Halifax

[Boogiemaster]

We joined the Halifax and had our benefits paid into a basic bank account.
A lady said because we were getting over a grand a month it would be better to open a currant account.
So we opened a currant account and also got an overdraft.
We got into difficulties and defaulted on our overdraft due to the amount of charges they added and were unable to pay them back.
So now we have a nice default that's nearly three years old.
I have one default that will drop off in June and one next year and it only leaves the Halifax on my credit file.
My question is were they wrong to give us an overdraft being on benefits and then moan when we could not afford to pay them back?
I'm just hoping there might be a way to get this sorted?
I don't mind paying the money because i owe the debt but the bank charges didn't help the situation
Halifax also closed the accounts
Any advice would be grateful.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Halifax

Hiya

We can help you get a refund on a lot of the charges but unfortunately an overdraft won't be one of the mis-sale due to financial hardship reasons. Different if they gave you a loan - but if you had over £1000 per month being paid in that would qualify for a lot of credit, however it would depend on the disposable income element of the total income.

If HBOS seen you went down to your last £1 every week before new benefits arrived then offered you a credit card, you'd have a good argument. An overdraft is short term and not really classed the same.

You'd be better getting the charges claim sent in and then use that to reduce the balance - out of interest, can you hit us with some figures? Such as original overdraft amount and the current balance.....

Cheers - don't do anything yet, we'll establish some background then be able to help you better

[Boogiemaster]

Re: Halifax

Hi


The overdraft was £500 and with all the charges and fees etc it took it to £1.100.
I had trouble with the account with people taking direct debits early and money not being in.

I did get some charges back before this all happned and they made me sign something to say i would not be able to claim anymore.

I got paid and then the bank had took the charges that left us with little money so it just got out of control.

Hope this helps?

Ps. i just want to get out of debt and get my life back, getting refused isn't very nice and you feel worthless, but next year i will be debt free but this default will still be like the inland revenue still hanging around

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Halifax

Hi


The overdraft was £500 and with all the charges and fees etc it took it to £1.100.
I had trouble with the account with people taking direct debits early and money not being in.

I did get some charges back before this all happned and they made me sign something to say i would not be able to claim anymore.

I got paid and then the bank had took the charges that left us with little money so it just got out of control.

Hope this helps?

Ps. i just want to get out of debt and get my life back, getting refused isn't very nice and you feel worthless, but next year i will be debt free but this default will still be like the inland revenue still hanging around

All I can really suggest is that you do a reclaim - read here for details (Di30 can help with this) ---> Reclaiming

If you get no joy then maybe a complaint to the FOS would be in order, however first and foremost try and start a reclaim of unfair charges....

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Halifax

Any update on this.....

[Boogiemaster]

Re: Halifax

I spoke to Halifax customer relations and they said the charges were fair as i had gone into my overdraft.

I told her i was suffering financial hardship but she said there are no records that you told us of this.

I asked her how much id paid in charges? and she said it is well over a thousand pounds.

She also said the account has been written off becouse i was on income support and they felt they would never get the money back.

She said you could start to pay the overdraft off and try to reclaim the charges but i doubt you would get them back.

I told her to take the charges and clear the overdraft but it was a no go.

Cheeky bitch sent me £25

I have a default on my credit report that says one month behind then two months behind ap ap ap ap default.

She told me that the default will drop off in two years but according to the default date that states 2009 it won't drop off the credit file until 2015 but she was adamant it drops off in two years.

So who is right?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Halifax

Hi

Is the account written off then, I presume if she said that then that's a good thing cos it means they have taken a commercial decision to write it off.

I'd just accept that and leave it - as for the £25 - - who said you can't get free money from banks! But yea, agreed - cheeky bitch

The default will last for 6 years from date of default, so if it was defaulted in 2009 it'll be there until 2015. That's 100% guaranteed.

[Boogiemaster]

Re: Halifax

I have one default that is six years old today but its still on.

The other comes off next year and i will only be left with the Halifax.

I know a default is bad but next year it will be three years old and as you said banks only search three years.

My credit rating is getting better because i am starting to get accepted for credit again.

Got a mobile on contract from virgin for eighteen months that ended so took another contract for another eighteen months.

Got accepted by bt for a land line and have been with them nearly eighteen months.

Got broadband from virgin for my kids because i hate sharing my net with them and they costing me an xtra £1.00 per gig they use over my bandwidth.

Got accepted by a rental company to rent a chest freezer and got accepted for a couple of catalogues but low limits.

I always make sure the money is in the bank and now i have lots of green zeros.

I will be debt free next October and won't owe a penny apart from that bloody overdraft.

I don't want to be sub prime and i want credit with low rates and i won't take on more than i can afford.

I'm a lot wiser now with reading this forum and I've learned my lesson.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Halifax

Give it a couple of days, the default can sometimes take until the next "live update" to actually come off, so it'll happen at some point over the next week. Plus nobody would pay attention to it based on the fact it is already so old......

[Boogiemaster]

Re: Halifax

Its getting removed so i don't mind waiting a few days.

Only have one from Lowell but that won't drop off till next year but I'm hoping they don't have any proof and have to take it off.

Then its the Halifax that has two years to go according to her but i know its 2015 not 2013.

I need to find the email address of the Halifax CEO as i haven't got a clue what email address he uses.

I can send him a nice letter in the hope he will remove it.

No harm in trying just need his email address?