Banks passing you onto DCA's....

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I thought I'd try again as my last thread wasn't so thoughfully written I'm really hoping someone can help with this as I'm not sure what path to go down....

I received a letter from my bank's collection department yesterday (20th July) saying that because they had been unable to contact me or agree to a suitable repayment, they'd passed my details onto a DCA who would be in touch with me 'in the next 14 days.' The letter was dated the 15th July.

To put this into context, I sent them a letter on the 16th June stating my situation and offering a small raise in my repayment to try and keep them happy, and asked them to write or call me to confirm receipt of the letter. They never did, so I took to the banks' facebook chat and asked a representative whether they'd received it. He said they did, and they would contact me that day (20th June). They never did.

I wrote to the customer rep again on the 25th telling him that I'd had no contact, and he confirmed to me that they had definitely received the letter and would definitely contact me that day. Again, not a peep.

Total silence from them until this latest letter.

Would this be a case for the Financial Ombudsman, do you think? I'm in the process of requesting relevant information from the bank to send them an official letter of complaint. I've never disputed the amount owed, but I will dispute the (in my opinion) rather callous way they've dealt with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

happy_bunny_2

Send them a written complaint, signed for. Do this as soon as you can, including as much info as you have. You can always add to it later if needed.

This starts the 8 weeks until they have to issue a final response. After 8 weeks you cn refer to FOS.

Also state you want contacting in writing only from now on as you need a copy for your records.

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happy_bunny wrote: »

Send them a written complaint, signed for. Do this as soon as you can, including as much info as you have. You can always add to it later if needed.

This starts the 8 weeks until they have to issue a final response. After 8 weeks you cn refer to FOS.

Also state you want contacting in writing only from now on as you need a copy for your records.

Thanks for this, I've got a letter written and enveloped that I'm sending off tomorrow. I sent my last one with the repayment offer as signed for as well so my tracking info shows it was received and signed for.

I've also printed a log of the FB chat I've had with the representative to show his confirmation of their receipt of the letter.

Would it be worth phoning the FOS tomorrow evening just so I can get a little more information of the steps I need to take? I'm also in the process of getting another case ID with Step-Change as I...well.... lost the other one

Also, the DCA is a company called Allied International Credit, has anyone had any dealings with them?

Thanks again for your response!

happy_bunny_2

How longs this been going on?

You could call FOS but might not be interested unless close to 8 weeks.

As you are going through a debt charity, you might find some things in here useful:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/consultations/OFT664Rev_Debt_collection_g1.pdf

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happy_bunny wrote: »

How longs this been going on?

You could call FOS but might not be interested unless close to 8 weeks.

As you are going through a debt charity, you might find some things in here useful:

It's been going on since about November 2011 when I lost a job and couldn't maintain my credit card payments; I tried to inform the bank about the situation but when they foreclosed on my credit card, they foreclosed all of my accounts. The credit card's being dealt with separately and I'm in the process of agreeing a repayment plan with them; I was hoping this one for my current accounts was going to be easier, evidently not.

Thanks for your advice though. I might also call Step-change and (if I can get to one whilst they're open) a CAB to see if I can get more info on what can be done.

happy_bunny_2

In that case give the FOS a call.

Good luck

HB

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happy_bunny wrote: »

In that case give the FOS a call.

Good luck

HB

Thanks, I'll update this thread if and when I get a peep from them.

Isn't it always convenient how when they want you to stump up money they'll hound you relentlessly, but when you need to talk to them they don't say a thing?

Stewart_78

Total Bankers.

simeyb

Hi - I don't know who you owe money to, but AIC are the company that American Express use to collect debts - they're fairly reasonable to deal with.

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simeyb wrote: »

Hi - I don't know who you owe money to, but AIC are the company that American Express use to collect debts - they're fairly reasonable to deal with.

Well I was hoping the 'helpful bank' (there's the hint!) were going to contact me today like they promised they would, but alas, not a peep, so I sent off a letter of complaint to the senior manager at the collections centre, and am in the process of writing a new letter of complaint tonight that'll be sent off tomorrow to their main complaints centre.

I suspect all I'll get from now on is a shrug of the shoulders and a "don't care, debt's not ours any more, it's AIC's, deal with them", so at least it's slightly reassuring that they're reasonable to deal with.

The ironic thing is I'm about to go full-time permanent at my current job; if only the bank had held out, I would've been happy to have increased the monthly payments - their loss!

I also contacted FOS today and got case numbers (I have two major issues, this is just one of them) - so the bank's got 8 weeks to suddenly start being helpful again or else.....