Cunning Co-operative Bank?

SuperSuze

Hello,

The Co-operative Bank are being very crafty. I'm keen to discover if I'm eligible to claim PPI back from a loan agreement that is currently still being paid off and will be for the next few years. It was originally signed in November 2010.

As I misplaced the paperwork during a house move two years ago, I wrote directly to the head office requesting a copy of the original agreement, citing the relevant pieces of law entitling me to this, with permission to debit £1.00 from my account as is standard practice.

I received a letter two weeks later happily providing a copy of the original (complete with my signature) free of charge. However, when I came to the second page - the T's and C's - the print was completely illegible with 20/20 vision.

Six months later I spoke to a manager at a branch in Truro. They claimed the paperwork would be impossible to obtain (even though they have sent me something which is very obviously a copy of the agreement + signature)

Last month, I bit the bullet and naughtily called them up by phone requested another copy, this time in LARGE PRINT so they couldn't do exactly the same thing twice. After speaking to the relevant department, they assured me a copy would be sent by post immediately. Six weeks on and I have received absolutely no paperwork

SuperSuze

Does anyone have any advice on how best to proceed?

Am I within my rights to complain to the bank?

Would going through a third-party company be easier/more effective?

All advice welcome

[Deleted User]

I'd have thought a SAR would be the best way to go if you think they have a better copy available.

Only use a third party company if you want to pay a fee and reduce your chances of success.

SuperSuze

Thanks for your response and your advice. Would you mind explaining what a SAR is and how it would work in this situation?

Sorry for my ignorance, but the only SAR I've heard of are Saudi Arabian Riyals.

I do get the distict impression that the bank is witholding information/a legible copy of documentation as the reactions have been incredibly inconsistent and confusing. Surely, they would simply write to say they could not fulfil my recent request?

dunstonh

Last month, I bit the bullet and naughtily called them up by phone requested another copy, this time in LARGE PRINT so they couldn't do exactly the same thing twice. After speaking to the relevant department, they assured me a copy would be sent by post immediately. Six weeks on and I have received absolutely no paperwork

Legally, they are not required to do that. They can reconstitute the agreement. i.e. type if out again or give you a copy that contains the same text.

None of this makes any difference to whether you are allowed to raise a complaint about the sale of PPI. You are just creating work for no particular reason. If you have PPI and believe you were missold, then complain. If you didnt have PPI then what are you trying to achieve with this?

SuperSuze

I'm trying to read the terms and conditions of my agreement to see if I was misold PPI (ie they were not upfront about it when signing) which I though was the crux of the issue? There would be no point in complaining/claiming otherwise and I'm unsure whether I'm insured.

I'm following the advice of the DIY guide written by MoneySavingAdvice. What would you recommend instead?

Nearlyold

Why not ask the bank if you've got PPI. NB Have you asked the bank when they ceased selling PPI I think it was possibly in 2009?

dunstonh

I'm trying to read the terms and conditions of my agreement to see if I was misold PPI (ie they were not upfront about it when signing) which I though was the crux of the issue?

That will not tell you if you were missold or not.

I'm following the advice of the DIY guide written by MoneySavingAdvice. What would you recommend instead?

Ask co-op if you had PPI or not. Simple.

SuperSuze

Dunstonh, I feel you are being a little rude and dismissive. The T's and C's surely would refer to any PPI (or associated keywords) and as I was not informed of insurance whilst signing the loan agreement that would indicate mis-selling....

I'm trying to work out if the loan was covered by PPI. I also had to default on a couple payments a few years ago due to illness and unemployment and would like to know if I should've been covered.

I simply don't have any trust left in the bank to be honest about these matters itself, hence wanting some concrete proof in the first instance.

I think zx81's suggestion of a Subject Access Request might be the best course of action to take.

BoGoF

That will cost you £10 then. A simple phone call asking if you had PPI will do the same job.

Dunstonh is not being rude or dismissive, he is giving you the facts.

societys_child

I'm trying to work out if the loan was covered by PPI

That's easy, simply phone and ask them.
Requesting the agreement is pointless, and is sometimes done by people trying to get out of repaying the loan.

If it doesn't show on the first page, it isn't going to be buried in T&Cs on the second page.

I hope you don't find this 'rude and dismissive' which is not the intention.