HSBC and Metropolitan Collection Services

sunshine38_2

Evening All

I wonder if anyone can help?

My husband requested an SAR from HSBC as there appears to be irregularities in account numbers that are quoted for him (he had a current account and a loan both with HSBC).

We went on a DMP with CCCS last June (2008) - initially HSBC accepted the payment offers. HSBC continued to "present" his "current account" with the required monthly loan payment, bouncing it and then charging him. He had moved to a basic Halifax account so obviously he had no salary going into HSBC.

HSBC told CCCS in January 2009 that they would no longer accept the payments. My husband kept receiving chase up letters but each would have different account numbers and would refer to slightly different levels of alleged outstanding debt. So, after seeking advice on here, we requested his SAR.

Today we have received only copy statements - although HSBC have said that they destroyed the cheque we enclosed for £10 and waived the fee. They "assume" that the information requested is to reclaim bank charges. What we actually need to know is what's happened as to why he's got differing account numbers?

Is there a follow up letter to request all paperwork as they have not provided the information actually requested. We used one of the template letters as recommended on here which quite clearly stated at the top that it was a subject access request.

In the same post my husband has received a letter from Metropolitan Collection Services Ltd advising that they have been instructed by HSBC to collect the debt. The amount on the letter is even higher than any of the letters we have previously received from HSBC.

Do you know, I wouldnt mind, but HSBC actually state in their correspondence that we "should seek help from debt charities such as CCCS" etc, etc.

I just dont know how to approach this matter now.

I'm feeling really, really low about being on this DMP now, especially as we now (10 months on) owe more money to creditors than when we started. At this rate we'd have been better off taking up the HSBC's offer of their own managed loan plan that they sent us last July.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance,

Sunshine

RAS

Hi

MCS is the in-house debt collection department of HSBC. What they may have done is added the full cost of all the interest that you husband would have paid to the capital sum.

Please just write back, with another SAR, but directed to their complaints department, adding that they have failed to comply with your previous request and that if they do not remedy the situation, you will report them to the Information Commisioner. Attache a copy of the previous letter.

Why did Oh not close this account before he started the DMP?

And is there PPI on either account?

sunshine38_2

Hi RAS, thanks for such a quick response - as always :A

I will get another letter off then to HSBC Complaints. Will we need to send a £10 cheque again?

It had something to do with it being a HSBC current account and a HSBC loan - he couldnt cancel the DD and he couldnt close the account because of the linked loan - madness!

There wouldnt be any PPI on a current account, would there? I'm actually not sure about the loan itself - I'd better check that out with hubby when he gets in, thanks, never thought of that for his loan.

Sunshine

10past6

sunshine38 wrote: »

Is there a follow up letter to request all paperwork as they have not provided the information actually requested. We used one of the template letters as recommended on here which quite clearly stated at the top that it was a subject access request.

Has the 40 days passed since your SAR request?

Some creditors send out SAR details in dribs & drabs in an attempt to "Confuse" you.

Honeybee_2

Doesn't that contravene some sort of direct debit assurance?

sunshine38_2

Hi 10past6, thanks.

No, it's only been 14 days today since we sent the request - I was quite surprised to receive anything so quickly.

Sunshine

sunshine38_2

Honeybee wrote: »

Doesn't that contravene some sort of direct debit assurance?

Hi Honeybee,

You would think so, wouldnt you, but it's somewhere in the small print about the bank being able to deduct monies from any of your accounts with them in order to repay an outstanding debt to them.

Sunshine

10past6

sunshine38 wrote: »

No, it's only been 14 days today since we sent the request

OK, you need to wait the full 40 days before taking it to the next level.

sunshine38_2

10past6 wrote: »

OK, you need to wait the full 40 days before taking it to the next level.

Thank you.

Do you think we should write something to Metropolitan in the meantime? I'm concerned about not acknowledging their letter in any way. We need to establish a full picture/paper trail of how they claim the amount is outstanding and discover why they have 3 account numbers for him ... before we can realistically attempt to come to a solution for repayment.

Sunshine

Honeybee_2

sunshine38 wrote: »

Hi Honeybee,

You would think so, wouldnt you, but it's somewhere in the small print about the bank being able to deduct monies from any of your accounts with them in order to repay an outstanding debt to them.

Sunshine

Yep, that's what I thought. However, that's generally done by transferring the available (or not) cash over from one account to the other, not being able to cancel a direct debit sounds very much to me like a last ditch bid to extract as many £££ in charges as they can.

10past6

sunshine38 wrote: »

Do you think we should write something to Metropolitan in the meantime?

I think you're best leaving Metropolitian out of it at this stage, to many people involved will confuse the issue.

You could write to HSBC informing them they are in breach of OFT guidelines, which state:

2.6

d. not ensuring that an adequate history of the debt is passed on as
appropriate resulting in repetitive and/or frequent contact by different
parties
e. not informing the debtor when their case has been passed on to a

different debt collector.

Send a copy of your complaint to metropolitian "for information only"