HSBC are sending the boys round

Fire_Fox

It seems to me that there is fault on both sides. There is absolutely NO benefit in you feeling agrieved that you have been treated badly by HSBC as, right now, they hold ALL the cards.

Swallow your pride and write to both the debt collectors AND head office (customer service and/ or student support). Send both letters by recorded delivery and keep copies. This will stand you in good stead if you end up in court as you have clearly taken some action.

First go through all your paperwork. Did you clearly state that your term-time address was just that, or did you give it as your permanent address? Have you been receiving bank statements but not the other letters?

In your letter state, in without emotive language, that you acknowledge the letter from the debt collectors and the letter advising you of the change of account format. Also state that you have not received any further communication.

Offer to pay something: This will also stand you in good stead at a later stage. Apologise for your part in the confusion. If you act all wounded at this stage they will play it by the book which you don't want. You owe HSBC money and they think you have defaulted. You must now reassure them that you are a responsible adult.

Mike1989

I take your point that if you take out a debt then you have to pay it back so assuming otherwise would be naive. However, HSBC's student account, like most others, makes a big deal about the fact that you can keep your interest free overdraft, with gradual reductions, for a couple of years after graduating. Therefore, you wouldn't really be expecting them to suddenly close the account.

"All Overdrafts are repayable on demand."

That is one of their terms and conditions. Same with my account, so although I wouldn't expect them to pop along and ask for it out of the blue, I wouldn't by that same notion simply shrugg it off and not expect anything to come through the post regarding repayment. Especially when no employment has been gained, as there might be a term and condition that states you have to have employment. I haven't read their full terms and conditions, but, they can ask for the money back on demand. And that might be unlikley, but, I'm sure the cancelation of the account and them wanting back the money is due to some breach of the terms and conditions.

Yep, the OP should have let them change know about the change of address. The OP has received post from HSBC to her current (presumably parental) address since leaving Uni though so maybe they assumed that they automatically switched to the non-term address. Having received one letter there it wouldn't be such a bizarre assumption and they had no reason to necessarily expect other letters.

You would at least expect a letter regarding your balance. As I get a monthly balance from the Halifax showing all my purchases, direct debits etc on the statement. If one month I do not get one, I would go into my bank and find out why I hadn't got one. So I would expect letters from the bank regarding the balance and statement every month, unless, I'd signed up for online statements and banking. To totally ignore for a few months of no correspondence is quite ignorant when you have an account you use and have debt on. You don't ignore those kind of things.

I am sounding harsh right now instead of supportive and putting forward advice. But as far as I'm concerned, the bank are less in the wrong than the consumer. The cancellation of the account was probably due to a breach of terms and conditions. The lack of an up to date address and no response probably led to them sending a letter to the other address. It is not the banks responsibility to check your details are up to date, that is yours. I have to agree with fire fox's post that they should get in contact and offer up some sort of repayment of the debt. As it is not going to get them anywhere arguing that they got no letters or being angry at the bank for following up on why the debt has not been repaid or replies to their letters.

I wish them good luck with it, but, they are not without major fault in how they have acted here.