Is the FOS Fit For Purpose?

Is the FOS Fit For Purpose?

14:07 PM, 9th June 2016, About 8 years ago 29

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Financial Ombudsman Service

It is now proven that the Financial Ombudsman Service monumentally screwed up when they found in favour of West Bromwich Mortgage Company being in the right to add a premium to their tracker mortgage margins and to issue veiled threats to call in mortgages with just 30 days notice.

Were they afraid of creating another banking crisis, like the one when Northern Rock collapsed, or were they just incompetent and/or biased?

I have no doubt that several borrowers who were affected by this will be calling for resignations but I’m not going to do that. Instead, I am going to give the FOS an opportunity to vindicate themselves.

I am calling upon the FOS to re-open the complaint files regarding complaints about the Bank of Ireland and their unilateral decision to apply premiums to tracker rates mortgages for both homeowners and buy-to-let landlords. Around 13,000 borrowers were affected.

I am also calling upon the FOS to re-open the complaint files regarding the Skiptin Building Society / Amber Homeloans complaints in respect of their unilateral decision to disregard contractual obligations in respect of rate cap of bank base rate plus 3% on their standard variable rate mortgages affecting over 100,000 borrowers. This case goes back to 2010 and was reported on but in National media.

Neither of these cases are far removed from the one we won at the Court of Appeal against West Bromwich Mortgage Company.

It is all very well for mortgage lenders to say they need to balance their books and cater for both borrowers and savers but that gives them no right just to change contracts in their favour. In a mortgage interest rate contract says it will track the Bank of England base then that is exactly what it should do, no if’s, but’s or maybe’s. I don’t think the FOS paid much attention at all to what the contracts said.

Can you imagine savers locking their money into a 5 year fixed interest rate bond, only to be told subsequently they are not going to get the agreed rate because the lender wants to reduce mortgage rates? It’s no different, a contract is a contract!

Let’s see what the FOS do next, what do you think it will be?

I suspect we will need to take this matter further and that’s why we have launched a new fund-raiser.

We have honoured those who helped us to fight the campaign against the West Brom by keeping the name given to them in Court, the Property118 Action Group….. details 

Benefits of Backing Property118 Action Group

Property118 Action Group FOUNDER MEMBERPrivate housing providers (buy-to-let landlords) often lack the experience and finances to defend their rights. Membership of Property118 Action Group offers them a unique and powerful umbrella at a very reasonable price.

Founder Member Benefits

  • If you pledge £600 you will automatically become a Founder Member.
  • Founder Members will never be required to pay any more money in terms of monthly subscriptions or to contribute to any action we undertake to for the benefit of members.
  • When we have raised enough money we plan to take further action against the Bank of Ireland, Skipton Building Society and Manchester Building Society in respect of changes they made to their mortgage terms which we beleive are unlawful.
  • You will be able to use the Property118 Action Group “Founder Member” badge on stationety, websites etc.
  • There will never be more than 5,000 Founder Members so you will be part of an exclusive club.

Business Sponsorship £1,000

All the benefits of Founder Member status plus:-

  • PR benefits,  please see this link
  • Sponsors logo

Business Advertising £5,000 

All the benefits of Business Membership plus:-

  • An opportunity to post one News article on Property118.com every month, to include a contact form for the purpose of attracting members to enquire about products and services offered by your business.
  • Lifetime upgrade to a Business Member profile in Property118.com to include a business bio, the contact form mentioned above and the ability to add further images to your profile page.

Investment Opportunities

We are hoping to be able to offer shares in Property118 Action Group in due course.

Pledges

Needless to say, we are VERY happy about this!


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Comments

Chris Novice Shark Bait

16:26 PM, 14th June 2016, About 8 years ago

I have pledged to the founder member concept of property 118 action group. I am also an NLA member of 10 yrs standing. The 2 organisations offer different types of support, both of which are required and appreciated just now. It is how it is at present. Together we are stronger and that should be the ultimate aim. If fractions get in the way then we all need to ask why? Until then I support both but with reserved judgement on the NLA who's percentage coverage of all landlords is minuscule compared to what it could /should be by now. That is in itself an issue. We need to evolve out of the ashes of the perverse pillory stocks that the general public mythic-ally seem to regard as the rightful place of ALL landlords, the majority of which are as much against the rogues as they are..

Chris Novice Shark Bait

16:52 PM, 14th June 2016, About 8 years ago

As for the F.O.S. they should rightly be in the cross-hairs of property 118 Action Group. They are a biased organisation funded by large companies to deal with their complaints. Their impartiality is in question. Did W.B. not consult with both them and the Treasury before they chanced their arm? If so reverberations will be strong throughout the so called establishment.

First and foremost though landlords must maximally unite against clause 24. All else is commentary. Once this is resolved all else is mandatory.

We need to unite our efforts where we can and prioritise just now.

Chris

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

12:22 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

I have just found a very interesting Twitter feed.See Tweets below ...

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

18:07 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

Feeling ANGRY - GRRRR!!!!

I'm calling for the resignation of the chairman of the association of Mortgage Intermediaries.

Mortgage Strategy magazine have published quite a good article as a follow up to the Property118 Action Group win against the West Bromwich Mortgage Company in the Court of Appeal.

It is the final comment from the AMI chairman that has got me so would up. Have a look at my comment below the article and feel free to join in.

https://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/leader/
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Ian Ringrose

18:34 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

We all know that Mortgage Intermediaries choose lenders for their clients often based on the "bribes" the lenders pay them......

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

18:46 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Ian Ringrose" at "16/06/2016 - 18:34":

That's absolutely not true Ian.

I previously employed 300 mortgage brokers and I know for a fact that each and every one of them gave their clients the best possible guidance.
.

Ian Ringrose

19:04 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

Then why did most brokers take the lenders side on this......

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

19:13 PM, 16th June 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Ian Ringrose" at "16/06/2016 - 19:04":

They didn't!

Most brokers are very pleased with our result because it has gone some way to restore confidence in the industry.

There were a few idiots of course, there always will be. They were worried that we would sue them for bad advice if the decision hadn't gone our way. In fairness, some would have done that. Accordingly some brokers were defensive and didn't want to rock the boat. They were also worried that if they rocked the boat they might have been seen as trouble makers. That might have resulted in lenders refusing to deal with them. If that had happened the brokers would not longer have been able to claim they were offering independent, whole of market advice.

I feel for the brokers, the lenders have them completely stitched up. I'm glad I'm no longer part of that fraternity and that the livelihood of my family is no longer dependent on it. Having the financial freedom to speak openly about it is also very comforting.
.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

12:23 PM, 17th June 2016, About 8 years ago

Interesting media follow-up article ...

"West Brom landlords demand Fos re-open files"

Link http://www.ftadviser.com/2016/06/17/mortgages/west-brom-landlords-demand-fos-re-open-files-FRAR4OIOaLRlBVTVNJrfuK/article.html
.

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