Article in The Times - Monday November 27th 2000.

Full Article Here:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,42130,00.html

Extracts:

ABBEY NATIONAL is going to the House of Lords to defend its right to charge interest on arrears on problem loans, a move that could push thousands of cash-strapped borrowers further into debt. Abbey National hopes to overturn a court ruling made in February, in which the bank was accused of unfairly charging interest to customers who fell behind with payments. The February hearing, which was brought by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), was the first time a UK bank had been taken to court over the way it charges interest to struggling borrowers. ....

.... Abbey National’s decision to fight the OFT comes just one month after the bank was named in a House of Commons early day motion put forward by Mike Hancock, the Liberal Democrat MP. He attacked Abbey National about its attitude to borrowers with mortgage arrears or whose homes had been repossessed.

Mr Hancock said: "This house denounces the unacceptable tactics used by lenders, specifically Abbey National Bank, to try to force settlements on debts which they will not properly substantiate."

He added: "Such tactics breach the Mortgage Code, while lenders are not being held to account." ....

-- Tony Hayter (Tony@Hayter.com), November 27, 2000

Answers

Can we in response petition the House of Lords so that they hear BOTH sides of this? Excuse my ignorance on this subject.

-- Sue Gates (sue.gates@ntlworld.com), November 27, 2000.

I have e-mailed my MP about this to ask firstly how to petition the Lords and secondly if he, and all those who signed the EDM can get involved.

If/when I hear back I will let you know.

-- Matt (mattyc@ntlworld.com), November 28, 2000.

I have found the following information on Petitions to the Lords:

www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld/ldcomp/compso07.htm

This is an extract:

" PUBLIC PETITIONS

3.61 Members of the public may petition the House of Lords, but only a Member of the House may present a petition. Members of the House should give the following guidance to members of the public who ask them to present petitions on their behalf. 3.62 Petitions to the House of Lords begin: "To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, The humble Petition of [names or designation of petitioners] sheweth".

3.63 The general allegations of the petition then follow. The petition ends with what is called a "prayer", setting out what the petitioners desire the House to do. After the prayer are added the words "And your Petitioners will ever pray &c." followed by the signatures. The petition may be written, printed or typed on paper. At least one signature must be on the same sheet as the petition. The signatures must not be stuck on to the paper. The petition of a corporation should be under its common seal, which must be affixed to the first sheet. ........."

______________________________

As there are now quite a lot of MPs sympathetic to our case I don't feel that there should be any problem in finding one to present our petition.

-- Tony Hayter (Tony@Hayter.com), November 28, 2000.

Further to my response above it appears the the Member of the House that has to present the petition should actually be a member of the House of Lords. It will be likely that we shall have to ask one of our friendly MPs to arrange with a Lord to do this.

-- Tony Hayter (Tony@Hayter.com), November 28, 2000.

I have spoken to my MP, Bob Russell, who will talk to Mike Hancock on Monday about this. He says they will take any action that is required.

-- Matt (Mattyc@ntlworld.com), December 09, 2000.

Any news on this going to the Lords, yet?

-- Eleanor Scott (eleanor.scott@btinternet.com), June 17, 2001.