Alliance and Leicester loan - problems! Help!!

clairetiff

Hi all, would really appreciate some advice or to hear from someone who's had a similar problem as Santander have just had me in tears. I had an Alliance and Leicester loan around 10years ago when I stupidly got into a lot of debt and am still trying to pay it off but since Alliance & Leicester were absorbed to Santander their customer service is shocking.
For some time the loan was referred to a 3rd party debt collection (Global) while I was unemployed but was back under Alliance and Leicester's control last year.
I received a letter from A+L after I wrote to them disputing the outstanding balance and the balance matched what I made it but according to Santander the balance is £600 more! I'm at the end of my tether now after being spoken to so rudely. Santander collections are only prepared to take my payment and will not help me with any questions relating to it! They gave me customer services number who say that the loan account has been written off! When I called back to collections they said that whatever balance they have given me is correct and that it must be interest but GBP600 interest in less than a year??!! HELP! I was going to simply stop paying but they didn't chase me for a year and I'm concerned about my credit rating. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks everyone

Tixy

Hi

Don't have personal experience with them but one bit of advice I would give is to not to speak to them on the phone. Especially as they have clearly upset you today.

Instead I would write to santander asking for a statement showing every transaction to give a breakdown of the debt balance. That way you can see exactly what charges & interest they have applied and whether they have made any mistakes.

Do you know what has been recorded on your credit file so far for this loan? Did they default you back when you were unemployed?

clairetiff

Thanks for your help. It's so frustrating as they don't reply to letters or even acknowledge them, Santander branch say it's nothing to do with them and send me to A+L who say the same. Ok, gonna look into the credit report and write a letter and send by registered mail

traceyjane0-0

Sorry you are having problems with A&L. A&L customer services have also had my 80 year old Mum in tears over the phone today! The service they provide is really atrocious, she only wanted to ask a simple question & she was on hold waiting for an advisor for over 25 minutes, who then asked a load of security questions & totally had her confused. Fair enough asking a certain number of questions but don;t go OTT and distress customers.