West Bromwich Building Society Tracker Margins Legal Action

West Bromwich Building Society Tracker Margins Legal Action

18:38 PM, 30th September 2013, About 11 years ago 3869

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West Bromwich Tracker Rate Mortgages Legal Action Group

West Bromwich Building Society Tracker Margins Legal Action

Are you affected by the West Brom Tracker Rate Hike?

If your mortgage account number begins with the number 8 you are highly likely to be one of the unlucky 41% of the mortgage customers of the West Bromwich building Society with a West Bromwich Mortgage Company account affected by the 1.9% increase in your tracker margin rate. However, if you arranged your mortgage directly with West Bromwich Building Society (i.e. not via a broker) or before 2006 the chances are that your account number will begin with the number 9 and you are not affected – YET!!! West Brom will give no assurances that mortgages with account numbers beginning with the number 9 will not be affected at some point in the future.

OUR INTENDED CLASS ACTION LITIGATION OVERVIEW

Tracker Rate Class Actions Updates

The reasons we started this campaign are very simple:-

1) We believe the actions of West Brom are immoral

2) We believe the actions of West Brom are unlawful, i.e. they have no legal grounds to increase their tracker rate margins

3) We have no wish to subsidise other areas of the West Bromwich Building Society business model

4) We are fearful of other lenders following suit if West Brom are allowed to get away with this

Mark Smith (Barrister-At-Law) said …

“Representative actions, where one person starts a case representing many others, who all want the answer to a legal question from a court such as ‘is this contract enforceable against me?’ but are not seeking damages. All those who sign up to the action will get the benefit of the win, but they do not have to start their own cases, as they are ‘represented’ by the lead claimant.

The only people who will definitely benefit from success in the case are those who have signed up. There will be no free rides. Any others will have to fight their own corners individually, either alone or with legal help (which will inevitably cost significantly more than the group case).”

We will NOT settle on any basis.

Landlords take legal action against West Brom Mortgage Company

We have a moral duty to do what is right for those who support the values upon which this campaign was started. Our promise to all who support these values is that we will not sell out on you at any price. We will continue to fight this injustice and we will fight any other lender who tries to follow suit.

Are you with us?

This discussion thread is now closed – we’re off to Court!

To link to the new discussion please CLICK HERE

West Bromwich Mortgage Company Tracker Margins Legal Action


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Comments

Shaun Mcallister

10:57 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Hi Mark,

I sent my letter to WB on 21st and have now received a interesting reply.

Needless to say they are refuting my complaint and are maintaining their position.

However, they are now insinuating that they may/could exercise another hidden clause (section 14) whereby they believe they can demand repayment of the loan in full for any reason providing they give one months notice!!!!

This is a further demonstration of their bullying tactics and outrageous business practices which has only serve to stiffen my resolve still further. - count me in on the class action. will send you my payment on Monday.

Shaun

Addicted to fighting the WBBS

11:06 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Shaun Mcallister" at "05/10/2013 - 10:57":

Shaun - Mark et al have commented on this bullying tactic in pages 20+ in this thread. This is also something I am highlighting to the Press and is a condition in every UK mortgage, yet only a small %age of the UK population is aware of. The Press (Telegraph, Mortgage Strategy) are interested in highlighting this less than well know fact and also raising the scenario that if you think they would never do it, then read on and see what The WBBS are communicating.......Head line would be "How Safe if Your Property if you have a Mortgage on it".

On a slightly different front, as the WBBS keep referring to this Rate Hike & Targeting of Landlords with 3+ properties as being a "Business Decision", I think we should start the charm offensive against Mr Jonathan Westhoff (CEO of WBBS) and ask him if they do in fact lose any Class Action against the company and if they are deemed to have bought the company and sector into disrepute, will he be offering his resignation from the board & company ?

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

11:27 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "stuart marshall" at "05/10/2013 - 11:06":

Stuart, I think that's a great idea. Would you like to draft an open letter to him and I will post it as a separate article and link comment back to here?

Regarding complaint responses, I've just received mine and they have taken a different tack, perhaps because I used our standard letter template which requires them to do some work as opposed to simply refuting my complaint and adding the standard veiled threat of calling in my mortgage with 28 days notice. There was no mention of this in the letter I have recived.

My letter came from Manpreet Ahluwalia and was dated 3rd October. It reads as follows:-

Dear Mr Alexander

Re: Your Complaint

Following your recent complaint, details of your concerns have been passed to me, as Customer Relations Officer, for assessement and review. I am currently investigating the issues you have raised and will aim to send you a full response, detailing my investigation, by 29th October 2013.

I have taken this opportunity to enclose details of the Society's Complaints Procedure, which you may find helpful. Complaints we are unable yo settle may be referred to the Financial Ombudsman service. Details of this escalation process are provided in the enclosed leaflet.

I would like to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Should you require any additional information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely ......

I am very grateful for his final sentence and will be using this as an opportunity to request and information that Justin and his barrister may require to assist our Class Action case against West Brom. I'm sure that will cause him some extra work - what a shame! 😉
.

11:30 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Mark

I received an identical letter to yours this morning, I used your template letter and logged a complaint over the phone but mine is from Holly O'Sullivan. They have to respond to me by 26 October 2013. However, over a week and a half ago I asked them to send me through a copy of the mortgage deed that I signed as I don't have a copy and also the terms and conditions booklet that I also don't have. For some reason I haven't received either yet!

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

11:35 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Nicola Everden" at "05/10/2013 - 11:30":

I am in exactly the same position but I've instructed Justin anyway and added a note to say that I will be sending the outstanding information on receipt. I think West Brom might be using this as a delaying tactic to take some wind out of sales in the hope that emotions will begin to rest by the time they eventually respond and provide the requested information. When stuff em I say, "screw it just do it" is the phrase I believe Richard Branson uses so I'm going with his advice 🙂
.

11:37 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

I sent copies of what papers we had to Justin this week as well. I am a commercial property solicitor as well so if there is anything else I can do to help then let me know.

Concerned Landlord

11:45 AM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

WB appear to be digging a bigger hole for themselves - it is apparent to all (including the court) that their follow up letter is a threat and borders on bullying...

Mark - I am all for a group action (my documents/cheque is on its way), but I feel there is not enough visibility. I feel there needs to be more information - for example on how many people have joined up and how much money has been raised and how that money has been spent. All boring stuff, but will help with the credibility of the campaign.

Richard Adams

12:32 PM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Concerned Landlord" at "05/10/2013 - 11:45":

Many folk have posted like you that their docs and cheques are being or.have been sent to Justin. Great to hear. So Justin will have the info we all would all like to have in a couple of weeks or so I guess. Justin said in his e mail I recall that he would be posting in the forum accordingly.
Meanwhile I don't see what "visibility" or "more information" Mark can provide? Poor chap must be off his feet dealing with all the posts and related stuff. .
The campaign is credible because it is right.

Kevin Ivie

12:34 PM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

I also received the standard letter today from Manpreet Ahluwalia with a "Complaints and Disputes" leaflet enclosed referring to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is interesting as i understood that they do not cover complaints on Buy to Let Mortgages. I think this standard letter follows my phone call to WB when I first received my 2% increase letter. I also wrote to the CEO of WB but he seems to be in hiding and hasn't responded to my letter. Needless to say my papers, plus cheque, will be on the way to Justin today. I think a number of people are sending their details over the weekend and I agree it would be useful for all those contributing to the fight to receive a regular update of funds held on account, costs incurred and numbers of people supporting the action.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

12:50 PM, 5th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Concerned Landlord" at "05/10/2013 - 11:45":

.... and more information will be forthcoming in due course but please remember that we only launched the strategy this week and people are still busy photocopying so there will not be much that is meaningful to report until the end of next week.

We we have something interesting to to say it will be all over the mainstream press I can assure you as they are calling both myself and Justin daily. We also have several other very active bloggers liaising with the press and linking their articles back to us here 🙂
.

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