Help with Blair Oliver complaint

JCR1987

Hi guys,

I just need a quick bit of advice about what I can do regarding a complaint I put in about an old credit card I had.

Basically, I had a credit card with Intelligent Finance way back in 2001, which I defaulted on and it went to CCJ in 2002. I was paying this off via a debt management plan from 2002 until in 2005 Intelligent Finance migrated all of their credit card operations to Halifax Card Services.

Now, I was unaware of this and just kept paying regardless, but in the meantime Halifax Card Services had passed on my credit card debt for collection by Blair Oliver & Scott as was their standard practice for an account apparently in arrears. Obviously what had happened was that IF hadn't told Halifax that the account was being repaid via a DMP and Halifax upon receiving my account automatically forwaded it on to Blair Oliver when they received it in 2005.

When Blair Oliver received my account for collection their standard practice was to automatically default the account. So, I therefore had another default registered on my account, even though I had been maintaining my payments via the DMP and technically defaulting the same debt twice, but at different periods (2002 and 2005).

I wrote a letter of complaint to Intelligent Finance, Halifax Card Services and Blair Oliver about this, but have not really made much headway. Intelligent Finance have informed me that as they migrated all their credit card accounts, they do not have any information to pursue the issue but have forwarded my complaint on to Halifax and Blair Oliver.

Halifax Card Services have not even made a response.

Blair Oliver have contacted me to say they are looking into this, but the opinion of their agents seems to be that they wouldn't/couldn't remove a default.

Because Blair Oliver are taking their time on this it could potentially cost me thousands of pounds, as I am looking to remortgage at the moment and this solitary default is the only black mark on my credit report. My current mortgage lender have offered me a lump sum to remortgage elsewhere, but I can't find a high street deal at the moment because of this and the remortgage offer is time limited.

Any advice welcomed.

Cheers,
JR

Leixlip1

As you may have worked out Blair Oliver & Scott (BOS) are part of Halifax/HBOS - in my experience they don't seem to do much communicating in-house. Keep plugging away - recorded/special delivery letters etc and make an official complaint that they have to respond to and then escalate up to the Financial Ombudsman if you are still not satisfied.

JCR1987

Thanks Leixlip 1,

I have rung them a couple of times which they don't seem to like too much, and by their tone they don't seem too prepared to assist over the phone as their general response so far has been 'we'll write to you with an update'. The last call I made they gave me a 'within 4 weeks' timeframe for their response, of which nearly 3 have already passed, so they don't seem to be in much of a hurry.

Whilst I am prepared to take it to the Financial Ombudsman if necessary, as I explained in my original post I'm trying to get it resolved asap due to my mortgage offer situation.

If, as I fully expect, their next letter states they don't feel I have a case and they are prepared to do nothing, is the next step the Financial Ombudsman?

Tixy

Hi JCR

They are not allowed to register a second default for the same debt (as I presume you know).

If Blair Lliver put on the second default then they most certainly can remove it and should. I haven't seen an example letter for asking for removal a second default but it might be worth posting on the consumer action group forum as there are some good legal types on there who might be able to help with a template letter threatening you complaining to the FO if the default is not removed in, say, 14days.