim form from the FOS web site.

 

Anyhing else I can help with please ask. I really want to see these people taken to the cleaners, so the more people claim the more chance of seeing it happen.

[ihatemybank]

I'm currently at the litigation stage as I missed the opportunity to escalate to FOS. You should check your contract though as mine states that they will "only charge fees to the extent that has incurred costs". If they change that and say that and say they are part of the remuneration this surely is contract misrepresentation and in any event you signed up to those terms.

[Leo1]

Well, i've finally received my details back and i'm now ready to take the next step. Can I use the usual Bank Charges template letter?

[indistress]

Hi

 

I currenty have a mortgage with preffered/capstone and I have been in arrears coming up to 3 years now. I would like to claim th charges back, but wouldnt know where to start, if someone could point me in the right direction in what type of letter and information is required it be much appreciated. It be nice to actually pay off my arrears with the money, and also ho long does it take to process. Cheers

[Leo1]

So has anyone had any luck claiming back charges from this lot?!

[Leo1]

Hi all

 

I recently wrote to Acenden as they have charged me over 2k in fees/charges etcs, yesterday i finally received a response stating it's basically my own fault for not paying on time, but they are willing to reimburse me £50 compensation!

 

Is this an admission of guilt? Could somebody please advise me on the next step?

 

Thanks in advance.

[gazhodge1981]

Could we have some more details please on the debt?

How you got it?

[dx100uk]

Hi all

 

I recently wrote to Acenden as they have charged me over 2k in fees/charges etcs, yesterday i finally received a response stating it's basically my own fault for not paying on time, but they are willing to reimburse me £50 compensation!

 

Is this an admission of guilt? Could somebody please advise me on the next step?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

as where the hell the rest of the PENALTY charges reclaim is!!

 

dx

[Leo1]

I am a single person struggling to get by, they were incredibly unhelpful - refusing to change my payment date, sending round field agents that i did not want for 100 quid a pop, charging me buildings insurance cancellation fee every year even though i tell them every year i have my own ....

 

Just sick to the back teeth of them, unsure what to say to them next?

[dx100uk]

well reclaim that too!!

 

dx

[Sappho54]

If the £50 compensation - without removing any of their ludicrous charges - is their final offer you are now free to take the case to the FSO. The FSO MAY agree that if you are given a late arrears payment because you were late with one payment, then they were wrong to put it on AGAIN the next month if you were on time with the next payment just because you didn't pay off the late arrears charge. You might get back most of your charges. The FSO seem to understand it is is unfair to put charges on failure to pay off charges.

 

Do you have your statements? If so, you need to itemise all charges you think are unfair. Others on this forum may disagree but I don't think its worth saying each charge is too high. They are, of course, but the FSO does not seem capable of saying so. Your best argument is to say this charge should not have been placed on the account.

 

I have been successful in reclaiming £2000 worth of charges, but it has taken a year to do so.

[mustard7]

I recieved a a similar letter from them initially. They were willing to pay £140 as a gesture of goodwill.I simply wrote back one more time and asked them to send a breakdown of their charges and why they had charged so much.I didnt get a reply to that question but I did get an improved offer of just over £1000I regret it now, but I accepted it. I have no more rights to reclaim any more charges from them as this was built into the acceptrance of their offer.The main problem really is knowing what you can and cannot claim for. I played ignorant and tried to claim every 'charge' added to my account (approx 5k in total)I would send one more letter asking them to justify their charges. List each one and see what response you get.

[Leo1]

Thanks guys! I have responded asking them to break down their charges. I am especially fuming about the Insurance charges, why should I be penalised for having my own buildings insurance - which I provide proof of to them every year

 

If I don't get a satisfactory reply this time I shall enter the FSO route. I shall keep you all updated!