Please Help Me!

ncashmn

Hi,

I am writing to you in a desperate attempt to get some help on a matter:-


Back in 2003 I purchased a sports car from Approved Car Finance – I fell pregnant soon after so we took the sports car back to Approved Car Finance to change it for something bigger.

We were told that the finance would be settled between Approved Car Finance and the finance company the original loan was with, GE Custom Finance. We walked away believing that everything that needed to be done was being handled.

However in April 2005 we received a letter from GE Finance stating that we owed them over £8,000 for the sports car. Obviously we were shocked and immediately tried to sort this matter out.

I got into contact with Approved Car Finance on 05/05/2005, who stated that they had paid a cheque of £8,104.01 to GE Custom finance and this cheque had cleared their account on 03/09/2003. I requested Approved Car Finance to obtain a copy of this cheque, front and back so that I could send this to GE Custom Finance as proof of payment.

After some time waiting for Approved Car Finance to do something I finally received a copy of the cheque on 21/09/05 and forwarded this to GE Custom Finance (who by this point had sold this debt to Link Financial) assuming this would be the end of the matter.

Over the years we have received random phone calls from Link Financial chasing this money and as you can imagine the outstanding amount goes up every year in interest and charges – and every time they’ve called we’ve explained the situation until we are blue in the face! Up until now they have listened to us and then not contacted us again for a while leaving us to think they’ve finally got the message and then low and behold, they call again!!!

This month we received a letter from Link Financial stating that they are taking us to court for the outstanding balance of £12,802.66! As you can imagine we are shocked and deeply upset with everything that has happened since this all began back in 2003!

I called Link Financial today and again tried to explain the full situation to a very rude girl who was completely uninterested in my problem and in no uncertain terms told me I was being taken to court, I will received the court papers within the week and that’s the end of it. I got so upset with her I asked to speak to her supervisor who was supposedly in a meeting – I left my number but I haven’t heard back from her yet.

The other really stupid thing and I am kicking myself for it now, is that I did not keep a copy of the cheque – I simply forwarded it directly to Link Financial. However I do still have copies of all the correspondence I have made and a copy of the covering letter I sent when I sent the copy of the cheque on 21/09/05.


I was hoping there was some advice you could give me – anything at all. Or some kind of governing body who could help me get this matter resolved? I am at my wits end and no one is helping me. We’re trying to get a mortgage but with this £12k on our credit reference we cannot get any one to give us a mortgage. PLEASE HELP ME!

Yours Desperately,
Nicky

jon_boy75

ncashmn wrote: »

Hi,

I am writing to you in a desperate attempt to get some help on a matter:-


Back in 2003 I purchased a sports car from Approved Car Finance – I fell pregnant soon after so we took the sports car back to Approved Car Finance to change it for something bigger.

We were told that the finance would be settled between Approved Car Finance and the finance company the original loan was with, GE Custom Finance. We walked away believing that everything that needed to be done was being handled.

However in April 2005 we received a letter from GE Finance stating that we owed them over £8,000 for the sports car. Obviously we were shocked and immediately tried to sort this matter out.

I got into contact with Approved Car Finance on 05/05/2005, who stated that they had paid a cheque of £8,104.01 to GE Custom finance and this cheque had cleared their account on 03/09/2003. I requested Approved Car Finance to obtain a copy of this cheque, front and back so that I could send this to GE Custom Finance as proof of payment.

After some time waiting for Approved Car Finance to do something I finally received a copy of the cheque on 21/09/05 and forwarded this to GE Custom Finance (who by this point had sold this debt to Link Financial) assuming this would be the end of the matter.

Over the years we have received random phone calls from Link Financial chasing this money and as you can imagine the outstanding amount goes up every year in interest and charges – and every time they’ve called we’ve explained the situation until we are blue in the face! Up until now they have listened to us and then not contacted us again for a while leaving us to think they’ve finally got the message and then low and behold, they call again!!!

This month we received a letter from Link Financial stating that they are taking us to court for the outstanding balance of £12,802.66! As you can imagine we are shocked and deeply upset with everything that has happened since this all began back in 2003!

I called Link Financial today and again tried to explain the full situation to a very rude girl who was completely uninterested in my problem and in no uncertain terms told me I was being taken to court, I will received the court papers within the week and that’s the end of it. I got so upset with her I asked to speak to her supervisor who was supposedly in a meeting – I left my number but I haven’t heard back from her yet.

The other really stupid thing and I am kicking myself for it now, is that I did not keep a copy of the cheque – I simply forwarded it directly to Link Financial. However I do still have copies of all the correspondence I have made and a copy of the covering letter I sent when I sent the copy of the cheque on 21/09/05.


I was hoping there was some advice you could give me – anything at all. Or some kind of governing body who could help me get this matter resolved? I am at my wits end and no one is helping me. We’re trying to get a mortgage but with this £12k on our credit reference we cannot get any one to give us a mortgage. PLEASE HELP ME!

Yours Desperately,
Nicky

get another copy of the cheque if you can, then wait to be taken to court, taking all your correspondence. If you have it, you need confirmation from Approved Car Finance that the cheque was sent. If you're allowed witnesses, ask them to support you

all being well, the judge will throw them (link financial) out and ask them to pay costs for wasting everyone's time

i doubt it will even get to that...have you received court papers? even if you have, evidence is on your side, you have nothing to worry about

epsilondraconis

I would approach Approved Car Finance again to get another copy of the cheque (if they can supply it), and a letter stating that they paid the balance to GE Custom Finance and that no other payments were required because the finance had been settled.

ncashmn

Thanks guys - I actually just managed to get a copy of the cheque and the bank statement from Approved Car Finance today, showing the payment leaving their bank account. I have sent a snooty letter to Link Financial with the documents (kept a copy for myself this time!). I've also made a complaint against them with Financial Ombudsman.... I'm so stressed out by all this! Thanks for your advice.

Regards,
Nicky