Halifax harassing me! All automated or should I complain?

fatbelly

From OFT guidance linked to earlier:

In the OFT's view, creditors should consider reducing or stopping interest and charges where a borrower evidences that he is in financial difficulty and is unable to meet repayments as they fall due or when he can only make ‘token’ repayments such that his level of debt would continue to increase if interest and charges continue to be applied

From Lending Code linked to earlier:

224.
Subscribers should consider reducing or stopping interest and charges when a customer evidences that they are in financial difficulties. Such reduction/suspension decision should be based upon an income and expenditure statement indicating that they are unable to make repayments sufficient to meet contractual terms. Where a customer is able to make only token payments, their debt should not increase as a result of interest and charges levied. The assessment should reflect the customer’s lack of ability to pay rather than the stage an account has reached in the arrears cycle or whether they are using free sources of debt advice. Where a firm declines to allow concessions, they should be prepared to explain why to the customer or their adviser if requested to do so.

225.
It is inappropriate for interest and charges to continue to be taken where the result would be that the repayment period for the customer becomes excessive. In forming a judgement on what might be excessive, a subscriber should take into account the type of product and the individual circumstances of the borrower.

Get the Halifax's final response and then complain to the FOS, citing

178.
Subscribers should be sympathetic and positive when considering a customer’s financial difficulties.

Growurown

BevieB wrote: »

They have reduced our interest rate but still high so only paying a tiny amount off balance.

Same here. I expect they need the extra money to finance their ad campaign of singing staff:rotfl:

No wonder they are nicknamed on the forum as the Hellifax.

roni08

I have similar problems with HBOS in regard to interest charges.

My one piece of advice is always put everything in writing to them and also send it by Recorded Delivery. They are useless when it comes to replying to correspondence, but if you can prove you have had written contact with them you can take this matter further should you wish to.

Telephoning is a complete waste of time because you don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to proving what has been said.

MissFrustrated

Every month, like clockwork I get two letters from the debt companies via the Halifax in relation to a credit card and overdraft that I had many years ago when I had my own business.

The business folded over 3 years' ago at the beginning of the economic downtown. In addition to the Halifax, I had a credit card and business bank account with the HSBC. After the business had closed, I faced the demoralising task of signing on and looking for work. At the time, I wrote to both HSBC and Halifax explaining to them the situation, that I was broke and looking for work and unable to pay the full amounts of the overdrafts and the credit cards.

HSBC, upon receipt of my letter, wrote off the amounts owed as they understood the situation however, the Halifax meanwhile begun sending standard chaser letters to me.

During the three years, despite me squeezing myself to pay them each month, I have had letters from Halifax, Capquest, Westcot, Robson Way and now there's even a solicitor's letter being thrown into the mix.

After spending many frustrating months looking for work and not getting so much as an interview, I made the decision to enrol on a full-time college course as a change of career and generate my own work on a self-employed basis. Due to the nature of my work, I do not get paid on a set date per month - so direct debits to Halifax are out of the question. Although business is "ticking over", I can only do this part-time until I complete my college course (which is next Summer). By then, I would be able to go full-time with my self employed work and in addition to this qualification that I am studying for, would result in increased income.

The text in the Halifax debt companies' letters have now changed from "threatening" to "whinging" with them basically saying that as it's going to take me too long to pay the debt that they "propose" I pay £XX amount (i.e. half the debt) in order for them to write it off. Considering that there is no way I can possibly afford to pay half the debt, I am now experiencing their monthly debt chaser letters.

In the meantime, is there any way of getting these letters to stop? At this present moment, until I finish my college course, I am literally squeezing myself financially every month out of the little money I have coming in to pay the Halifax's debt companies. The constant letters of harassment are really bringing me down and despite me writing to them in the past asking them to stop harassing me, they just ignore and continue sending out these letters.

misterbarlow

it appears nobody wants my halifax debt off them...
In the past few months I have had letters regarding that account from THREE different DCO's..

Had the first one so wrote telling them the score, and to contact CCCS, and how much they will be getting etc, and a week or so later Halifax are back on my case and still getting statements etc, next month a new DCO letter, wrote back to them too, then few weeks later phone calls and letters start again from Halifax, now i've had a third new DCO letter....

I think for how much the balance is and how little they getting each month and as the DMP is over 9years, once they find this out they all keep bouncing it back to Halifax...!!