Bank reclaiming

foxylady1999

Can anyone help me please, l sent a letter to Halifax with the Hardship letter, and received a reply from them stating they would be looking into my case, but it will take 4 weeks, and then they will get back to me, do l just sit here and wait, or can l take things further.


Jackie...........

deana14

Keep up the letters and calls, I am 5 months down the line now. Call Customer Relations every day - have written to all the team members (it seems) of the CR department - last letter to Peter Jackson if he ever reads letters. Has been a long and drawn out process just to warn people who are starting out.
I have filled out 2 common financial statements and endured 45 minutes on the phone to Money Management Team - another 0845 number I asked them to call me back as 0845 unlike what they advised to me is NOT free from BT landlines!! Unless anyone out there knows different.
They will delay, drag their heels and make it difficult saying letters not received even faxes when you have the reciept that went to the number they gave you. They lie constantly.
They offered me 3 months no charges - WOW thanks but seen as I have no money that is very BIG of them - words are cheap and advice from them both Customer Relations and the Money Management Team will not pay bills and keep a roof over my head.
To my mind they ask for proof - i.e. court letters, eviction notices etc. but still do nothing, they ask for all this information from you but still offer nothing, it does not help. It is a one way street - do not trust them at all.
I would rather not have had free banking and paid a monthly fee than had at times some months £350 in charges taken out which frankly compounded the situation and made it worse. There was never and help offered.
Be ready for a big fight and take to FOS service but keep on top of them also calls etc. as all of their post is sent 2nd class and I am not sure about anyone else in Hardship (after losing job) every second counts when you have no money coming in - I am waiting on nearly £9k of my hard earned money over the years but remain postitive and tell you all not to give up and let them win no matter how small.
Thanks to Martin, the team and this website it has opened my eyes to alot and is a constant source of encrouragement.

natweststaffmember

foxylady1999 wrote: »

Can anyone help me please, l sent a letter to Halifax with the Hardship letter, and received a reply from them stating they would be looking into my case, but it will take 4 weeks, and then they will get back to me, do l just sit here and wait, or can l take things further.


Jackie...........

jackie, a basic claims has three elements to it.
1) A lifestyle change- loss of job, hours, separation of partner as per FSA Waiver 2(a)
2) Charges affecting your ability to pay priority creditors(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)
3) Arrears not being paid off and still incurring charges.

You need
1) I&&E form with household income on it
2) Priority debt arrears notices
3) a proposal of what you would require which covers the period of hardship but may not necessarily be 100% of the claim(even though you will get back any amount if not refunded at the conclusion of the OFT test case).

natweststaffmember

deana14 wrote: »

Keep up the letters and calls, I am 5 months down the line now. Call Customer Relations every day - have written to all the team members (it seems) of the CR department - last letter to Peter Jackson if he ever reads letters. Has been a long and drawn out process just to warn people who are starting out.
I have filled out 2 common financial statements and endured 45 minutes on the phone to Money Management Team - another 0845 number I asked them to call me back as 0845 unlike what they advised to me is NOT free from BT landlines!! Unless anyone out there knows different.
They will delay, drag their heels and make it difficult saying letters not received even faxes when you have the reciept that went to the number they gave you. They lie constantly.
They offered me 3 months no charges - WOW thanks but seen as I have no money(if you are redundant do you qualify for JSA and housing benefit/local housing allowance) that is very BIG of them - words are cheap and advice from them both Customer Relations and the Money Management Team will not pay bills and keep a roof over my head.
3 months with no charges is doing something and is FSA compliant if they can explain why they are only doing that.


To my mind they ask for proof - i.e. court letters, eviction notices etc. but still do nothing, they ask for all this information from you but still offer nothing, it does not help. It is a one way street - do not trust them at all.
I would rather not have had free banking and paid a monthly fee than had at times some months £350 in charges taken out which frankly compounded the situation and made it worse. There was never and help offered.
Be ready for a big fight and take to FOS service but keep on top of them also calls etc. as all of their post is sent 2nd class and I am not sure about anyone else in Hardship (after losing job) every second counts when you have no money coming in - I am waiting on nearly £9k of my hard earned money over the years but remain postitive and tell you all not to give up and let them win no matter how small.
Thanks to Martin, the team and this website it has opened my eyes to alot and is a constant source of encrouragement.

Do you have priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?
Are any of the arrears being paid off?
Is your account still open and used as your main account with them?

deana14

Getting ESA (not alot after the tax I have paid for all my working years), have priority debts and they have all info, the account is the only account I have and they can clearly see the only monies in are benefits.
Why do you ask if the account is still open?
As you know the utilities dont care really if you are in hardship and I have been shocked by their unsympathetic take on the situation, they are not happy with small part payments but I am paying them what I can. I fail to understand why they (Halifax) go to such lengths for you to prove hardship to offer you this. I have not and do not intend to have any other charges for going over overdraft but still maintain that the charges over time have left me financial in a very difficult situation. £39/£35 each time is unfair and I am confident of the success we will have against the banks. Thanks

natweststaffmember

deana14 wrote: »

Getting ESA (not alot after the tax I have paid for all my working years), have priority debts and they have all info, the account is the only account I have and they can clearly see the only monies in are benefits.
Why do you ask if the account is still open?
Some people are claiming financial hardship when the account was closed in say 2007 which is clearly not the right approach really because it is about current hardship.

As you know the utilities dont care really if you are in hardship and I have been shocked by their unsympathetic take on the situation, they are not happy with small part payments but I am paying them what I can. I fail to understand why they (Halifax) go to such lengths for you to prove hardship to offer you this. I have not and do not intend to have any other charges for going over overdraft but still maintain that the charges over time have left me financial in a very difficult situation. £39/£35 each time is unfair and I am confident of the success we will have against the banks. Thanks

If you see the way I have laid out the approach the banks do not have to refund under financial hardship. They can suspend charges and interest for a period of time, they can suspend collection activity, they can refund as an interim measure.
With the FOS if you go down that route you have to argue Halifax decision is wrong based on their reasoning for only suspending charges for 3 months.