Letter today from Halifax indicating I might be owed PPI - What do I do next?

italianie

Last week I fired off a load of online PPI inquiries for past mortgages, loans and credit cards that me and my wife have had over the years. It was a bit of a fishing trip but I was somewhat optimistic that we might get a bite, as we've both had our fair share of credit over the years. All of these enquirers have already come back negative, well all but one it seems, as today I've received a letter from the Halifax which suggests I might have been miss sold PPI on 2 previous mortgages with reference numbers included.

The letter basically states, I understand you have a concern about your Mortgage Repayment Cover (MRC) element of your Total Mortgage Protection Plan (TMPP) and the way it was sold to you.

Letter then states my Total Mortgage protection cover included MRC - Mortgage Repayment Cover, LC - Life Cover and CIC - Critical Illness Cover. Separate amounts are charged for each element but they were combined in a single monthly cost. Letter goes on to say 'only' the MRC is a form of Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance so in line with the complainant, our review will only focus on this element of the TMPP.

The letter then asks me to complete quite a long questionnaire thats enclosed with a return envelope. The questionnaire asks for things like policy details, why did you decide to take out the ppi policy, what were your circumstances, health situation, did you ever claim, other details etc etc. The letter advised this questionnaire be returned back in 14 days.

As I took out these mortgages quite sometime ago, I don't recall all details to answer all questions thoroughly, but I probably have a bash at filling it in, to the best of my memory and see what comes if that's the best way to proceed? I do recall the nice Halifax branch lady advising me to take the TMPP cover when I took on the mortgage, just in case anything goes wrong e.g. you get ill, loose your job, that type of stuff, but can't recall the specifics. Edited - Just to make clear I said at the time I didn't want it, so assumed I didn't have it.

Have I even logged a complaint yet? All I did prior to receiving this letter, is just complete the quick Halifax online PPI enquiry check online check, I saw there was a separate form to make a PPI complaint, but perhaps my enquiry has triggered the same process. The letter received certainly sounds as though they've taken on a complaint and are now looking into it, but needs the questionnaire to proceed further.

So need a bit of advice now. Do I just proceed to fill the questionnaire in as much details as possible, send it back to them and see what comes of it? Or do I need to do anything further, like log a separate complaint, or follow some other step I'm not aware of?

Also, is there anything I should stress in the questionnaire or make clear, or a particular way of wording it.

I've avoided using a PPI checking company as I hear its like throwing money down the toilet and easy enough to do it yourself, as I appear to have started. Now that it looks like there might be a glimmer of a chance I'm due some PPI, would really welcome your advice on how to best proceed.

[Deleted User]

You fill it out, giving details if your complaint - ie why you believe it was mis sold.

Definitely do NOT use a claims company.

dunstonh

So do I just proceed, fill the questionnaire in as much details as possible and see what comes back?

yes

Or do I need to do anything else, log a complaint, or some other step?

Your complaint is already logged and has begun. That is why they are asking for more information.

Is there anything I should stress in the questionnaire or make clear. I can honestly say I never knew I was sold PPI.

That is not a strong complaint reason. Did you not see the direct debit going through for x number of years? You say you recall the branch lady telling you about the cover. So, that doesn't really correspond with you saying you didn't know you had it.

I've avoided using a PPI checking company as don't want to throw money down the toilet and know most advise against it .

And now you see how easy it is and using one is just wasting potential money.

But now it looks like there might be a glimmer of a chance I'm due some PPI, would really welcome your advice on how to best proceed.

The first thing to realise is that your thread title and content of the first paragraph is wrong. Halifax are not indicating anything that suggests you were mis-sold. All they have done is say you have MPPI and if you want to continue with the complaint, fill in the form.

Most MPPI complaints are rejected. You can still buy MPPI today. Although Halifax used to be quite a soft touch and rolled over easier than many. But less so nowadays. So, you should continue to think of it as a glimmer of hope. Do not get any hopes up yet. Fill the form in. Be honest as records on cases sold with life assurance etc tend to be of a higher quality and conflicts in info are usually delved into. If you dont know the answer, then say so. They dont expect perfect recollection and actually query more those that claim perfect recollection.

italianie

dunstonh wrote: »

yes



Your complaint is already logged and has begun. That is why they are asking for more information.



That is not a strong complaint reason. Did you not see the direct debit going through for x number of years? You say you recall the branch lady telling you about the cover. So, that doesn't really correspond with you saying you didn't know you had it.


And now you see how easy it is and using one is just wasting potential money.



The first thing to realise is that your thread title and content of the first paragraph is wrong. Halifax are not indicating anything that suggests you were mis-sold. All they have done is say you have MPPI and if you want to continue with the complaint, fill in the form.

Most MPPI complaints are rejected. You can still buy MPPI today. Although Halifax used to be quite a soft touch and rolled over easier than many. But less so nowadays. So, you should continue to think of it as a glimmer of hope. Do not get any hopes up yet. Fill the form in. Be honest as records on cases sold with life assurance etc tend to be of a higher quality and conflicts in info are usually delved into. If you dont know the answer, then say so. They dont expect perfect recollection and actually query more those that claim perfect recollection.

Thanks for your reply, its really answered all my questions, I'll crack on with putting in the questionnaire. Actually what I do recall when I was told by the lady about the protection, I told them that I did not want or need it as I was in a very secure government job at the time with an extremely low risk of redundancy so I said had no didn't need it, I'd go as far as saying I declined it and never knew I had it. Sorry probably didn't make that bit clear. I am going back a long long time so I don't recall all the details, but yeah they must have tagged it onto my mortgage overall payment as a fixed amount in with the total sum. I've had over 10 years of direct debits, but never queried any payment protection as I didn't know it was on there. It was only through some friends and colleagues getting back PPI that they told me it was worth checking if I had it and making a claim. I'll proceed with just a tiny glimmer of hope then

[Deleted User]

italianie wrote: »

they must have tagged it onto my mortgage overall payment as a fixed amount in with the total sum.

It's unlikely your Halifax Mortgage PPI would have been included along with the monthly mortgage repayment.
MPPI would have been paid by you as a separate monthly premium.

That's why stating that you "didn't know you had it" is such a weak complaint; it just means you failed to read what you signed and then continued to pay for it for how ever long a period.

dunstonh

Halifax TMPP was not built into the mortgage. It was a separate direct debit of its own. The TMPP was a multi-segment plan that had life assurance, critical illness cover and MPPI segments. You could have one segment, multiple segments or all of them.

Bermonia

Agree with the above TMPP has always been payable via a separate direct debit, the cover could include accident&sickness, unemployment, life, critical illness or any combination of these.

Uphold rate on these is very low, without a better complaint reason may be best to set your expectations accordingly.

italianie

Thanks your no doubt right, it was a long time ago, so I honestly can't remember but don't recall paying separate direct debits. What would be a stronger complaint? I thought the whole thing about the PPI is was miss sold and some companies just tagged it on.

[Deleted User]

italianie wrote: »

What would be a stronger complaint?

It needs to be one that applies to you.

A strong complaint reason would be that you were next in line to the throne and that your mum would have paid the mortgage, but it's not going to be credible in your circumstances.

italianie wrote: »

I thought the whole thing about the PPI is was miss sold and some companies just tagged it on.

That's a claims company myth.

[Deleted User]

italianie wrote: »

I thought the whole thing about the PPI is was miss sold and some companies just tagged it on.

Although a significantly large amount of the insurance was indeed mis-sold, it was usually to people who could never claim on the insurance for example. It's rare to have any complaint upheld purely on the basis that it was just "tagged on". The Bank would have to find something else wrong with the sale in order for it to be refunded to you. The documentation you signed (and presumably read) would have detailed the PPI and which of the segments of the policy you personally selected.

If you are going to complain, be sure of your facts before you do. Earlier you said the policy was added as "a fixed amount in the total sum", this is just as incorrect as accusing the Bank of tagging it on without your knowledge or permission.

What you need to check is whether you were eligible to claim on the Insurance. Were you working more than sixteen hours a week? Did you have any pre-existing medical conditions? You should also check your policy covered the self-employed if that was your employment status. Some policies did effectively exclude the self employed by making a potential claim too onerous.

These are just some examples of strong mis-selling complaints, but if none of these apply to you then you should expect little success with a complaint about "tagging on".

italianie

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Although a significantly large amount of the insurance was indeed mis-sold, it was usually to people who could never claim on the insurance for example. It's rare to have any complaint upheld purely on the basis that it was just "tagged on". The Bank would have to find something else wrong with the sale in order for it to be refunded to you. The documentation you signed (and presumably read) would have detailed the PPI and which of the segments of the policy you personally selected.

If you are going to complain, be sure of your facts before you do. Earlier you said the policy was added as "a fixed amount in the total sum", this is just as incorrect as accusing the Bank of tagging it on without your knowledge or permission.

What you need to check is whether you were eligible to claim on the Insurance. Were you working more than sixteen hours a week? Did you have any pre-existing medical conditions? You should also check your policy covered the self-employed if that was your employment status. Some policies did effectively exclude the self employed by making a potential claim too onerous.

These are just some examples of strong mis-selling complaints, but if none of these apply to you then you should expect little success with a complaint about "tagging on".

Yeah don't get me wrong, I'm not wanting to fabricate anything here, I just really can't remember the details and I don't ever recall paying a separate direct debit for payment protection, but I must have done if that's how it was always put through. I had several mortgages with the Halifax between 2000 to 2012, one of them was an ISA one, the others repayment mortgages. Unfortunately we lost all the details when we moved home, our documents briefcase went walkabouts. I was full employed time throughout the period and working for a government organisation.