Natwest keep passing my debt on

[pammiec]

Natwest passed my debt with them onto Moorcroft some months ago. I made a repayment arrangement with them, which I stuck to, but also complained to Natwest as they didn't inform me they were passing it on and, in my opinion, did so unfairly and unnecessarily.

A week later I had a letter from Moorcroft telling me they had cancelled my direct debit with them and that Natwest had taken the debt back. A couple of weeks later they rang to ask why I had missed a payment! I referred them to their letter and the woman said, 'Oh, Natwest have given it back to us again, didn't they tell you?' When I said they hadn't, she told me she would contact them to find out what they were playing at.

Then I had 2 letters on the same day, one from Moorcroft to tell me they had suspended their collection until they heard from Natwest and one from Natwest to tell me they had given the debt back to Moorcroft.

I then made a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, sending them all correspondence. Natwest have now written telling me that Moorcroft have attempted to contact me to set up a repayment plan, but as they were unable to the debt has now been passed to Westcot.

For a start, Moorcroft haven't attempted to contact me. I've had nothing in the post and no missed calls. It may be that they tried to call my landline, but I've asked both them and Natwest not to use this as it's dodgy and doesn't always ring.

I've sent a snotty reply to Natwest telling them this and will forward this and their letter to the Financial Ombudsman, but is there anything else I should do to prepare for Westcot getting in touch. Assuming they don't try contacting me on the landline either!

Thanks

[ims21]

Have you received a Notice of Assignment? If not then NW haven't sold the debt.

 

You might also like to check your credit file to see which name appears on the account.

 

If the account is still owned by NatWest then don't pay the DCAs, pay NatWest direct.

 

What sort of debt is this....Loan/Current Account/Credit Card?

[unclebulgaria67]

Can I share a not very secret with you. Many companies (banks & utilities) have arrrangements with Moorcroft and other debt companies, to use the debt companies headed letters, as part of the recovery process. When you first received a letter from Moorcroft, it may have been NatWest that sent the letter. This is probably why there was the intial problem with paying Moorcroft as NatWest still had the debt. Then as the debt has progressed on NatWests systems, they have eventually assigned the debt to Wescot.

 

It is a c*ck up by NatWest. They should take the account back and allow you to make the appropriate repayments.

[42man]

There was an interesting thread on this 5 years ago on CAG - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?170251

[pammiec]

Thank you both.

It's a loan I took out some years ago on Natwest's advice to pay off my Natwest credit card, which I owed a fortune on because Natwest kept upping my limit without asking me if I wanted them to.

Yes I know it's my fault, I didn't have to max it out and wish I hadn't now!

[ims21]

I wonder of there are any unlawful charges on the card account and/or loan account that you can reclaim?

 

Also any mis-sold PPI?

 

Both of these would reduce the amount you owe.

[pammiec]

There's no PPI on the loan, but there is on the credit card and I'm in the process of trying to get this back through the financial ombudsman.

[Bazooka Boo]

It's a loan I took out some years ago on Natwest's advice to pay off my Natwest credit card, which I owed a fortune on because Natwest kept upping my limit without asking me if I wanted them to.

 

Lovely, BCOBS? COBS?? For starters.

 

Plus if it is being passed around like a hot potato then it is clearly riddled with reclaimable fees charges and/or PPI.

A SAR to the bank will show these up.

 

Enter into cr@pwest's complaints procedure and exhaust it, escalate this to the FOS.

[pammiec]

Bazooka Boo, I've already passed it to the financial ombudsman and I'm sorry to sound dim but what are BCOBS COBS and SAR?

I'm fairly new to this site and really wish I'd come across it 2 years ago, it would have saved me so much worry!

[unclebulgaria67]

Bazooka Boo, I've already passed it to the financial ombudsman and I'm sorry to sound dim but what are BCOBS COBS and SAR?

I'm fairly new to this site and really wish I'd come across it 2 years ago, it would have saved me so much worry!

 

SAR = Subject access request ( Data Protection Act) This is a request for all data handled about you. Cost a max of £10 as an admin fee to the company you send the request to. If you want your full file information from NatWest you could send them a letter. Click on the SAR link for a letter.

BCOBS = http://www.fsahandbook.info/FSA/html/handbook/BCOBS

COBS= http://fsahandbook.info/FSA/html/handbook/COBS

 

Enjoy reading. A great cure for insomnia !

[Bazooka Boo]

Yes apologies, cheers UB for clearing up my trail of devastation!

 

Panm, if it is already at the FOS then let them deal with it, Cr@pest should not be pursuing this or farming it out to their incompetent third party clowns to chase, a very clear breach of the OFT guidelines, let them know also.

[pammiec]

Thank you BB. My landline's been ringing a lot the last couple of days, but as it only rings once then cuts off I haven't been quick enough to answer it. Wonder if it's Wescot trying to get hold of me? I've forwarded Natwest's letter and my reply to the fos anyway so I'll just sit tight and see what happens!

[pammiec]

BB, going back to your post no.8, does this mean I might be able to make a complaint on the grounds that they kept upping my credit card limit without asking me if I wanted it and then advised me to take out the loan to clear the debt? If so, does anyone have any idea how to go about this and who the complaint should be addressed to?

I would be very grateful for any advice.

[unclebulgaria67]

BB will no doubt add their reply in due course.

 

My opinion is that neither of the issues you raised are necessarily good reasons for complaint. You will find that in the cards t&c's it will mention that card limits will be subject to periodic review. For my CC, if there is any change to the card limit the bank writes to ask whether I am happy with the change and if not to contact them. As for advising about a loan to pay off a debt, this may not be bad advice or against any rules. It depends on whether the bank is advising to take their loan to cover the debt, without giving full details of the loan they are recommending.

 

As far as I can tell, the bank have not broken any rules, but appear to have a process issue at the point you thought you were dealing with Moorcroft.

[Bazooka Boo]

Yes sorry, what I meant was that using BCOBS you could argue that their advice to change your CC to a bank loan was bad and left you at a disadvantage, ie the interest rate meant that you would pay back more from the loan than had you kept it as a CC.

 

But I wouldn't know what the difference would be, also what the difference in the T&C's are in respect to penalty charges/fees.

[unclebulgaria67]

Yes sorry, what I meant was that using BCOBS you could argue that their advice to change your CC to a bank loan was bad and left you at a disadvantage, ie the interest rate meant that you would pay back more from the loan than had you kept it as a CC.

 

But I wouldn't know what the difference would be, also what the difference in the T&C's are in respect to penalty charges/fees.

 

This would apply if the bank actually recommended or advanced the loan, without disclosing the full details, so the customer could not make an informed choice.

[pammiec]

But they talked me into keeping the credit card when I took out the loan! I did point out that I would then have the opportunity to run my credit card bill up again and end up with two lots of debt, but the nice lady said, 'Ooh no, you should hang onto your credit card, never know when you'll need it, unexpected bills, blah blah blah.'

Of course this was all verbal and I can't prove that's what she said. Never mind, had a feeling I was clutching at straws. I'll do the SAR thing as advised and take it from there.

Thanks very much for your help both of you.

[unclebulgaria67]

But they talked me into keeping the credit card when I took out the loan! I did point out that I would then have the opportunity to run my credit card bill up again and end up with two lots of debt, but the nice lady said, 'Ooh no, you should hang onto your credit card, never know when you'll need it, unexpected bills, blah blah blah.'

Of course this was all verbal and I can't prove that's what she said. Never mind, had a feeling I was clutching at straws. I'll do the SAR thing as advised and take it from there.

Thanks very much for your help both of you.

 

Yes definitely clutching at straws. I think the banks would have a problem, if they were found to have been irresponsible in providing a credit facility. The only thing you can really do is request the SAR and then check the info carefully when it comes back. I would be looking at any charges, how many times they changed the rate of interest etc.

[pammiec]

Think I may have boobed.

In relation to the above, I rang one of Natwest's numbers last week to find out which address to send my SAR request to. The girl told me I could go into my local branch and do it there, so on Friday I went in, filled out the form, handed over my tenner and was assured they would send it off for me.

It now occurs to me that I've got no receipt for the tenner and - if Natwest fail to respond -no evidence that I ever made the request.

The lady who dealt with me was - unusually for Natwest staff - extremely pleasant and helpful and I got her name, just wondered if I call in tomorrow what the chances are of me getting a receipt and some sort of written confirmation that I've made the request or am I wasting my time?

[unclebulgaria67]

Think I may have boobed.

In relation to the above, I rang one of Natwest's numbers last week to find out which address to send my SAR request to. The girl told me I could go into my local branch and do it there, so on Friday I went in, filled out the form, handed over my tenner and was assured they would send it off for me.

It now occurs to me that I've got no receipt for the tenner and - if Natwest fail to respond -no evidence that I ever made the request.

The lady who dealt with me was - unusually for Natwest staff - extremely pleasant and helpful and I got her name, just wondered if I call in tomorrow what the chances are of me getting a receipt and some sort of written confirmation that I've made the request or am I wasting my time?

 

The branch should have a record of the SAR request. They would have filled in an internal form confirming the £10 paid, so they may have a copy of the form

[pammiec]

Ta Uncle B. They said they'd sent the request in their internal mail on Friday and didn't have a copy of anything, but fortunately the lady who dealt with me was there and remembered me. She did me a receipt for the £10 and wrote on there what it was for, so hopefully that'll do if Natwest decide to muck me about!

[pammiec]

Well, Natwest have now replied to my snotty letter, noting my position and telling me that Wescot will contact me shortly. It says 'Please deal directly with them on any matters relating to what you owe, their contact details are below'. I'm starting to feel that they want to wash their hands of me!

And they've helpfully given me a premium rate phone number for Wescot, just in case I'd like to run up my mobile bill. The fact that I've complained to the fos doesn't seem to bother them at all, though as this is a complaint about the way they've handled the situation rather than about the debt itself maybe they don't need to put it on hold.

Suppose I'll just have to sit back and wait for Wescot to make contact and for the SAR to arrive now.

[42man]

What is the premium rate number they have given you ?

[pammiec]

What is the premium rate number they have given you ?

 

0844 824 1152

[unclebulgaria67]

Well, Natwest have now replied to my snotty letter, noting my position and telling me that Wescot will contact me shortly. It says 'Please deal directly with them on any matters relating to what you owe, their contact details are below'. I'm starting to feel that they want to wash their hands of me!

And they've helpfully given me a premium rate phone number for Wescot, just in case I'd like to run up my mobile bill. The fact that I've complained to the fos doesn't seem to bother them at all, though as this is a complaint about the way they've handled the situation rather than about the debt itself maybe they don't need to put it on hold.

Suppose I'll just have to sit back and wait for Wescot to make contact and for the SAR to arrive now.

 

Why don't you call the FOS and make the complaint on the basis that NatWest have refused to deal with it. The FOS should be willing to accept the complaint now and contact NatWest on your behalf.

 

That is what I would do in this situation.