In deep but fighting back!!!!!

gemspan

Hi there

I have faced up to my debt and have made some life-changing decisions since joining this forum and looking at things realistically.

For the past 2 years I have been struggling financially. It all started when I moved to this house and it needed so much work doing (which I didn't realise at the time I bought it!!). Anyway, 2 months after I moved in Bank of Scotland took away my overdraft which I had had with them for years without informing me. That meant that dd's got bounced and I got charges. Anyway, this went on until they refused to let me use that account. Because of the worry I became really ill, couldnt concentrate on my business and hence my income started to fall.

From the start of this year I have been quite ill and have been falling behind with payments on things. However, I had my lightbulb moment about a month ago when I found this forum and the changes I am making/have made are as follows:

Selling my house as there is about £40,000 equity in it. This will be freed up and go to pay secured loan, a car loan and part of a credit card. £15,000 will be kept for deposit for a new house as I can only get 85% mortgage due to my credit history. Will be downsizing.

I have sold a lot of unused things at car boot sales and made over £100. I have just listed things last week on ebay and have made - to date and still things listed - £550.

I have been approved for mystery shopping; I have started to do more dog walking and have just got a job with Tesco as a part-time dotcom.shopper until Christmas.

I have decided to put my business on the back burner for the time being and will concentrate on getting myself another part-time job to make up full time hours spread out over the day. I have dogs and it is very difficult for me to get somebody to come and look in on them.

I am also going to go to a few car boot sales to see what I can pick up, clean up and sell on ebay.

I feel so much more positive about things and realise that in order to get out of this mess I am going to have to make sacrifices hence the selling of the house. I am also in the throws of reclaiming back all my bank charges. TSB have already been written to for £500 and HBOS are in the throws of sending me all my details so that I can hit them with charges for hte last 6 years. I have had all my business with them in the past - personal account, budget account, credit card, business account and bank loan. I am fairly confident that the charges will amount to a hefty sum.

I have no qualms at all about claiming all these charges but I have a question to ask. If I can prove that my current situation is as a direct result of BOS taking away my OD without advising me they were going to do so and their actions have put me in severe financial difficults, caused illness and blackened my credit rating, can I sue them? It seems very unfair that they can get away with this if the charges are thought to be excessive and unfair and it is because of them that I lost control of my finances, worry caused ill health etc.,

I will be posting a SOA but I have really cut back as much as I can and have been proactive in increasing my income.

I just wanted to say thank you to all the people on this board for giving support to so many people when life seems so bleak and uncaring.

I will be in touch soon with my SOA.

Annie x

moozie_2

Hello gemspan and welcome

It sounds like you have taken some real positive steps recently. I hope things go well for you and you keep posting your progress.

I look forward to your SOA - in the meantime, get well wishes!

Brassicks

Sounds a bit like me RBS gave me a 500 pound overdraft which they said would cover my consolidation loan......Lo and behold it was taken away in FEB without my knowledge......