Trying to avoid charges and bad ratings

Megzly99 · 7 June 2014 at 6:56PM

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
In short, I have a repayment mortgage with Leeds Building Society and I have never missed a payment. I contacted them requesting a temporary 6 month period making interest only payments. I explained that it was due to having to take unpaid leave at work in order to look after my ill child. Their response was no and they advised that I should contact anyone else I have bills with and ask them to accept lower payments. I stressed that I was concerned about receiving charges and credit rating being affected. Answer remained as no.
Few months down the line, I've incurred several charges for the not being able to make minimum repayments on my other bills in order to ensure my mortgage is paid. I'm at my wits end as I know going interest only for 6 months will allow me the breathing space to get my finances back on track. I'm about to write a letter of complaint/begging but I'm not sure what exactly to say.
Has anyone experienced anything similar? Any advice?

patman99 · 7 June 2014 at 9:30PM

Are you now back at work full time ?.

jmhgibson123 · 7 June 2014 at 11:25PM

how bad of your mortgage company to not offer any kind of help, i would call again and ask if there is anything they can do to help and tell them that you are not going to be able to make the next monthly payment, see if that spurs them to be more helpful. i managed to negotiate a 3 month payment holiday with rbs, a few years later found myself struggling again and missed 2 payments as i was not allowed another payment holiday and now just pay extra each month to make up the 2 missed months. good luck to you hope you get some help soon .

Brightspark87 · 8 June 2014 at 5:56PM

Can I also add that putting up a SOA may help to see if you could cost costs else where? I just saved my mum £230 on her house insurance this morning! She hadnt made a claim for years and they wanted £500 for a 3 bedroom house. Thought it seemed like a lot and a quick search online made it seem that £350-£400 was more like it so we just rang and they matched a competitor! Also, say to your mortgage company they have a duty of care to you as a customer and if they refused you would make a formal complaint and then refer it to FOS if they still refused to help.