Lifestyle Claims

~Brock~

Regyuser wrote: »

So many thanks to barclaycard and fingers crossed Lifestyle don't try the transaction again!!!!

I know this probably doesn't apply to you, but it is ironic how many people end up thanking the very companies that they were previously all too keen to start a claim against.....

magpiecottage

Please also report the incident to both the claims regulator and to Swansea Trading Standards.

moneyblogger_2

I recently received a cold call from Lifestyle money offering to process a claim for PPI (which I never knew I had).

Having stupidly fallen for it, and parting with £299 +VAT I realised my mistake and decided not to persue the claim. Unfortunately the money left my bank in an instant.

The good news is that you CAN get your money back - I did!

Firstly I called on the same day to inform them of my wish not to continue with the claim, and that I wanted a refund.
I backed this up with a letter the very same day which stated that I was excercising my right to change my mind within 14 days - as is legally aforded to consumers of financial services. I sent this letter by special delivery.
The following day (once I had confirmation from Royal Mail) I call lifestyle group to confirm they had the letter. I requested they confirm they would send out the paperwork for me to fill in and return. When this arrived, I again returned it within one day (being sure to stamp the letter with the "received date") by special delivery. Again the next day I called them to request confirmation that the letter had been recieved and asked them to confirm when payment would be made.
The day before payment was due, I called them agian to confirm it would be made.
The next day, the money was back in my account.

My advice is, keep a record of everything - dates, conversations, names, copies of correspondence etc. Send everything special delivery. Ensure you get confirmation that the correspondence has been recieved, and confirmation of when the money will be paid.

It can be done. So if you fell for it like me, then stay calm, and rest assured that if you do everything within the 14 day cancellation window then you can get your money back!

Good luck.

dunstonh

I backed this up with a letter the very same day which stated that I was excercising my right to change my mind within 14 days - as is legally aforded to consumers of financial services.

Just to clarify, they are not a financial services company. The rights you have are under the distance marketing rules. Sounds like they breached ministry of justice guidelines as they are not allowed to take money from you until you have had a chance to receive and read the contract.

Good for you though.

colinetto

ph2 wrote: »

Hi i have been approached by this company and just wondered if anyone has used them and had success?

Don't touch this company with a barge pole! I was foolish enough to be bamboozled by their sales pitch last September 2011. I am still awaiting the refund of £358 that was promised back then!

[Deleted User]

ph2_on_9th_November_2010! wrote: »

Hi i have been approched by this company and just wondered if anyone has used them and had sucess?

colinetto wrote: »

Don't touch this company with a barge pole!

I think ph2 learned that some time back, given when he started this thread!

denisiw

I have just fallen for this! I received an unsolicited phone call from a James Butler of Lifestyle Claims Ltd. He said that their records showed that I've got good grounds for a claim for fees taken from me for setting up a mortgage, PPI, credit card fees, loans etc.

I was asked questions about my financial history of the last 20 years. I said that I'd never taken out PPI and was confident that I'd not been overcharged brokers' fees and was told that PPI might have been added without my knowledge so they'd put it in the claim anyway. He also came out with facts and figures of how much they'd reclaimed. All added up my 'claim' came to just under £8000, minus the admin fee and 30%. I told him I wasn't happy as it was akin to 'ambulance chasing'. He said it was my money and he asked me what I'd do with the money! The legal pack would be with me in 3-4 days, all I had to do was fill in the details and send it back.

I was then put through to the quality department (I think that's what he said) to confirm my details. When he said that they were going to put the charge of £359.98 on my credit card I baulked at this and was put back to the first caller who explained that their team of solicitors couldn't do the work for nothing and if I didn't want to go through with it I had a 14 day cooling off period and all I had to do was send the paperwork back and my money would be refunded.

I was still a bit reticent but went ahead. Then I looked on here and found this. So I phoned Tesco Bank to stop the payment. The charge had already appeared on my account but no money had been taken. I was told to ring Lifestyle but I said that some people had had problems getting through. I was told to look for the transaction on my credit card account and if it appeared to ring back and Tesco would dispute the charge.

Update, 9:40am, Friday 13 July 2012

I have just phoned Lifestyle Claims Ltd and told them that I do not wish to continue with this. When asked why, I said that I'd been on the net and seen the comments that had been posted regarding his company and had decided not to carry on. He said that anyone can post on the net and there were lots of comments from disgruntled employees. I didn't ask him what they were disgruntled about! He also mentioned that Lifestyle Claims Ltd were regulated by the Ministry of Justice (as did the original caller). I was told that the charge has been put on my credit card (which I knew) and paperwork had been sent out; I will have to send the paperwork back, unsigned, within 14 days and will receive a full refund.

I will now phone Tesco Bank to keep them up to date.

Denis

magpiecottage

denisiw wrote: »

I was then put through to the quality department (I think that's what he said) to confirm my details. When he said that they were going to put the charge of £359.98 on my credit card I baulked at this and was put back to the first caller who explained that their team of solicitors couldn't do the work for nothing and if I didn't want to go through with it I had a 14 day cooling off period and all I had to do was send the paperwork back and my money would be refunded.

Please report this to [EMAIL="consumer@claimsregulation.gov.uk"]consumer@claimsregulation.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

They are NOT ALLOWED to take money before providing you with details of the contract and they are NOT ALLOWED to cold call to obtain business for solicitors and if they are not referring you to a solicitor they are NOT ALLOWED to say they are.

denisiw

magpiecottage wrote: »

Please report this to [EMAIL="consumer@claimsregulation.gov.uk"]consumer@claimsregulation.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

They are NOT ALLOWED to take money before providing you with details of the contract and they are NOT ALLOWED to cold call to obtain business for solicitors and if they are not referring you to a solicitor they are NOT ALLOWED to say they are.

I have just looked at my credit card statement online and they have actually charged my card with the amount stated (£359.58).

They have sent me an e-mail which details the contract.

Denis

magpiecottage

Tell your bank it is an unauthorised debit and you want it cancelled in accordance with FSA rule BCOBS 5.1.11.

Then report the matter to consumer@claimsregulation.gov.uk

Unfortunately the MOJ seems utterly incompetent as a regulator so I suggest you also raise the matter with your MP. If they keep getting constituents doing this then they will sooner or later start asking Ken Clarke awkward questions.