Nationwide - refund on conditions only

lpham

I put in a claim with Nationwide for repayment of PPI on a loan I took out beginning of 2003. They have offered a refund of £3,565.20 plus 8% interest per year on the condition that I provide them with evidence that I have worked as a temporary worker at the time of taking the loan.

I have given them all the documentation they needed at the time of taking the loan and they made it clear at the time that I must take out PPI with the loan. They were happy to give me the loan.

I do not have the payslips for my work 9 years ago. Nationwide have come back that I should contact my agency. I have worked with several agencies around that time and contacted them but they cannot give me proof that far back. On letting Nationwide know they said I should contact the tax office, I phoned and asked for a tax document for that far back and was told they cannot provide after 5 years. After informing Nationwide they now want bank statements for the time of taking out the loan.

I have now spent many hours combing through old documents in my attic, in my shed, contacting agencies, contacting the tax office and feel it is very unreasonable that I should now contact my banks (I do not remember which bank account my wages were paid into at the time), and I have thrown away all old statements not too long ago.

Are they just trying to wriggle out? Do they have the right to ask for all this documentation when they saw it at the time of taking out the loan and approved the loan on the documentation I showed them.

This has been going on since I received their letter in November. Should I now tell them that I will contact the Ombudsman or go to the Ombudsman straightaway? I am at my wit's end and do not want to spend money on getting copies of bank statements from that far back and any more precious time, but I do want the money that they said they will refund.

Your advice is very much appreciated.

dunstonh

on the condition that I provide them with evidence that I have worked as a temporary worker at the time of taking the loan.

The request for evidence is becoming increasingly common and is due to the number of fraudulent and try-it-on complaints that are being made.

feel it is very unreasonable that I should now contact my banks

You have made an allegation of mis-sale. They are just asking you to support it. Yes it may well be inconvenient but your displeasure should be aimed at all those people trying it on. If they didnt try it on then you would more likely be believed.

Do they have the right to ask for all this documentation when they saw it at the time of taking out the loan and approved the loan on the documentation I showed them.

Yes they have the right to ask you to support your allegations with evidence.

Should I now tell them that I will contact the Ombudsman or go to the Ombudsman straightaway?

You can go to the ombudsman but it would look a little suspicious as it would appear you are trying to get out of providing proof. So, when the FOS ask you to supply it, what will you do?

It maybe a better idea to change tack on the complaint and say that you are having difficulty getting the evidence but dont see why you they need it when the loan was set up with the PPI taken as a single payment and added to the debt and charged interest. The FOS dont like single premium PPI. So, if Nationwide dont cave in at that point, then you go to the FOS with a focus on the single premium.

magpiecottage

Nationwide will be aware that, under FSA principle 8 it has to address the conflict of interest between you and other customers fairly. Since it is owned by its customers, they will, in the end, have to meet the cost of any redress.

So it is proper that Nationwide should seek to verify that your grievance is genuine before paying redress.

lpham

dunstonh wrote: »

The request for evidence is becoming increasingly common and is due to the number of fraudulent and try-it-on complaints that are being made.



You have made an allegation of mis-sale. They are just asking you to support it. Yes it may well be inconvenient but your displeasure should be aimed at all those people trying it on. If they didnt try it on then you would more likely be believed.



Yes they have the right to ask you to support your allegations with evidence.



You can go to the ombudsman but it would look a little suspicious as it would appear you are trying to get out of providing proof. So, when the FOS ask you to supply it, what will you do?

It maybe a better idea to change tack on the complaint and say that you are having difficulty getting the evidence but dont see why you they need it when the loan was set up with the PPI taken as a single payment and added to the debt and charged interest. The FOS dont like single premium PPI. So, if Nationwide dont cave in at that point, then you go to the FOS with a focus on the single premium.

Thanks for your advice - I'll contact my banks and keep looking for more evidence to give to them. Will also think about the single premium PPI option if I can't find any more documents to support my claim. This was very helpful.