Hillesden Securities

Micke12

Hi there. Not sure if this is the right place as newbie here.

I have had a letter fronm a company called Hillesden Securities based in Northamptonshire.

The gist of the letter is that I owe A.N Other bank a sum of money.

The bank owed still exists and trades under it's usual trading name.

The letter from Hillesden Securities states as below:

Client - Hillesden SecuritiesLtd formerly Llloyds TSB Bank plc.
Client Refference: @&^**^^*&*(&((&
Balance Outstanding £@@@.@@


My question is, is this legal, to clall themselves 'formerly Lloyds TSB Banl plc' when that institution is still currently trading under that name.

I may be wrong, but my understanding of the law is, that, you may not state you are trading under the name and/or trading under the name of another company that actually still exists and is trading quite happily. Therefore, there can be no 'formerly' as this is in fact a falsehood.

Could someone please confirm whether what the debt collection agency says is: A: right or wrong, and B: if it is not right, does it consitute a fraudulant statement under the fraud act.

Thank you all in anticipation of your help.

Mick:beer:

fermi

I think they mean that the debt was formally with Lloyds, but is now with Hillsdean. e.g they have bought it or are collecting it.

It is confusing the way they have worded it though. Perhaps deliberate, but also quite likely to be plain old incompetence on their part.

Do/did you owe this to Lloyds?

give_them_FA

Certainly what it looks like, they have bought an alleged debt you owed Lloyds Bank. Check if it's statute barred first off. Certainly don't reply or contact them.

Micke12

Yes, I did have an account with Lloyds TSB, when it was Just Lloyds Bank.

I have disputed this debt ever since it was notified to me. Seems some nasty person got hold of my banking details whilst I was at work and used those details to make a transaction about it. This goes back to late 2006 so statute barring is not in contention here.

Lloyds flatly refused to accept my statement saying someone else had used my details, even though the transaction was done when a number of people could confirm I was no where near in a position to carry out those transactions at those times. The police were next to useless as they always are in these cases, but did log it as a crime and gave me a crime reference number which I forwarded to the bank accordingly.

For a number of months, they kept sending me letters demanding payment, and I refused to pay as I do not consider the debt to be mine, all I understand that the bank says that all transactions on my account are my responsibility until they are notified of any loss or theft of card or cheque books. Every time I sent them a letter by return, refusing to accept liability for the amount of the debt, plus other charges, they would wait a few weeks and send another letter.

I must admit that on one of the letters I did say that I would no longer respond to any communication from them or their agents, and intend to stick with this policy, regardless of what they do.

From the heading of the letter from Hillesden, it is quite obvious that they are saying they were previously Lloyds TSB Bank plc, and but for confidentiality, I would paste it as a document on this website. I might still do that if they insist on keeping writing to me, and then see if they are writing their letters within the law. But the way it looks on the letter, they are definitely stating that 'they' were previously 'Lloyds TSB Bank plc'

Your views please would be gratefully received.:beer:

Thanks again.:laugh:

Mick

Hanky_Panky

I think it menas that the debt was owned formerly by Lloyds.

Also I would not just ignore this either - it may have a detrimental impact on other parts of your life just because you are digging your heels in.

You absolutely have to sort this out properly with the bank - If in dispute Hillsden will return it back to Lloyds and let you deal directly with them. What happens if you just try to ignore it then 2 years down the line can't get that mortgage or loan you really need because your credit rating is trashed by this. Seems silly.

Micke12

Hanky_Panky wrote: »

I think it menas that the debt was owned formerly by Lloyds.

Also I would not just ignore this either - it may have a detrimental impact on other parts of your life just because you are digging your heels in.

You absolutely have to sort this out properly with the bank - If in dispute Hillsden will return it back to Lloyds and let you deal directly with them. What happens if you just try to ignore it then 2 years down the line can't get that mortgage or loan you really need because your credit rating is trashed by this. Seems silly.

I understand what you are saying and agree with you, but Lloyds had ample opportunity at the time this debt was first queried by me back in 2006, but just insisted that it is my debt and be done with it. Why on earth should i now have to re-start the fight with them, just to be told the same again by this giant of the banking world.

It drove me to distraction last time, so much so that I lost my job because I was more worried about this debt than the work I was doing and I eneded up on anti-depressants. I do not want to go down that road again.

I know that Hillesden will return the matter to the bank, but having explained that I could not possibly have committed the transactions at the time the statement indicates, and the bank saying 'so what', I am at a loss as to what else to do at this time.

It seems that even if you can prove you could not have done the transaction, and the police certify that with their own evidence, then you are still liable, and surely that cannot be right, morally if not legally.

Anyone got any views please. Please be assured that I appreciate all views and comments in this matter.

Thanks in advance

Mick

Hanky_Panky

Micke12 wrote: »

I understand what you are saying and agree with you, but Lloyds had ample opportunity at the time this debt was first queried by me back in 2006, but just insisted that it is my debt and be done with it. Why on earth should i now have to re-start the fight with them, just to be told the same again by this giant of the banking world.

It drove me to distraction last time, so much so that I lost my job because I was more worried about this debt than the work I was doing and I eneded up on anti-depressants. I do not want to go down that road again.

I know that Hillesden will return the matter to the bank, but having explained that I could not possibly have committed the transactions at the time the statement indicates, and the bank saying 'so what', I am at a loss as to what else to do at this time.

It seems that even if you can prove you could not have done the transaction, and the police certify that with their own evidence, then you are still liable, and surely that cannot be right, morally if not legally.

Anyone got any views please. Please be assured that I appreciate all views and comments in this matter.

Thanks in advance

Mick

Why ? - Because it will impact you personally and the longer you leave it the more difficult it will be.

Complain, complain, complain !! Turn the tables on them and make them jump through some hoops for you. Demand proof you made the transactions. Complain, complain, complain again. Demand a letter of deadlock so that you can escalate to the ombudsman.

Whatever you do don't just leave it because it certainly wont go away.

give_them_FA

You need to determine whether Hillesdon are acting as agents for Lloyds Bank, and the "debt" is still the property of Lloyds; or whether, as seems more likely, Lloyds have written it off and sold it to Hillesdon.

Either way, don't bother with Hillesdon. If it's still Lloyd's and you don't reply, then they will pass the buck back to Lloyds.

If it's theirs now, then they will only sue if they make contact. If, as suggested in your original post, it is only a three figure sum, it is highly unlikely they would spend money on it if they are not sure of collecting if they do get a judgment. And in the circumstances you describe, with it being the subject of hot dispute, they will forget it and move on, as they probably paid a pittance for it. VERY few cases are actually pursued in Court by debt collectors (contrary to what they would have you believe) and those are the ones where they are confident of collecting because it's straightforward and the debtor has disclosed they have the means to pay.

Most likely is that if you blank them they will put it down as a no reply and sell it on to another agency, the usual practice; but soon it will be statute barred.

If Lloyds entered it as a default the first time, they can't do it again, so I don't think your credit record will be affected if you ignore. Probably fermi is better qualified to cover that point than me?

P.S All due respect to last poster, but my experience is that these speculative claims DO go away if ignored, debt collectors just go for the easy money.

Hanky_Panky

give_them_FA wrote: »

You need to determine whether Hillesdon are acting as agents for Lloyds Bank, and the "debt" is still the property of Lloyds; or whether, as seems more likely, Lloyds have written it off and sold it to Hillesdon.

Either way, don't bother with Hillesdon. If it's still Lloyd's and you don't reply, then they will pass the buck back to Lloyds.

If it's theirs now, then they will only sue if they make contact. If, as suggested in your original post, it is only a three figure sum, it is highly unlikely they would spend money on it if they are not sure of collecting if they do get a judgment. And in the circumstances you describe, with it being the subject of hot dispute, they will forget it and move on, as they probably paid a pittance for it. VERY few cases are actually pursued in Court by debt collectors (contrary to what they would have you believe) and those are the ones where they are confident of collecting because it's straightforward and the debtor has disclosed they have the means to pay.

Most likely is that if you blank them they will put it down as a no reply and sell it on to another agency, the usual practice; but soon it will be statute barred.

If Lloyds entered it as a default the first time, they can't do it again, so I don't think your credit record will be affected if you ignore. Probably fermi is better qualified to cover that point than me?

P.S All due respect to last poster, but my experience is that these speculative claims DO go away if ignored, debt collectors just go for the easy money.

As I previously posted (and has been removed as an obviously sensitive poster !) the majority of this post is tosh.

OP - Believe this at your peril. Only you can make the decision what you do next.

Good luck.

give_them_FA

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, hanky panky. I respect yours, even if I don't agree with it. I have very considerable experience in dealing with debt collection agencies. Very successfully. I don't know what your credentials are in this field. But a bit of mutual respect never goes amiss.

PM if you want a chat, I only bite DCAs!:rotfl::rotfl:

Micke12

I gratefully received and accept all replies to my question, but please do not start a war between you over this.

I have decided to tell them to stuff their debt by not replying or responding to their requests.

If anyone turns up on my doorstep that I do not recognise, then I won't answer if they look suspicious.

Thank you al for your advice it was good of you all to take the time.

Mick:beer::j