Help with Credit cards please

Anabub

Hello a bit of a long on this so please keep with me

My Mother passed away early this year and she was the main financal person in the house. Little did we (my botthers and sister and my father) know she ran up a large amount of debt and was using my fathers CC's to pay off other debts running them up in the process. There were two outstanding cards one for MBNA and one for Lloyds TSB totaling some £17k. We consulted with the CAB, put together an income and expendiutre sheet as well as a proposition to make some kind of %'age apyment against the card. MBNA were very good and whilst they responded and refused the first offer we have recently settled with them. The problem though is with Lloyds. The same offer and paperwork has gone to them but they have never refused it in writting. We have confirmed with them they have received the paperwork and tried in vain to get our names on the account so we can speak to them (my father has a speech impediment coupled with is age) but they have said thier process has changed so every time we have to go to his house to speak to them. They sent a letter from a solicitor about a month ago asking for repayment of some payments on the card. I called them and after being passed from department to department got told I should ignore the letter and the account was being passed to another team and they cannot do anything for about 4 weeks until this has gone through.

But again today my father has received the same threatening letter from thier solicitors asking for money or he is going to court. I will be calling them today but would really like some clarification here. Surely as we have gone through the CAB and done everything by the book they should in the first instance write either rejecting the offer and trying to move it on? Also is this harassment? We have had none of this trouble from MBNA and as I'm sure you can uderstand all we want to do is resolve this in the same way and negotiate a payment... it seems lke we are always coming up against a brick wall with them any help would be much apprciated.

Moggles_2

I called them and after being passed from department to department got told I should ignore the letter and the account was being passed to another team and they cannot do anything for about 4 weeks until this has gone through.

I hope you noted the date, time and member(s) of staff concerned. In the circumstances, I'd feel uneasy about disregarding a letter, because somebody told me over the phone to do so, particularly when there's more than one dept involved.

If you feel you have grounds for complaint against LloydsTSB, I would request a copy of its complaints procedure (you can do this in branch or over the phone). This sets out the time limits allowed for dealing with your complaint. The bank is also obliged to confirm the result of your complaint in writing. I would mark your envelope "Complaint" and send it recorded delivery.

You have the right to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, if you are not satisfied with the outcome.

PNPSUKNET

Write to them and explain that you are acting in the best intrest of your father as he is unable to act for himself. This is a loophole in the dataprotection act, the other way is get him to sign a dpa letter giving you permission

cosmic_girl

Sorry to hear of your situation. I really hope you manage to get it sorted soon. I'm sure some kind peeps on here will be able to advise you x x