Urgent Help For A Disabled Man Can You Assist Me Please

[missbling]

I am a carer for a disabled man who suffers from Parkinsons Disease. 3 years ago he took out a loan with HSBC for £19,000 he took out income protection insurance with the loan as he was working. A year later he contracted Parkinsons Disease and had to give up work. He struggled to pay back the loan. I went with him to the HSBC on several occassions and they said each time he did not have income protection even though he kept on saying he did. The Branch Manager did not want to know. She later left. I kept asking the bank to lower his repayments as they were taking his benefit money each month to pay for the loan and he did not have enough to live on. They said no. He has struggled to pay the loan going without heating and food for nearly 18 months. They continually harrassed him day in day out from call centres for the money he was so ill he kept paying them.

 

Jnaury 2010 I wheeled the gentlemen into the Bank, his cash card was taken from him. I demanded to see the manager who was away. I saw the deputy manager who looked at the loan and said oh Gosh yes you do have income protection insurance you should have claimed on it. I explained that I had had lots of meetings with Mr Carter years ago and we were assured by that Manager that it was not in force. The Deputy said oh she committed suicide the job was too much for her, no one knew what she was doing,.

 

I have for the past 2 month being calling and writing to everyone. They are holding the Disabled Mans benefit money they wont give it back to him. I threatened to contact the local newspapers. The man clearly had income protection, the bank gave him wrongful information they took his money for years, now they have held his account with his money preventing him doing anything.,

 

Then we got a call the Area Manager was angry I had complained and wanted the gentleman I care for to be bought into the bank for an interview. I explained he was not fit enough to be interviewed, and could I have a list of questions you want him to answer so we can take advice. The Area Manager got very angry saying to us that he did not want another scandal for the branch. I keep escalating my complaint and it keeps getting given back to the branch to sort out but they wont do anything about it.

 

To summarise they are now holding £3275.00 of the gentlemans money, he can't eat, pay his rent, or his bills. I keep asking the bank to give me an end date and they say they don't have to reply until the gentleman has been interviewed by them. As he is refusing to come in for an interview there is nothing further that can be done. He is not well enough to be interviewed he shakes and can hardly communicate as it is, it is better for him if communication is done in writing. They refuse point blank.

 

What shall I do I don't know where else to turn to. I have spoken to the Banking Ombudsman but this will take a long time to sort out and he needs his money now or he will be evicted from his home. I have spoken to the Benefits people they cannot get his money back as its been frozen. The bank wont give an explanation why surely it cannot be legal to freeze a disabled man's money and because he cannot be interviewed about his complaint he can't have it back.

 

It sounds unbelievable, but I can assure you I have given the Bank Medical letters. He is of sound body and mind, he can manage his own affairs, he has been certified fit to manage his day to day affairs, but he cannot talk he stutters and shakes and finds it hard to form his words and conduct a conversation he gets confused if under stress.

 

Can anyone tell me what I can do next. As it stands the Bank are holding his money, his benefits are going into the account each week. The Bank are still deducting the loan repayment money. I have asked the bank for a copy of the loan and the Income Protection policy so I can take it to a local solicitor so they can help the man, but the bank refused to give the disabled man a copy, I just dont know what to do. I believe the branch has messed up and after the last scandal where the manager was taking money from old peoples accounts the last thing they want is yet another story in the papers so are trying to do everything possible to dismiss it. I can;t be sure but it seems to stupid to be real. But I can assure you it 100% is. Any help really would help me I am at a loss I have been everywhere to try and help the man out. I feel so sorry for him he is really suffering. He used to be such a strong fit man and to be reduced to eating rubbish and sitting through the winter freezing is terrible to watch.

 

Thank you so much

[Marse]

Hi Missbling,

 

Hold tight! You are in the best place possible.

 

There are some special people here, and I know help is at hand.

 

Chin up!

 

 

 

Tom Platts

[BankFodder]

Please will you email me on our admin@ address. Include a phone number.

It seems that some pretty fast action needs to be taken.

Ta

[MandM]

Hello missbling.

 

First thing's first, get a parachute account open and running and get out of HSBC. If nothing's going in there then they can't take anymore. This should get you ahead of the game time wise and then start firing off the complaints!

 

There are rules about banks taking money out of benefits and i'll try and find the threads later and post them up here for you (or someone will points us to them).

 

The bank have obviously had problems, but they're not your problems!

 

The £3275 - is this the account balance?

 

Also, do you/your friend have access to legal advice?

 

M

[MandM]

ooops. Post crossed with BankFodder. There's your answer .

 

I wish you luck and will continue to watch with interest. This is wrong on every level.

 

M

[missbling]

Hi thank you so much, Yes I have stopped any more benefits going in, I have opened him up another account yesterday. The Balance is actually £4,008.79, this is all his benefit money from December 2009, which includes his rent money and disability/mobility allowance.

 

They have been taking loan payments from his benefit money for over 2 years they knew they were doing it, because the money was being paid into the account and they even changed the repayment date to the date the money goes in from the DSS to make sure HSBC got their money first.

 

I have been to Citizens Advice, they told me to write a letter of complaint. Ive written 6 so far and never once have the bank replied. I spoke with the Head Office they told me that the complaint had been sent to the branch to deal with. I have writtten 19 emails to the branch manager and 4 letters all they keep saying to me is they don't have to give a timescale in which to reply. I formally requested a copy of the Loan Agreement and Income Policy from them by recorded delivery in Jan 28th 2010 they keep telling me they don't have to supply it to Mr or the gentleman. I don't think the Branch actually know what they are doing.

 

The Disabled Man has really suffered and continues to suffer, I am his carer and its above my job, but I can't bear to see him suffer. I have been contacting lots of charities for him, and some have given him extra blankets and he was given a parcel of food at Christmas but he is a proud man, he has worked all his life - he feels wretched enough to not be working, and he is so upset that he can't even afford to eat. I do bring him meals everyday, I just can't stand to see another person suffer but I don't want the bank to keep on taking his money there must be something I can do. The bank know this, I even gave them a copy of the letter from the Charity at Christmas who gave him blankets and food. So the Bank know this is causing him terrible hardship. If you can give me any asistance I would be grateful. Citizens advice told me to write to the Banking Ombudsman, I contacted them but note it will take quite some months before they can act it takes time and time is not on the gentlemans side. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it the Gentleman is very grateful also

[emandcole]

Hi Missbling, welcome to CAG. Firstly horrified to read your story but expected little else from HSBC. Glad to see the site team have taken this up immediately, they are awesome and will no doubt give you and your friend the urgent advice and support you need. Would echo the comments about trying to open or use another account, you should be able to get a basic account somewhere else as a minimum.

 

The benefits offices should also be able to transfer the payments into that new account pretty quickly, especially if they're made aware what's going on and you get a good advisor.

 

Benefits to live on and pay for priority debts are protected I believe, sure BankFodder will advise there. I would absolutely get your MP onto this, insist they help you and certainly use the power of the media to your advantage if you can, heck, they've got little else to do most of the time.

 

There are a number of options open to you but again BankFodder and co will be onto this so I won't confuse matters by starting on here right now. I am however watching this thread now and will gladly offer support or advice if you ever need it so feel free to post as and when.

 

There may be an occasion when BankFodder is busy elsewhere (highly likely) and you need a quick response, for that myself and others may be quite useful. Wishing you all the best and hang on in there ok?

 

[DonkeyB]

I strongly suggest you get the local press involved - unfortunately, your MP is going to be useless for a month.

Edited April 8, 2010 by DonkeyB

[BankFodder]

MissBling - no email received from you so far.

I've just sent you an instant message

[BankFodder]

No response.

I'm subbed to this thread if you feel you need help.

[vjohn82]

Truly shocking events on show here... I hope the OP gets in touch quickly so that some immediate action can take place.

 

Subbing with interest.

[MandM]

missbling, with regards to BankFodders posts, this is the link you need to e mail through. Best of luck,

 

M

 

The Consumer Forums - Contact Us

[pompeyfaith]

This is truly shocking behaviour and from a very big global bank no less please forgive me but I'm sitting here reading this with a few tears running down my cheeks.

 

This really does need to be out in the public domain and the press is a brill avenue to take.

 

sod there reputation they should have thought of that a very lot sooner

 

Bankfodder is the one to help you on this.

 

As you are his carer I expect you are very busy right now, but please do get in contact with bankfodder when you are back so he can help you get some balls rolling.

 

Take Care

 

Regards

 

PF