Bank charges alleged debt with a debt recovery agency

Cleopatra09

In August 2007 I banked with Nationwide at the time I was 1.05 in credit - suddenly our business hit a sticky patch and left us with no monies (both self employed) trying to keep our heads above water - i.e managing to make mortgage payments to keep a roof over our heads, other financial burdens had to go on the back burner. The Nationwide charged me £35 for a returned payment which to be honest I totally forgot I had, it was my life insurance payments - and I had cancelled this direct with the Insurance Company anyway. The Nationwide kept charging me £35 here and there until it amounted to £270.81 - I disputed this with the Bank and now they have sold the alleged debt to Lowell Portfoilio, of which I have disouted this to them also, they keep telling me to contact the bank as it is there charges, but I have, and I keep getting passed from piller to post, if this debt recovery agency have bought this alleged debt - shoyuld it not be there responsibility to sort it out, as far as I am concerned I owe nothing as these were unlawful bank charges and I was in credit by £1.05 at the time. It is costing me in time and postage to sort this out. Also the Nationwide have put this on my credit report and I also notice that the Lowell Portfoilio have added the same entry as well, which has duplicated the entries on my credit file. I am at my end now and feel like ignoring this matter or telling this debt recovery agency where to go!!! Any advice.:mad:

magpiecottage

Your story is contradictory - you say you had forgotten the direct debit but also that you had cancelled it anyway.

Also, was it a Direct Debit or a Standing Order?

Cleopatra09

No my story is not contradictory, I had cancelled the insurance policy with the Insurance Company, and because of the stressfull traumatic time we were going through I had forgotten about the direct debit with the bank, maybe at the time (5 years ago!!!) I had assumed that it would be cancelled as I had cancelled it with the Insurance Co. All I need to know is who do I liaise with the Debt Recovery Agency or the Bank neither of which seems to know there !!!! from their rlbow to be honest and just keep passing the buck. I have today written to the Lowell and told them I do not owe these monies to them or the Bank, I will if needs be take the Court route to get a judge to solve this matter - I am now financially stable but it has taken us 5 years to get through it, why should I throw away my well earned monies to a debt recovery agency who wants to get on the bandwagon of vulnerable people.

dunstonh

, I had cancelled the insurance policy with the Insurance Company, and because of the stressfull traumatic time we were going through I had forgotten about the direct debit with the bank, maybe at the time (5 years ago!!!) I had assumed that it would be cancelled as I had cancelled it with the Insurance Co.

Are you sure it was a direct debit and not a standing order?

I disputed this with the Bank and now they have sold the alleged debt to Lowell Portfoilio, of which I have disouted this to them also

Just because you dispute something does not mean you dont have to pay it.

I owe nothing as these were unlawful bank charges and I was in credit by £1.05 at the time.

Bank charges are not unlawful. So, you wont get far on that one.

Also the Nationwide have put this on my credit report and I also notice that the Lowell Portfoilio have added the same entry as well, which has duplicated the entries on my credit file.

You have defaulted on a debt. So, it would go on your credit file. That is the whole point of a credit record. It warns other lenders that you have not repaid your debt.

I am at my end now and feel like ignoring this matter or telling this debt recovery agency where to go!!!

Ignoring the matter is largely what put you in this position. You need to go back to the source of the problem. You say you cancelled an insurance policy but the insurer was still paid the money. So, where is this money that was overpaid? Why has it not been refunded? Was it overpaid by direct debit or by standing order (v important)?

You cant just say you dispute the debt and leave it at that. You have to provide evidence. Calling the bank charges unlawful is daft. They are not and they have court case to refer to. The charges are legal. So, you need to look at why they were charged and that brings you back to the payment to the insurer. That is what you need to dispute as the outcome from that will dictate what happens to the debt (whether the insurer pays the money if it is their fault or if you have to pay it if it is your fault).

vanitaza

Please can you offer me some advice!!
Debt Recovery trying to get money for bank charges.
BARCLAYS

---

To whom it may concern

I am very disappointed and extremely frustrated with the level of service that I have received from your company.

My account number:

In year 2009 when I was in the UK, I tried to get all my affairs sorted prior to leaving back to South Africa. At the time it was adverse weather conditions, lots of snow etc, I was extremely ill and still managed to go to one of your branches. I was initially told by your call centre that I was unable to close the account over the phone and I would need to go to one of your branches which I duly complied. Bearing in mind, the adverse weather conditions and the fact that I was extremely ill, I waited for 2 hours patiently in your Lewisham Branch. Finally I get to see an advisor, then was advised that I needed to go into Central London to close my account, this was one day before I was supposed to leave for South Africa. This was not possible due to the weather conditions, poor limited public transport services. I queried again is there no way I could do this over the phone, explained my dilemma and was given the standard feeble response, I need to go into the central branch. I was regrettably unable to get to your central branch.



Upon my return to South Africa, I have made numerous attempts to contact the bank/call centre in the UK (bearing in mind the huge telephone costs, I had to incur) and once again they have failed to assist me.

I explained what happened and stated all I want to do is close my account. This is not rocket science to close an account surely I understand there are certain procedures to adhere to; however nothing prepared me for one of your customer advisors advice. When I stated that I needed to close this account immediately, I was told by your Indian call centre to purchase a ticket and come back to the United Kingdom. Surely taking into account that I am currently in South Africa and have no funds to purchase an expensive overseas ticket just for the sole purpose of closing an account, is really bordering on the impossible.

I was shocked and outraged. I then asked to speak to a team leader and they advise me the same.

Is this how Barclays deals with international customers?

You are currently charging me for costs to keep an account open, yet I have made numerous attempts to close this account. Surely this is completely unfair as I am trying to close the account for the past 2 years however your call centre are just too incompetent to deal with such a simple query.

Yes, two years to try and close an account! I understand you want to keep your customers but this is ridiculous!

How on earth can they provide me with such a ludicrous resolution? I don’t have the means to come all the way to the UK to close an account. The money outstanding on the card is for service charges. How can you charge me for a card that I have not been using and have tried fervently to close this account?

This is extremely frustrating and time consuming.

All I want is this account to be closed; I am tired of phoning your branch and speaking to your incompetent call centre only to be told that I need to return to the UK.

It would be much appreciated, if management can please resolve this query as soon as possible.

Also this letter is my last chance to appeal to Barclay’s management since I have tried so many times with your call centre advisors, team leaders and the problem still exists.

Hoping for a positive resolution



Regards,

---

The debt recovery company is now trying to get the backdated service charges !!!

AnY ADVICE IS WELCOMED!!!!

Little_Mo_70

vanitaza wrote: »

Please can you offer me some advice!!
Debt Recovery trying to get money for bank charges.
BARCLAYS

---

To whom it may concern

I am very disappointed and extremely frustrated with the level of service that I have received from your company.

My account number:

In year 2009 when I was in the UK, I tried to get all my affairs sorted prior to leaving back to South Africa. At the time it was adverse weather conditions, lots of snow etc, I was extremely ill and still managed to go to one of your branches. I was initially told by your call centre that I was unable to close the account over the phone and I would need to go to one of your branches which I duly complied. Bearing in mind, the adverse weather conditions and the fact that I was extremely ill, I waited for 2 hours patiently in your Lewisham Branch. Finally I get to see an advisor, then was advised that I needed to go into Central London to close my account, this was one day before I was supposed to leave for South Africa. This was not possible due to the weather conditions, poor limited public transport services. I queried again is there no way I could do this over the phone, explained my dilemma and was given the standard feeble response, I need to go into the central branch. I was regrettably unable to get to your central branch.



Upon my return to South Africa, I have made numerous attempts to contact the bank/call centre in the UK (bearing in mind the huge telephone costs, I had to incur) and once again they have failed to assist me.

I explained what happened and stated all I want to do is close my account. This is not rocket science to close an account surely I understand there are certain procedures to adhere to; however nothing prepared me for one of your customer advisors advice. When I stated that I needed to close this account immediately, I was told by your Indian call centre to purchase a ticket and come back to the United Kingdom. Surely taking into account that I am currently in South Africa and have no funds to purchase an expensive overseas ticket just for the sole purpose of closing an account, is really bordering on the impossible.

I was shocked and outraged. I then asked to speak to a team leader and they advise me the same.

Is this how Barclays deals with international customers?

You are currently charging me for costs to keep an account open, yet I have made numerous attempts to close this account. Surely this is completely unfair as I am trying to close the account for the past 2 years however your call centre are just too incompetent to deal with such a simple query.

Yes, two years to try and close an account! I understand you want to keep your customers but this is ridiculous!

How on earth can they provide me with such a ludicrous resolution? I don’t have the means to come all the way to the UK to close an account. The money outstanding on the card is for service charges. How can you charge me for a card that I have not been using and have tried fervently to close this account?

This is extremely frustrating and time consuming.

All I want is this account to be closed; I am tired of phoning your branch and speaking to your incompetent call centre only to be told that I need to return to the UK.

It would be much appreciated, if management can please resolve this query as soon as possible.

Also this letter is my last chance to appeal to Barclay’s management since I have tried so many times with your call centre advisors, team leaders and the problem still exists.

Hoping for a positive resolution



Regards,

---

The debt recovery company is now trying to get the backdated service charges !!!

AnY ADVICE IS WELCOMED!!!!

Hindsight I know but I would have written them a letter before leaving the country and either handed it over the counter or posted it recorded/special delivery) giving instruction to close your account so that they/and you would have proof that you gave that instruction.

Have you sent the above letter yet? E-mail it to CEO of Barclays perhaps?