Probs with Halifax unsecured loan claim..can anyone help?

kaytee_3-2

Please please can anyone help me with a consumer problem I have that is driving me to distraction!

I took a loan out with Bank of Scotland, Halifax in Feb 2006, at the time I was pregnant and employed. Had I gone on to maternity leave with my employer I would have been on full pay for 20 wks and half pay for the remaining 8 wks, and I would not have had a problem paying my monthly loan repayments. However, I was made redundant in May 2006. After speaking to the loan company on 12th of May 2006 and explaining the situation, I put a claim in for them to pay my monthly payments until I found employment. After many letters and phone calls back and forward between myself and Halifax, they have turned down my claim. They said this is due to me not actively seeking employment and providing them with evidence of jobs applied for, even though they received a form from my job centre stating that I am seeking work, but have not found anything suitable, due to having to fit it around childcare. As I am on Income Support, being a single parent, I do not officially have to be searching for employment as far as the job centre are concerned. I feel that at the very least Halifax should have paid my repayments for the time I was on maternity leave and could not work. I have kept my payments up throughout this whole fiasco, as they have been paid out of my savings. I phoned up asking to lower my payments due to my situation and they refused at the time as the claim hadn’t gone through. Now I am told I have to cancel my standing order and not make the next payment in order for the collections department to contact me and for them to discuss me lowering my payments. Obviously, I will be charged for missing a payment, but this is the only way they will discuss it with me, as I have to be in arrears for them to be willing to lower my payments.


I am totally frustrated with this whole situation and I hardly have any savings left. I’m a single parent who is not yet receiving maintenance from my daughter’s father, I have depression and stress and this is not helping. This has gone round in circles since May 2006 and I have got nowhere. The Citizens Advice Bureau tried to help me by speaking to Halifax, but it did not make any difference. They also felt it was ridiculous and unfair, but did not know how else to help.

Can anyone give me advice?