How to claim on husband's behalf

weanie

HI
For the past year, I have been pestered by PPI claim companies. One told me that a a loan was taken out n 2004 an repaid in 2007 and that PPI was attached and could be reclaimed. I was told that it was with the Halifax bank. My recollection of this is hazey as my husband dealt with this issue and my husband very sadly died two years ago. We did have accounts with both Halifax and RBS.
I contacted the Halifax and they said it was nto them but it was RBS. I contacted them and they said there was nothing in my name and that I could contact another department to look into whether or not they were prepared to look into it for me as it seems that it was in my late husband's name if this is so.
I am still waiting four months later for a response from this address in RBS.
Am I on a hiding to nowhere? What suggestions can you offer? Many thanks for reading this.

magpiecottage

weanie wrote: »

HI
For the past year, I have been pestered by PPI claim companies. One told me that a a loan was taken out n 2004 an repaid in 2007 and that PPI was attached and could be reclaimed.

Despicable scum lying to a widow.

Have nothing to do with them

weanie

Thanks - I am not sure that that was what I was looking for though.
I am not going to enter into anything with a PPI claiming company but I would like ot pursue the claim myself and was loong for some advice.

dunstonh

One told me that a a loan was taken out n 2004 an repaid in 2007 and that PPI was attached and could be reclaimed.

That data is not in the public domain. It is either an outright lie or they have the data illegally. Remember that over half the complaints that claims companies put in do not have PPI.

I am not going to enter into anything with a PPI claiming company but I would like ot pursue the claim myself and was loong for some advice.

That is fine. You, or the executor of the estate if it wasnt you, can put in a complaint giving the reasons why you believe it was mis-sold.

weanie

"That is fine. You, or the executor of the estate if it wasnt you, can put in a complaint giving the reasons why you believe it was mis-sold"

Thank you. I have to properly establish which bank the loan came from first though and the letter from Halifax said not them but it was RBS although they have not given me any more information than that and RBS are saying that as the loan was not in my name, I have to pursue a different deparment to request permission to look into my husband's details and this department appears to have disregarded my letter.

The PPI caller was very definite about the PPI and the years it covered. What benefit do the PPI companies have in attemptiing to get people to believe that they are owed PPI if there has been no PPI in the first place? I find that a little confusing too.

jamesd

The PPI claims companies benefit by lying and getting people to give them their details so they can try to make money in other ways, like selling those details to other companies. They can also do things like trying to get you to pay administrative or other fees just to investigate. So they use outright lies about you being able to claim and bogus inflated claim values to suck people in.

You've been lied to by a claims company and it's creating unnecessary stress and worry for you.

There still might have been some loan with PPI, though. Just know that nothing the claims company told you is true unless they happened to get lucky on that call. Meanwhile all the calls mentioning the other banks you might have used didn't get lucky so you ignore those and focus on the one where they tried the right bank. All they have to do is get a few different people to call you, each giving a different bank name and eventually they will get it right, if you even took out a loan at all. Anything you tell them in one call just gives them more information that they can use to make the next call more credible.

The rule is easy: if you're called about buying something, don't tell the caller anything or do business with them because the legitimate companies don't work that way.

[Deleted User]

weanie wrote: »

The PPI caller was very definite about the PPI and the years it covered. What benefit do the PPI companies have in attemptiing to get people to believe that they are owed PPI if there has been no PPI in the first place? I find that a little confusing too.

What these cold callers do is pluck names, figures and dates out of the air in the hope that it will make people like yourself sign up with them. Once they have you as a customer, it matters little that they lied as long as it turns out that you did have finance (with PPI) from any lender at some time. You then pay them a huge proportion of any redress you win.

Unfortunately, it sounds to me as if you put far too much faith in the cold caller's information being accurate. You should treat all such cold callers with suspicion and ask them to put in writing what they say on the 'phone. Invariably, they will refuse which should set your mind at rest that they have no access to your financial details which are not in the public domain.

weanie wrote: »

I contacted the Halifax and they said it was nto them but it was RBS.

Are you sure Halifax didn't just state that you had no loan with them and it may have been with RBS?
How would Halifax know about finance you had with another Bank?

It really does look like your investigation isn't going to turn up anything worthwhile.
Just because you remember your husband once had a loan, it doesn't mean it had PPI. Do note that, even if he had PPI, it has to have been mis-sold to him in order for it to be refunded.

dunstonh

The PPI caller was very definite about the PPI and the years it covered. What benefit do the PPI companies have in attemptiing to get people to believe that they are owed PPI if there has been no PPI in the first place? I find that a little confusing too.

Most of the sales reps calling are on commissions. Quite often they put in complaints as a hit and hope and do get lucky.

It is somewhat ironic that claims company sales process is even more dodgy than the lenders sales process they are complaining about.

In the last fortnight, I have had two claims companies phone me telling lies. One was on outright scam that would see me lose money. The other was a hit and hope.

[Deleted User]

dunstonh wrote: »

In the last fortnight, I have had two claims companies phone me telling lies. One was on outright scam that would see me lose money. The other was a hit and hope.

I received a call claiming that my loan with Barclays had £2000 of PPI I was due a refund on.
I've never banked with Barclays and my PPI complaint with HSBC is long since settled.

It's ironic that the OP is wily enough not to use a Complaint Company, but still has enough trust in them to believe the lies they have told her...

weanie

"It's ironic that the OP is wily enough not to use a Complaint Company, but still has enough trust in them to believe the lies they have told her..."
I am not prepared to use a claims company for al the reasons stated but I DO have a recollection of a loan that my late husband took out to fund a car purchase in exactly the year they quoted and without my husband ever seeking my agreement.
The discovery in 2007 of the loan prompted the repayment in full of the amount. My husband was a wonderful man in many respects but money was not his strongpoint and neither would he have argued against anything that was sold to him in addition such as PPI and he had assured me at the time that the loan did not include any added features such as PPI. He would have been an ideal victim of mis selling.
The Halifax said the loan was not with them but I was also surprised that they directed me to RBS as the loan operator in their letter.
What is unacceptable to me is that I have been directed by RBS to apply to a particular department for information over three months ago. I have done so and no reply has been provided.
The information regarding the glut of PPI phone calls seems correct though as since that weak moment when I actually engaged in a conversation with the gentleman from the claim company, I have been plagued by nuisance calls from the entire pack of companies who now wish to 'help me'.
Anyway - thanks all for your information and comments.

[Deleted User]

weanie wrote: »

What is unacceptable to me is that I have been directed by RBS to apply to a particular department for information over three months ago. I have done so and no reply has been provided.

The Bank are under no obligation to reply to such queries, I'm afraid. It obviously would have been good customer service to have done so, though !:eek:)

As I said earlier, Halifax cannot know about finance you may have had with other Banks, but whoever at Halifax wrote to you may have been aware that you also banked with RBS and so suggested you contact them.

If you are determined to continue your investigation, then you need to send RBS a Subject Access Request (SAR) letter. This will provide you with all details the Bank has on file for you for the last six years and (sometimes) more. It will cost you £10, but it is a legal requirement that they respond in full within 40 days. There is an excellent template letter here;
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1475553

Do note that if the loan you remember was settled prior to the last six years it's doubtful whether the Bank will still have any record of it.

Good luck.