Halifax Defaults and CRAs / DCAs - Poor Advice from Halifax

[BalliffHater]

Hello again CAG.

 

I have been contemplating writing on here for some time with regards to this issue, and today decided I should after doing some more research.

 

In 2005 I attended University, leaving full time employment in the Royal Navy. I was lied to by Halifax who said they would be able to do something with a credit card and personal loan accounts that I held, that had been ran perfectly with no late payments and an excellent credit history.

 

With payments of roughly £350/Month at the time, it was not plausible to maintain this commitment once at University but had been advised that "once I was at university, something could be done". Unfortunately this communication took place over the telephone, and I assumed that they were being honest - which was incorrect, because once at university their advice was "We cannot look to assist you with reducing your monthly payments until your account has defaulted." (I actually find this amusing now, being a little more mature). Their advice to me at that point (Autumn 2005) was to allow my accounts to default. That's exactly what I did.

 

I was still using two Halifax current accounts simultaneously to this, and they froze the accounts and took my money, and began eating my overdraft to make payments towards the loan/CC.

 

This was a terrible situation at the time (late 2005) as this left me with absolutely no money and nowhere to turn. I opened an account with Barclays and practically told Halifax that they can get stuffed, as they nearly ruined everything for me.

 

Once "defaulted" I contacted Halifax and they said that, now the accounts were defaulted (Early 2006), that I can make an arrangement to pay. In my frustration with them, I did this at £1 or so per month - and they accepted. This continued until some point in 2007.

 

I obtained a copy of my credit report from Experian in 2007, and learnt that I had been lied to again - the accounts had not defaulted as I had been "advised" but in fact just late. My credit report shows late payments from 2005 onwards, of 3 months every single month until they default much later on.

 

The result of this is that we (my wife and I) and now unable to obtain a mortgage, or even a clean credit history, because Halifax have continued this debt and not defaulted on it, as they should have done.

 

Defaults were actually registered very late on:

 

06/12/07 - Bank Account - £1352 - Still Shows "Halifax"

17/09/08 - Bank Account - £936 - Still Shows "Halifax"

23/08/07 - Personal Loan - £6450 - Shows "Arrow Global"

 

However, the Credit Card has totally disappeared, so it is likely that the CC default was applied much earlier - which is when the others should have been registered.

 

I wrote to Halifax at the start of this year, questioning the "default" status that I was advised in 2006. They wrote back and said that, while they agree that the terminology "default" was used, this was an internal status, and by my making an arrangement to pay, the account never defaulted until this was stopped. They apologised for this, and said that the default dates will stand.

 

Another blow from Halifax. No comment on their advice to actually default in the first place etc.

 

I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts are here - as this seems somewhat unfair and extremely bad practise. I've really been messed around by Halifax since 2005 when this all started, but this means that my credit file is shot until 17/09/2014 - for three accounts that should have defaulted in early 2006, and already be statute barred.

 

Please feel free to comment.

 

Many Thanks

Edited July 8, 2012 by BalliffHater
Random spacing issues copying from MS Word!!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

How do these accounts show on your credit reference files?

[BalliffHater]

Please see PDF below

Edited July 8, 2012 by BalliffHater

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Sorry too small to read!

[ims21]

Use this method to post up your documents

 

Dx100 – Instructions on uploading pdfs

 

scan the required letters/agreements/sheets

as a picture file

remove all pers info inc barcodes etc using paint

but leave all figures and dates.

go to one of the many free online pdf converter websites

convert the image to pdf format.

or ir you have PDF as an installed printer drive use that

open a new msg box here

hit go advanced below the msg box

hit manage attachments below that box

hit the add files button on the top right

hit select files, navigate to your file on your pc

hit upload files

NB:you can set where it goes in the post by hitting insert inline.

the hit reply button

[BalliffHater]

CF.pdf

 

Attempt PDF one

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Ok, so in Nov.11 all still show as owned byHalifax.

 

No mention of DCAs when did you get this report?

[BalliffHater]

This was a report taken 5 mins after you asked

 

Im on credit expert and equifax online - so can pull any time.

 

Many Thanks

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

OK it would seem that any DCA is assigned only to manage/collect on

these accounts.

[BalliffHater]

Incase your not familiar, the top 2 are Equifax and the bottom 3 are experian.

 

Equifax only acknowledges 2 of the debts - probably because Arrow Global dont use Equifax - but that is just a guess.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Have been using both professionally almost

since their inception.!

Arrow use any combiation of Equifax, Experian and

Call Credit.

I suggest a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection

Act 1998 this will provide all the data Halifax hold on all accounts.

There is a statutory fee of £10 and they have 40 days to comply,

use the template in the CAG library.

[BalliffHater]

Ready to send

 

At this point, should I send one to Arrow Global, or will that trigger debt chasing? (They dont have my current address and I have heard NOTHING from them).

 

Many Thanks

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

your choice, but Halifax is the OC and has all the info.

[BalliffHater]

Just a waiting game now... Got to wait until the SAR info comes back

 

Any other thoughts or comments are welcome...

 

Thank you guys

[BalliffHater]

Halifax are now 9 days LATE on the SAR. They have apologised over the phone, and say there is nothing they can do - "waiting on departments getting back to them"??????

 

What do I do????????

 

:O

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Not much you can do, they have explained the situation.