Hi all. First time poster I'm afraid, so bear with me!
I'm less than a week off my 60th payment with Freeman Jones after amounting £23,000 worth of debt, and I've been involved in a bit of a dispute with them over the last few months of which I'll explain.
After making several PPI claims at the behest of Freeman Jones, I received an offer in January for £5500. When I received the offer, I checked my last annual review from Freeman Jones, and found that my final estimated outcome was to pay off 89p in every pound, with a final payment date of the 16th March 2013.
I did my maths, and worked out that this PPI claim should help me shorten my term, not 100% sure on how long, but it will let me pay off 100p in the pound of what I owe. So I gave them a call, explained the offer, and asked them what this would mean for the term of my IVA.
I spoke to a rather impolite guy over the phone who told me that I was in arrears by over £1400, caused by me earning above my threshold. I explained that this was news to me as they've seen my last 58 payslips and that all of my annual reviews, including the one in my hand, had said that I was 'complying with the terms of my IVA'. More importantly, no one had ever contacted me during my term to tell me this. He said that I had been told over the phone 3 years ago by someone who doesn't work there anymore. I assured him that I hadn't, and shouldn't that sort of thing be backed up with some kind of written correspondence? Apparently not. So I said that I would like to raise a complaint about this and continued.
How long was I going to continue paying? He couldn't tell me, saying that I would have to wait for my final review before they could extend my terms. I explained that this was not acceptable, as I need to budget my finances to suit this sudden change in my fortunes.
And what about this PPI claim? That should sort matters out shouldn't it? Well yes. However, that money won't be taken into account until I have paid off what I owe. What if that means I end up paying more than I owe? Any overpayments will be refunded to me at a later date. And if what the total amount I owe gets paid off and I don't want to continue paying? I can fail my IVA.
Anyway. 10 weeks have passed (They said they'd respond in
, and they finally contacted me today. Initially, they thought I was complaining because my payments had gone up. I had to patiently explain the whole situation again to them. They had to go away, look into it and get back to me.
To give them their due, they contacted me back within 3 hours. They told me that after reviewing my files and records, they can see that contact was not kept up with me, and that they should have informed me of this sooner. They would like to offer me £100 as 'A gesture of goodwill'.
But I still have to pay the £1400.
I didn't tell them to do what I wanted them to do with that £100.
It took me a while, but I carefully managed to explain that what I want is for them to recalculate what I owe them, taking the impending PPI claim into account and tell me EXACTLY WHAT I OWE THEM. They need two more wage slips for no readily apparent reason, are going to get back to me. Allegedly.
Like I say, my 60th Payment is due on Monday.
Sorry it's such a long and rambling first post, but I am at the end of my tether with them. I want to take this complaint further, but at the same time I just want to get this finished and never have to deal with them again. Am I being unreasonable? I just don't see why I should have to pay off that £1400 due to their clerical error, especially if that shortfall will be covered by that windfall payment that should be turning up any day now.
Any ideas as to what I should do and where I should take this would be greatly appreciated!!
