Can anyone take a look at my Step 1 letter to Egg?

finance-boy

Hello. I'm trying to reclaim PPI charges on behalf of my mum.

After waiting, and waiting, and waiting for Egg to provide a list of the PPI charges added to her Egg card, I threatened to report them to the ICO and lo and behold - I had them on my doormat in 3 or 4 days.

So I can finally start to claim the money back now. But I'm not sure of what to put in the Step 1 letter. I know that there are templates on MSE, but they don't seem to adequately explain her situation, and I don't want to be too vague.

The PPI charges stretch all the way from Nov 2002 (when she got the card) to Oct 2008 (when she cancelled). During this time she had been made redundant twice without claiming on her policy (because she didn't know she had it). She still has the redundancy notices, which I will copy and send to them.

My mum's not very technology-minded and so relied on me to check her Egg card statements, which I did whenever she asked me, which was very infrequently (only when she wanted to know if a particular transaction had taken place). Would this be a sticking point with Egg? Would they be bothered about the fact that she shared her login details with me? Would they be bothered that she didn't check her statements regularly enough?

Anyway, here's the main body of the Step 1 letter:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
I am writing in relation to the above payment protection insurance (PPI) policy which I believe was mis-sold to me.

I believe you have not treated me fairly because the PPI was added without my knowledge. Furthermore, you have previously been punished by the FSA for mis-selling PPI and failing to treat customers fairly.

Because I’m not a proficient computer-user, I was dependant on my son to check my statements. As such, my statements were checked infrequently and were not given the scrutiny that they would otherwise get.

I only realised that I had PPI when it was pointed-out to me by my son. In fact, after requesting my statements, I saw that the policy covered a very long period of time during which I had been made redundant twice. I have redundancy notices to prove this. If I knew that I had PPI, I would have certainly claimed on the policy.

Unless you can prove that the policy was fair and reasonable and that I was treated fairly when I was sold the insurance, I demand a full refund of all premiums, and subsequent interest on these payments, that I have paid in relation to this policy. I also expect 8% interest to be added to each payment I have made as this is the statutory amount a court would pay.

I look forward to your full and prompt response to this letter. If this matter is not settled within eight weeks of this letter I shall be contacting the Financial Ombudsman to investigate my complaint.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

So what do you think?

pinknico

That is a very good letter. Companies prefer letters that are more personalised and not just copied from a template.
Do no worry about the checking statements side of things, the PPI should not have been added. Companies try to use the "why did you not see it?"
But this is not a defence for mis selling. Goodluck, I hope you get it all back.

di3004

I must agree with you Pinknico

They receive too many letters that look the same, so best to write in own words and as long as you mention when you expect to hear from them (8 weeks) or further action will be sought, and of course your own reasons, it looks more personal.

Great letter posted from Finance-Boy, keep at them and if you require any further help just give us a yell, hope your mum is successful with this.

finance-boy

Thanks for the replies guys. I sent it off yesterday, so all we've got to do now is wait. I'll let you know what they say.

finance-boy

We got a surprisingly fast response from Egg. Just over a week in total.

Unfortunately, it's not the response we'd hoped for. It basically says that she should have checked her application when she took out the insurance through the website in October 2002 (when she applied for her card).

They've included a copy of her "real-time application" which shows a box that reads "Accident, Sickness, Unemployment and Life". The letter says "If you had not opted into CRP during your application, this box would contain the word, 'None'."

So they're unable to uphold the complaint, and said that, if we'd like to pursue the matter further, we may refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

So I'm not sure what to do now. It doesn't sound like it's worth pursuing anymore. Is there a chance that the PPI ("CRP") box could have been pre-ticked? She really can't remember taking it out.

Also, she's currently pursuing a claim through the FOS for a LloydsTSB single-premium loan that she had. Will contacting them again jeopardise that? Can we contact the FOS now, without asking Egg to look at the case again?

di3004

finance-boy wrote: »

We got a surprisingly fast response from Egg. Just over a week in total.

Unfortunately, it's not the response we'd hoped for. It basically says that she should have checked her application when she took out the insurance through the website in October 2002 (when she applied for her card).

They've included a copy of her "real-time application" which shows a box that reads "Accident, Sickness, Unemployment and Life". The letter says "If you had not opted into CRP during your application, this box would contain the word, 'None'."

So they're unable to uphold the complaint, and said that, if we'd like to pursue the matter further, we may refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

So I'm not sure what to do now. It doesn't sound like it's worth pursuing anymore. Is there a chance that the PPI ("CRP") box could have been pre-ticked? She really can't remember taking it out.

Also, she's currently pursuing a claim through the FOS for a LloydsTSB single-premium loan that she had. Will contacting them again jeopardise that? Can we contact the FOS now, without asking Egg to look at the case again?

Hi there
And yes now go to the FOS here, you can download a form online on their website or even ring them to arrange this to be sent through the post.

When you have completed your form, get some copies done, obviously send one to the FOS with the final correspondence from EGG, and keep one for yourself, it maybe a good idea to send a copy to EGG and make them aware you have not taken this to the FOS for them to investigate, this may help them change their minds, this have been known to happen, but if that is the case you must let the FOS know.

Good luck.;)

No this will not jeapardise anything with the FOS as its also another complaint, go for it and again good luck.

FOS complaint details here:
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm