Call from Ombudsman regarding Lloyds...

wobblywizard

I had a call today to let me know they were going to be speaking to Lloyds about my claim, I sent a claim off to Lloyds a long while ago for financial hardship and got the standard replies. I then wrote back to the ombudsman using the new suggestions of writing from the human angle instead of legal, I wrote that I didn't feel I was being taken seriously just getting a standard reply constantly, being made to feel like an account number instead of a customer. I sent copies of my rent arrears and court summons for council tax, overdue credit card bills etc to the ombudsman also to prove that I am struggling. I had a call today just asking if I want to add any more information to which I replied that I'd put most of the details in the letter I wrote with the complaint form and that my circumstances are still just as bad....

Should I have said anything else? The lady I spoke to seemed vey helpful but it seemed like she was pushing for more information but I didn't know what she wanted... maybe I'm being paranoid lol but it's been years trying to sort this out and now things are finally being looked at I don't want to mess it all up by missing out important information.

Thanks for reading, any help would be most appreciated

Widelats

Lloyds wont take the human angel seriously, i was in serious debts and unemployed and homeless etc and all i got was standard replies.

natweststaffmember

Have you looked at reclaiming credit card charges including the £12.00 ones if you have incurred them?

wobblywizard

One of the cards is now defaulted I don't know if I can claim, its a vanquis card if that's any help. I keep getting letters from various debt collectors about it they keep selling the debt off between different companies I can barely keep track.

natweststaffmember

missnikkai wrote: »

One of the cards is now defaulted I don't know if I can claim, its a vanquis card if that's any help. I keep getting letters from various debt collectors about it they keep selling the debt off between different companies I can barely keep track.

Yes is the answer to reclaiming them even if you have been defaulted. Furthermore, when the Debt Collection companies call or write you can tell them firmly that the amount of the debt is in dispute and they will have to cease collection activities until such time as you have resolved that dispute.

tifo

Widelats wrote: »

Lloyds wont take the human angel seriously

They do. My spouse got a FULL refund of charges (around £900) last year in the middle of the test case. I wrote 2 letters (first one requesting charges and second one not agreeing with their reply). The bank paid a few weeks later citing "hardship acknowledged" without asking for any info. They made no changes to the account and left the overdraft facility intact. They paid no interest and still haven't, though i changed the claim at the FOS to say i am claiming only the interest now (it was put on hold for the charges).

Other banks have been helpful as well. HSBC offered a partial refund to the mortgage account and RBS sent me a full refund on my RBS personal account and on my business account when i only claimed on the Natwest personal account, because the CS office looked at all accounts i had with the group. Though i had to go through the RBS group's Office of the Chief Executive for the refund(s).

For some reason, i read that many banks have become less amiable to refunding, even with hardship.

tifo

natweststaffmember wrote: »

when the Debt Collection companies call or write you can tell them firmly that the amount of the debt is in dispute and they will have to cease collection activities until such time as you have resolved that dispute.

The bank and DCA will say there is no dispute and carry on collection.

the_insider

Unfortunately tifo is right. A request for a refund of charges under any ground is not a valid reason for dispute.

natweststaffmember

tifo wrote: »

The bank and DCA will say there is no dispute and carry on collection.

I haven't said that there is no dispute that AN amount is owed but that they put a hold on collection activity for a reasonable period while the OP goes back to the original creditor. If it is reasonable then it will work while the charges issue is being resolved.

natweststaffmember

the_insider wrote: »

Unfortunately tifo is right. A request for a refund of charges under any ground is not a valid reason for dispute.

And to clarify this, I was talking about the credit card charges now defaulted not bank charges. The amount under dispute is a valid reason so I hope both you and tifo read back to what my responses relate to.