Withholding PPI policy numbers; is it legal?

MBegg

I am having a terrible time trying to get Littlewoods to provide me with a PPI policy number associated with my account. I have been waiting over 2 months now since I requested it from then and they have consistently failed to even acknowledge directly that I have asked for it. Instead, they have sent me repeated messages about when they will get back to me - which they have repeatedly failed to do until I then email them again. The other tactic they seem to be using is providing me with various postal and email contact addresses and phone numbers. All of which similarly fail to acknowledge the request for the mysterious PPI policy number. I asked for it, as I needed it to fill in the financial Ombudsman PPI complaint form. They have now sent me a "how to complain about your PPI to the financial ombudsman" information leaflet. I am dumbfounded.

Can anyone tell me if it is legal, in terms of freedom of information or contract law, to withhold this information from me? It is after all information associated with my personal account and a product that has apparently been sold to me at some point? When I asked Littlewoods through their Facebook page this question, and whether or not I could be compensated for all the time I have been wasting over the last two months contacting them fruitlessly, they deleted my posts and blocked me from making any further posts. My wife used her facebook account to ask why they had done this and they said it was because I was “persistently spamming” them. I have never felt so betrayed and powerless. I have been a customer for almost 20 years and am disgusted at the callous way they have treated me. I have now submitted my complaint to the financial ombudsman (minus the PPI policy number), but If anyone knows what my rights are in this situation I would really appreciate it. Cheers folks.

amersall

You do not need the policy number to make a complaint for mis sell.
Your account number, proof you paid it (it is on each statement you received) and reasons for the mis sell.

Hopefully they will get a slap on the wrist from FOS for wasting your time.

dunstonh

Can anyone tell me if it is legal, in terms of freedom of information or contract law, to withhold this information from me?

Freedom of information act does not apply to commercial companies. It is for Govt. Companies have the data protection act and you can request a data subject access request which costs you £10. If you dont pay the £10 then they can withhold information.

However, a lot of PPI linked ot credit does not have a policy number. It goes under the card number (in the case of credit card and store cards) or account number for loans and other credit accounts.

Insider101

There is no law which says they have to provide this to you and as Dunstonh says many credit card PPI policies don't even have a policy number. Just use the card number when you make the complaint. At the risk of sounding blunt, don't waste your time quoting areas of law which are not relevant and which you don't have any real knowledge of.