HSBC - Please Help

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 8:43PM

Help!!! :mad:

HSBC have a lot to answer for.

I really hope someone out there will help me.

I had a student bank overdraft with HSBC this was removed in July/August unbeknown to me as I have not been receiving my mail, it has been delivered to another address. This liability has been accepted by Royal Mail in writing. I qualified as a nurse and graduated in 2008 I am no criminal I am a hard working, upstanding citizen in my local community not a rogue or a second class citizen, they can talk to you any which way they like and it is really demeaning and degrading and they talk to you like you refuse to pay.

Ok I really do not know where to start I will whittle it down the best I can.

They removed the overdraft in July/August obviously I could not respond as I did not know due to me not getting the letters. The first I knew was when the collection department called me demanding I pay £1472 immediately. I said that is not possible as I could not afford that but I will pay £50 a month. They refused this and continued to call me 8 times a day constantly. Every time they refused my repayment offer for £50.

What could I do I complained and complained no one could help me. Eventually I get put through to the debt management dept after being threatened that someone will come to my house and bang at my door (bearing in mind I live alone). This was in November throughout the period of August to November I offered £50 a month but they just wouldn't accept it.

In November I get asked to go through my income and expenditure with them which I had already sent in 3 times at this stage and I did. I also offered them £50 a month. I then get asked to go to a debt agency which I did we went through everything they said I could pay £50 a month, which is what I offered int he first place???

I then get offered a managed loan at the end of December, still not refusing to pay I accepted the managed loan as I want my credit score to be good as I want a mortgage. They sent the relevant paperwork out, I did not receive anything obviously due to the problem with the Royal Mail. I called every 3 days saying I have not received this and offered to pay recorded delivery but to no avail. It wasn't until the beginning of February 6 weeks later they suggested I go into my branch and sign the management loan with an advisor. Which I did immediately, I called later that day only to be told it was cancelled. I was also told that I didn't sign one of the forms, the manager gave me the forms to sign how was I supposed to know.

I then had to go through my income and expenditure once more and get another loan agreed this only got to my bank last Monday. I have also applied for a loan with my RBS account in the meantime which I am awaiting a decision. I told the bank this they assured me it will not be going to final demand and I have two weeks from the date 24/02/10 I spoke to the girl to decide if I want their loan or my own (this is noted on my account)

I have now found out today that my account has been closed after offering them £130 a month (which I mentioned before I knew the account was closed and I immediately made sure they noted this on the computer). I will have a default on my Equifax report. I have appealed and begged with them as they do not believe what I am saying after 2 hours on the phone they finally escalated this to the customer relations team. I am now waiting again which is really worrying me as i have a clean and clear credit score, I don't know what to do anymore, despair is the only word for it.

I have probably spent at the least 300 hours on the phone to the HSBC trying to resolve all this, I have never avoided the debt and have never ever refused to pay, I explained I just could not afford £150 a month at the time. I have complained and the complaint got back to me yesterday which I was also waiting on. I want a mortgage and now they have completely messed my whole future up.

I have complained from the beginning it has taken me from September to have it escalated I am pig sick and surely they have some legal obligation, they have really taken hours of my time, I am now ill with stress as it is a full time job trying to sort this as I do not have one person dealing with this, every time I call I have to explain the story to them.

I am sure I am entitled to some compensation too, with how this has all been handled, it's criminal how these big organisations can treat people and it should not be allowed to happen. This is bullying and harassment, I could understand if I refused to pay and refused to sign but that is not the case at all, this has made me ill as it has gone on for too many hours and for too long.

HELLLLP!!! I am desperate now.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 9:08PM

Sorry for the rant, I hope most of it makes sense, please ask me if oyu don't understand and as for punctuation....!! oops

PARIS_5000 · 26 February 2010 at 9:14PM

what was the reason for them taking away your student overdraft ?

Did you pay money into your account every month and stay within your overdraft?

I have been told that when you graduate the account gets change to a graduate account and the overdraft is still interest free for a year and in the second year only 1000 pounds is interest free why did they not change your account to a graduate account.

I am a student and have a student overdraft with HSBC which is due to reviewed in July and after reading your story I am going to use my savings to pay it off.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 9:17PM

Oh don't worry I had the overdraft but I put my wages into my other account, that is why.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 9:18PM

The thing is I am not even complaining about the account closing, it's the aftermath, they haven't once given me a fair chance which is disgusting.

PARIS_5000 · 26 February 2010 at 9:31PM

jennyjb wrote: »

The thing is I am not even complaining about the account closing, it's the aftermath, they haven't once given me a fair chance which is disgusting.

Send a letter of complaint and if you are not happy with their final response then send your complaint to the FOS.

Good luck

jambosans · 26 February 2010 at 9:41PM

Overdrafts are repayable on demand, HSBC are under no obligation to accept a repayment plan under your terms. Although they will often oblige in order to get their money back.

From what I gather, you graduated in 2008, HSBC removed the overdraft one year later in July/ August 2009. You also weren't using the account (you mentioned wages being paid elsewhere). What did you expect would happen? Seems pretty standard practice.

HSBC have been trying to resolve this for 8 months, and understandably so have given up and defaulted you. Although problems with your mail are not your fault, it's certainly not HSBC's.

I don't condone the bullish tactics of collections departments, but you will simply come across as another customer trying to fob them off - "I've not been getting my mail."; "Royal Mail have admitted liability for non-receipt of mail"; "I didn't realise I'd not signed all the forms.".

You can make a complaint about the poor customer services, but I doubt there's going to be compensation offered. After all, spending twelve and a half days on the phone to HSBC (I assume this is a joke), is not their concern. If they follow the printed letter of your T&C's they have every right to demand repayment in full, and not simply a token offer of £50 per month.

Why not try and start a fresh, and go into a branch, sit there until this is sorted out. Or has the debt now been sold on to a debt collection agency?

Best of luck.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 10:04PM

Due to the mail going astray all these events have esculated, through no fault of my own and yes unfortunately it has amounted to 12.5 days.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 10:46PM

I believe if people listened and understood and follow things through all this would be dealt with. Instead I explain everytime I am put through to someone no one knows my character and who I am. I have been accused of lying more than once and this would not happen if it was in a branch. It has been unfair the way everything has been handled.

jennyjb_2 · 26 February 2010 at 11:56PM

Sorry I am just fuming tonight, thank you for your reply. It was sent to a collections agency today.

pmduk · 27 February 2010 at 9:22PM

Point out in your formal complaint that you have been in contact with them throughout. Had they told you that forms were outstanding they could have been aware of and solved the problem long before this. Tell them you want a written reassurance that the collections agency has been called off and that there are no adverse comments on any internal or external credit files.