Feeling helpless - mental health, redundancy, physical health

Clara555

So Barclaycard and Virgin have frozen all interest and not passing on to third parties. Halifax, told me their specialist support team would be in touch but they haven't. All I am having through is letters that tell me I haven't paid my CC. Nothing to acknowledge that I have emailed and spoken to them on the telephone. I have specifically said can't speak on telephone but think will have to phone them again. Do I go to the financial ombudsman at this stage, as first contacted them last year and still no plan in place with them. 

sourcrates

The collection letters are computer generated and are sent automatically, they won`t take into account what you have told them regarding your health issues.

These are very large organisations with departments that tend not to speak to one another.

You can`t go to FOS yet, you must make a formal complaint with each lender, tell them what you want, and urge them to get themselves in gear, that way you should get a result through the complaints process, but if not, and they have given you their final response, you can then escalate to the FOS.

None of this kind of stuff moves very quickly unfortunately, you will just have to be patient, and ignore the collection letters for now.

MaidenDevon

Type in the name of your lender and the words "vulnerable customer" into google.  

The Financial Conduct Authority has introduced a new regime of "Consumer Duty" which places heavy responsibilities onto financial bodies to identify and assist vulnerable customers (which covers a massive range of people).  Virgin money have a text app which you can use rather than speaking. You don't even have to have speech or hearing difficulties, anxiety may prevent someone speaking on the phone which is also a vulnerability.

Clara555

MaidenDevon said:

Type in the name of your lender and the words "vulnerable customer" into google.  

The Financial Conduct Authority has introduced a new regime of "Consumer Duty" which places heavy responsibilities onto financial bodies to identify and assist vulnerable customers (which covers a massive range of people).  Virgin money have a text app which you can use rather than speaking. You don't even have to have speech or hearing difficulties, anxiety may prevent someone speaking on the phone which is also a vulnerability.

That's really interesting because Virgin are aware of my mental health and health conditions (I have both high levels of PIP awarded now) and yet they haven't mentioned this service to me. I will look into this thank you. 

Clara555

sourcrates said:

The collection letters are computer generated and are sent automatically, they won`t take into account what you have told them regarding your health issues.

These are very large organisations with departments that tend not to speak to one another.

You can`t go to FOS yet, you must make a formal complaint with each lender, tell them what you want, and urge them to get themselves in gear, that way you should get a result through the complaints process, but if not, and they have given you their final response, you can then escalate to the FOS.

None of this kind of stuff moves very quickly unfortunately, you will just have to be patient, and ignore the collection letters for now.

Some good news...Halifax have written off my debt of over £12k. They understand the situation I am in and were very sympathetic. I have a more detailed therpay/counsellor report stating I need long term therapy and that my needs are complex etc and referrals to CFS clinics but they didn't need them. I am now going back to Virgin because I am so stressed about ti being taken off by Nationwide. They are very stand offish in that from the beginning they have responded so quickly I don't believe any of my medical evidence has been looked at properly. They also haven't provided any reasons for declining the write off.  I explained to one of the specialist support team that I have history of harm/mental health decline and at no point did she offer any support, Halifax on the other hand checked in on me. What will happen to my debt with the Nationwide take over, they said they were not passing on to third party but they are not Virgin either. Interestingly Virgin haven't applied for default so the 6 years is getting longer, where as at least Barclaycard did that. Should I send all the latest medical/mental health reports and PIP awards (higher level for both) as well as Halifax write off letter to them both?

Clara555

Good Afternoon, I would appreciate anyone's advice - Virgin are the only creditor out out of the three to not default. I told them back in October of the situation. They are still refusing to write off and say they will reconsider if it goes to default but it should have defaulted ages ago because it is just delaying the inevitable for me. Also concerned about the possible buy out of Virgin to Nationwide. It this now an issue for the financial ombudsman as guidance says they should default as soon as a customer has made them aware of the situation. They also refusing to provide me with a reason for not accepting the write off which is again classed as against guidance. Any help would be much appreciated as the whole situation is making me so stressed.

fatbelly

We are seeing this a lot with Virgin. It's possible things might be better if Nationwide take over.

You could make a complaint, then escalate to FOS, but my gut feeling is they would side with Virgin.

I suppose there is no downside if you want to try it though

sourcrates

Or you could just ignore Virgin, and let them do their thing.

At some point the debt will be sold, the new owner may be more amenable.

I hate it when people say a debt situation is stressing them out, if that`s the case, just walk away, the very worst that can happen is a court claim to which you pay an affordable amount, nothing else that they do matter`s in any way, shape or form.

Please don`t allow them to stress you out.

Clara555

sourcrates said:

Or you could just ignore Virgin, and let them do their thing.

At some point the debt will be sold, the new owner may be more amenable.

I hate it when people say a debt situation is stressing them out, if that`s the case, just walk away, the very worst that can happen is a court claim to which you pay an affordable amount, nothing else that they do matter`s in any way, shape or form.

Please don`t allow them to stress you out.

They have said they are keeping the debt inhouse. But I am not sure what that means if Nationwide takes over? Unfortunately my mental health is at such a low that it does stress me out and even with psychological therapies its something I struggle with significantly and has an impact rightly or wrongly on me. A court claim would destroy me. I would not be mentally strong enough for this.  I understood that the sooner the default is in practice the sooner, the 6 years can clear and my credit history can improve. 

Clara555

fatbelly said:

We are seeing this a lot with Virgin. It's possible things might be better if Nationwide take over.

You could make a complaint, then escalate to FOS, but my gut feeling is they would side with Virgin.

I suppose there is no downside if you want to try it though

Thank you - that's the thing why are there these guidelines in place if the Creditors choose to ignore them and can't be held accountable through the Financial Ombudsman? Good practice is that they should give me a reason but they don't. Good practice is that they should default but they don't. What's the point of having good practice guidelines then.