Third Party Closing Claim - Help!

miss_saski

I am desperate for some advice! The backstory is a bit long winded so if you are interested, pull up a chair and get comfy
Before the claim cutoff, I helped my dad start several PPI claims through a company. We decided it would be best to use a third-party as he is in a care-home with dementia and I do not have time or the energy with a newborn baby. It was sort of a project to keep him pre-occupied and I would pop in and see him every weekend to catch up on details, fill out forms, etc. 
Fast forward to February earlier this year. We had not heard anything back since sending off questionnaires for more information and he had pretty much forgotten about it, and I assumed that we were not successful. That was the last time I saw my dad before lockdown.
My mum managed to get to the care-home in August, who had just started allowing visitors, and was handed a handful of letters all from the claims company. The first one was a nice surprise - a cheque for £9000! The others were not so nice - questionnaires and requests for more information. My mum had a good ol' shout at the care-home for not forwarding his mail to her which had been prearranged at the start of lockdown, and I got onto the Claim Company and requested that any future correspondence be sent by email so that I can read it. This is the email that we originally used when making the original enquiry. 
Out of the 4 remaining claims, 3 we still do not know if there is any PPI to claim!
The problems we are encountering are the banks (HSBC and Barclays) are asking to verify his address because he was not in a care-home when the PPI claim was made and the addresses do not match their records. Due to his dementia and other conditions, he does not have a driving license. With him in a care home, he has no household bills and his care bill is addressed to my mum. He has never had a passport. My mum luckily has full Power of Attorney over him, but this is where we have been stuck since September!
HSBC do not accept POAs over email - only accept them in branch. The "local" branch is about an hours drive away since the closer one closed late last year, and that is only open 10 - 2pm with the lockdown. They should have this already on record anyway due to us trying to sort out re-mortgaging my mum and dads house with them 2 years ago (another story!), but trying to tell them this over the phone is impossible - they do not understand, or if they do they "cannot" do it. My mum took a day's holiday off work a couple of weeks ago to make the journey and we are waiting to hear back. 
Barclays and Barclaycard do accept the POA over email but they apparently have a new system and took a month to tell me that they cannot open PDFs and we need to wait 2 weeks for them to attach the files resent as JPEGs to the file. 
Whilst all this is going on, I received an email from the third party saying that as they have not had the information requested that they are closing the claim case. I find this incredibly unfair as I have kept them informed all the way through and they were well aware of the issues we have been encountering. They also did not email me any of the letters that my dad has been receiving with updates. 
The big question is - Is it all over? If they close the case, is that it - no point in chasing? Are there other routes we could take if they do close the case?

[Deleted User]

They can close it, which would be to your favour, as that may then end your liability to them.  However, they may invoke a time wasting clause and charge you a fee.

If the complaint has already been submitted and the claims company ends their contract, then you can simply follow up with the lender, which will be far easier than going via a claims company. 

[Deleted User]

Just FYI 

 We decided it would be best to use a third-party as he is in a care-home with dementia and I do not have time or the energy with a newborn baby

All the info you provided to the claims firm to start the complaint, was sufficient for you to complain direct to the lender and cut out all this nonsense

miss_saski

Thank you ever so much for putting my mind at ease. At the time, it seemed the easiest option but I am definitely regretting that decision now!
If the third party do close the case, do I just tell the bank that we are no longer using them and to deal with us directly?

[Deleted User]

Yes.  But do check your contract with the claims company, in case they still expect payment from you in one way or another. 

Though it would still be worth paying them simply not to have to deal with them again.

[Deleted User]

miss_saski said:

Thank you ever so much for putting my mind at ease. At the time, it seemed the easiest option but I am definitely regretting that decision now!
If the third party do close the case, do I just tell the bank that we are no longer using them and to deal with us directly?

Get it in writing as well that they are closing and have no further claims on any refund and that you won't be billed by them. Ensure the bank know you are continuing the complaint, you won't be able to open a new one if they close it.

miss_saski

I will be scouring the contract as soon as I find it. 
The bank closing the claim is what is worrying me, and what my mum and I would like to confirm the status of the claim more than anything but they will not talk to us about ANYTHING without proof of the POA. It is nice that they have these safe-guarding systems in place, but really annoying when they both should have the POA by now and we still cannot talk to them due to their systems. 
Thank you both for all your help and advice  

[Deleted User]

miss_saski said:

The bank closing the claim is what is worrying me, and what my mum and I would like to confirm the status of the claim more than anything but they will not talk to us about ANYTHING without proof of the POA. 

Remember that it's a complaint, not a claim.  That means it needs to be resolved properly and a final response given.

You would then have 6 months to go to FOS if you disagreed.