Has your bank (esp Lloyds) ignored your hardship claim?

cls03041979

First Direct are ignoring my hardship claim and if I recieve nothing in the post today im taking it further.

I have even sent letters by recorded delivery because they are claiming they havent recieved them.

gigzzy11

My charges claim went in the week before all this mess was put on hold, so i have been waiting since July 7th 2007. Fair enough, the banks have put a hold on claims until after the test case, but why in gods name, are they still allowed to continually charge us at the same rate? We still have to wait, so why shouldn't they? The most ludicrous part of all this tho, is the fact the banks can even challenge through the courts or anywhere else. Surely, the fact they had already paid out millions in refunds prior to the re-claims being put on hold, spells GUILTY AS SIN anyway.

moo_cow

Martin, We had a meeting with my branch manager last year and he told us that we were talking nonsense. He told us he had never heard of the hardship waiver and they would not be paying in any way shape or form until the outcome of the test case. We have had a string of letters from Lloyds over the past year regarding our claim for hardship. They have told us not to write to them again as 'there is no point' until the end of the test case. They refuse to acknowledge our claim despite the fact that we are on reduced payments on our credit cards, loans, and overdraft with them. After us last sending them a letter telling them that we were appalled with the way we have been treated we finally recieved a response from someone at Lloyds via a phonecall and were then put on hold, only to be transferred to someone at a call centre. And she clearly didn't know what she was doing. It's all been a gigantic headache.

esmerellda

centralwaiversteam@fsa.gov.uk
Copies of any letters which breach waiver guidelines. (only 18 people complained last year !)

Peed Off - I think the FSA waiver team would be interested to hear about the lack of staff training and awareness of hardship guidance. It is one area they are keen on monitoring.

Tilsit999

Lloyds TSB wrote to me and offered me a hardship check. Although I am on Incapacity Benefit and DLA, they said I wasn't in hardship because I hadn't run up any charge. As I pointed out that this was more through luck than anything else, the rather nasty woman I spoke to said that as far as they were concerned I was not in hardship. When I asked her what her definition of hardship was, she refused to enlighten me and became even more obnoxious.

In the end I put the phone down and felt completely demoralised. If I could be sure I'd get another account elsewhere, I would do so, but they seem to have us over a barrel.

Kit603

We don't bank with Lloyd's, but we are having quite a problem with Abbey! I was made redundant in March, and my partner's income doesn't cover the household bills each month - let alone luxuries like food! Abbey have accepted that we're in hardship but aren't doing anything to help us, instead they've:

- Continued adding charges totalling at least £50/£75 each month.
- Refused to give us a break with repayments on our unsecured personal loan.
- Refused to give us an overdraft
- Swapped my partner's debit card for a cashcard - !!!!!!....

Yet... they have offered us ANOTHER loan!!

On calling their customer services team to see if they could waiver charges one month, or give us longer to pay them we were told:

Well if you watched your spending, you wouldn't get charges!

hjtaylor

I have tried on numerous occassions by phone and post to try and get LloydsTSB to consider my case under the hardship ruling, to date no joy, they have informed me (without asking for a list of incomings and outgoings) they do not consider me to be a hardship case and that my claim will be placed on hold with all the others. I have now involved the Financial Ombudsman who have written to LloydsTSB but in the meantime they also told me to write to Lloyds myself and enclose a list of incomings and outgoings, which I am in the process of doing, this is so very fustrating and unneccessary.

esmerellda

I do think people should be encouraged to complete a Common Financial Statement or Income Expenditure (or for those on DMPs / with CAB/CCCS etc send in a copy of the latest IE they prepared) WITH their initial letters citing hardship.

Half the waiting about seems to be waiting to get an IE form from the bank.

The CFS (common financial statement) is pretty much the industry standard and is accepted by majority of banks and creditors. You can download it in excel format from http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/content.asp?ssid=38 , complete it and send the bank the final page with arrears evidences and details of your situation, and how the charges are affecting you, by registered mail.

MsNoviceMoneySavr

Hello
We bank with smile, as our main joint bill/mortgage paying account. Over the years we have incurred over 2 grand's worth of charges - mostly because their charges have been so high, and increase so quickly. We've filled in hardship claims, and they have acknowledged we are in hardship but...they refuse to act on it. And won't refund any charges.
Any ideas/help on what to do next very appreciated.

nat1981

Since my partner got made redundent in may we have been in Financial Hardship, I put my claim into LLOYDSTSB end of June 09, I have recieved acknowledgement letters, and spoke to the customer support unit on numerous of occasions and have been told the same thing, they are not doing anything until after the test case. Well today after 1 to many threatening overdue bills came through the door I rang LLOYDS to no avail I rang the ombusdman, he is now sending a letter on behalf of me to LLOYDS stating that they must look at my case, and if I am not happy with there response then to send back the complant form he is sending me and he will contact lloyds again. At last I have a reference number and can get the ball rolling so to speak. Ive had enough like so many millions of others, everyday we struggle to get by with general day to day living, let alone pay the bills. I can reccomend speaking to the Consumer Credit Counselling Helpline for any one in financial difficulties, they are very supportive and informative and have helped me by just having someone to talk to.