Mortgage Exit Fees successes and failures

laptopcalgary

I wouldn't sign it until the amount of the refund is confirmed - in writing!

mrtickle

MS35 wrote:

I've registered a request with Abbey using the standard template for a refund and they have acknowledged receipt, but now sent me a further form with some additional (simple) questions like date of opening and closing - all information they already know - and asking for us to sign the form and return it.

See my post earlier in this thread. That's 3 of us in this thread they've done this to. On my form, they have even pre-filled it in, using the information that was in my letter making it doubly insulting.

MS35 wrote:

However there is a declaration as part of the form which says "Please sign to acknowledge that you are entitled to this refund and that no other claims have (or will) be made in relation to the repayment fee on the above mortgage account"

Right. This is new. There is no such declaration anywhere on my form, or in the letter that came with it.

Abbey are turning out to be rather nasty. Whilst this thread is full of success stories and very happy people, Abbey sticks out like a sore thumb. When I phoned them to protest about their stupid "delay tactics" timewasting form, I had to speak to 2 different people, and the 2nd told me that it was being dealt with by a 3rd who works in a department with no telephones or fax machines. She wouldn't budge, wouldn't apologise and stood by the absurd statement that there were no fax machines in the whole of the Abbey organisation, so I had to post the form. Even though they illegally stole this money from us!

I sent their form back with a covering letter complaining about their illegal tactics, at the top writing "Copies to: 1. The Council of Mortgage Lenders, 2. The FSA" (to get their attention hopefully) and ending with "I trust you will not invent any more bureaucratic hoops for me to jump through".

Lou83a

Hi

I called the Norhern Rock and they have sent me a letter saying I am due a refund of £90 but I have to sign a "full and final settlement" letter saying there will be no further liability from them.This has made me slightly suspicious so I have decided not to sign and return the letter until after the 28th in case I am due more money as I still think their charges of £160 are OTT.
Even if I only get the £90 it's better in my pocket than theirs !
Thanks Martin.

ms_mark

My partner and I both had separate mortages on our respective properties before we got together. We each had a £40 MEAF stated on our documentation but were each charged £75 when we closed our old mortgages and bought a property together. We made a call to the Halifax last night, each repeated an identical story and were told 2 cheques, each for £35would be with us within 28 days. I then called my brother, who had also just closed his mortgage with the Halifax; the difference between the fee on his documents and what he'd actually been charged was £100. Again a promise of a cheque for £100 within 28 days.

Mark

blueygreen

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on a mortgage account I had with Northern Rock. I have followed the steps on here to reclaim any excess charges from when I switched mortgages away from them and have received an offer of £15. When I did switch I was also penalised about £6,000 for early repayment and was wondering if there will be any possibilities of any prospects of me being able to claim all or part of this back. The letter off Northern Rock has a disclaimer for me to sign and I'm concerned if I do this now to accept £15 I may waiver any rights to claim the excessive repayment charges.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I only have 10 days to proceed with their £15 offer.

Many thanks

Smanfer71

Hello, Thanks to this site, I rang my old mortgage company (mortgage express), and they've written back today to say I can expect a refund of £60 if I accept it. However, there is nothing about interest. Should I just accept the £60 and not quibble about the couple of quid interest?

Also, their letter is their "final response" under the terms of the Internal Complaints Procedure. Does this mean that if something turns up on 28th February, that I'd lose out?

Thank you.

BigCheese_2

Being a ‘mortgage tart’ of course I swap lenders every time a deal runs out and I can get a better deal elsewhere.

Having already reported £110 from the Cooperative Bank, I have now had an additional £62.42 from the Woolwich and a further £25 from the Hinckley & Rugby building Society. Only the Coventry building society still to get back to us. Success!

Burnley_Lad

after reading about this, I sent off my details to the Halifax, and got a letter today saying that I can have a refund of £75... nice one!

Thanks to MSE for this.

mmeadows

Last year I repaid/settled my Northern Rock mortgage. In with their redemption statement was a "Discharge of Mortgage Fee" of £250.

After reading Martin's article, I decided to phone Northern Rock to appeal. Very nice person answered and politely recommended I write to their Head Office & mark the letter for the attention of Customer Support Dept., I used Martin's template and scale for what I believed I should have been charged (MEAF of £75). Mailed it last Thurdsay, 8th Feb and received a reply letter dated 13th Feb, in summary confirming they had "recent discussions within the financial services industry" and having reviewed my file "as a result, I have arranged to refund the difference between the amount we charged you (£250) and the fee that applied when this mortgage contract was initiated (£95)".

Net result I'm getting a £155 cheque refund.

I have to say Northern Rock have been very good and quick with dealing with this....once brought to their attention.

Brilliant tip Martin...top man. Cheers & Thanks

mountainofdebt

Just thought I would post my success with Abbey.

I refused to pay the mortgage release fee when we cleared the balance of our mortgage in December as I wanted to know EXACTLY where I had agreed to pay this fee yet Abbey in turn refused to tell me where the in the T&C it was stated about this fee.

Finally I got through to someone who told where it was but then I decided to ask what exactly it was for - especially as I had previously been told that I had to pay it whether I used my solicitors or Abbey's.....I think I used the phrase money for old rope at one point!

It then got escalated up to the Head Office compliants department who wrote yesterday to say that they would refund () the fee and today I received the cheque.....so I paid the fee in an Abbey Branch today.

As far as I am concerned Abbey has waived the fee.