From: Richard Faulkner 
Newsgroups: uk.finance uk.legal
Subject: Re: Halifax Mortgage, advice on a screw up
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 16:38:32 +0100

In message <7a8b9e24.0409100629.2276bbc4@posting.google.com>, John Smith 
<120h-qcj7@xemaps.com> writes
>To be honest I really feel like the Halifax have f*&ked me over!!! If 
>anyone can offer any help or suggestions I would really really 
>appreciate it!

As I was reading your post, I could see what was coming. I kept thinking 
"If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, its a duck", which 
doesnt help you.

The fact is that you were probably so anxious to get a deal that was no 
longer available anywhere, but which may still have been on the cards 
for you, that you clutched at any straw which made it feel like it was 
for real.

Anyway - I would stop dealing with the faceless organisation who are 
passing you from pillar to post until you get fed up and give in. I 
would attack this on 2 fronts:

1stly - your solicitor has a document which confirms something. This was 
either legally binding on the Halifax, or not - ask him what he thinks. 
If the former, ask him to write to them and take up the matter on your 
behalf. If the latter, he could write to them as though it is legally 
binding, and see what happens. Presumably when he got the document, 
along with your actual mortgage offer/instruction, he discussed it with 
you and gave you some advice. I'm not sure how you  take them to court 
on this, (i.e. what you are claiming for), but there will be something 
you can do legally.

2ndly,

I would prepare a letter like your post, with a bit more detail, and 
write to every consumer organisation you can find - include Trading 
Standards, Watchdog, various newspaper financial problem pages and so 
on. You could then send a copy to The Halifax, along with a list of the 
places it is going to, and see if they respond... or you could just send 
the letters without forewarning the Halifax.

I have done the 2nd in respect of an insurance claim a long time ago, 
and it resolved itself in my favour very quickly.

-- 
Richard Faulkner