Close Payment Services

I've read with interest the other ladies' complaint about this company dated May 21st, 2010. I have the same trouble with these people. My house is still on the market and it was arranged that these people would be settled up when the house is sold. My mother died in November last year so I decided to put the house on the market in March 2010. I did not have the kind of money they were looking for upfront for the home report needed and so the thing was set up with the agents that are selling the house. I signed the bank standing order to agree for them to take the money due on completion of the house selling $1,201.37 last month. Close Payment got in touch to tell me that I am due all the money because my standing order had been cancelled which I denied it had been.

On checking further with my bank, seemingly when I have been going through the things that my mother and I paid for, etc., I had mistakenly deleted this as I tried to explain this to the person I was speaking with, which I might add do not care. I was told that I had signed an agreement saying that failing whatever, they had the right to use my card details to take whatever money was due as often as they needed until all monies was paid. As the lady from above, I did agree for them to take the $30.00 initial payment and that was all. I am 56 years old with arthritis and diabetes. I have prepayment meters for gas and electric. Since 7/9/10, Close Payments have cleared my account of any money I had (7/9/10 - $10.00; 13/9/10 - $50.00; and 13/9/10 - $35.00). I phoned them about the above amounts and was told point blank that they had the right to do it. I had to find a cleaning job so that I could get some money, and I get paid monthly, every 24th of the month. Then on the 28/9/10, Close Payments again started taking money from my account (28/9/10 - $200.00; 29/9/10 - $300.00; 30/9/10 - $50.00).

Now I phoned them again, the 30th, to ask what was going on as that was all the money I had and that they left me with nothing at all. I explained that my mortgage is due today, 1/10/10. They have taken all my money that was to pay my bills such as mortgage, my sky, my phone bill, money to put in my gas and electric; I cant even afford my medication that is due. So now I will incur bank charges from all these other people when they put in for their money, which is not there for them. Surely these people are breaking the law somehow. Surely they don't have the right to clear your bank account and leave you without a penny to live on.

In August last year, my husband and I put our house on the market. The estate agent we chose sent their representative out to complete all the necessary forms. He advise of the fees involved in order to sell i.e. 300 plus vat up front marketing fees and 499 plus vat for a home information pack. We advised, as we were retired people, we did not have this amount of money, so would have to leave selling at that moment in time. The representative advised us of the deferred payment scheme, which meant we could pay all the fees and pay the loan back in 9 months. But our house would sell long before that time so we would have no worries. We agreed to this and he completed all necessary forms.

We had to give him debit card details in order for the company providing the loan i.e. Close Payment Services, to claim a 30 administration fee. We gave him my husband's card details. The home information pack's survey was done but there was a delay on the house actually placed on the market, so we understood the nine months would run from the actual marketing of the house, which turned out to be the third week in September. The house has not sold as yet. About five weeks ago, we received a letter from Close Payment Services, asking for the name and address of the solicitor who will be acting for us in the sale, as they needed our authority to allow this solicitor to pay the money owed to them out of the proceeds of sale. We assumed at this point that because the house had not sold, they were happy to wait.

On 10th May, we found out that Close Payment Services had attempted to take 1,010 out of our bank account. We had no notice that they were going to do this. Of course, because we did not have the money, the bank refused payment and charged us 35. My husband rang Close Payment Services immediately, to advise them we could not pay and ask if monthly payments could be arranged until a sale went through. He was advised that the company would be attempting to take the 1,010 again on 6th June and if it was not paid then, we would have to ring their credit control department and arrange payments. My husband asked if we could speak to that department then, but were advised no. On 14th May, we were checking our bank account on line and noticed that 50 had been taken out of the 94 we had in our account.

Our mortgage was due three days after this, so we had to get along to the bank and paid in 185. This was about 3pm. At 6pm that same evening, we checked the account on line again and found that 200 had been taken from the account. On both occasions, there was no indication against the amounts, to show who had actually claimed them. We thought that one of our debit cards must have been cloned and so rang the bank. We were told to wait over that weekend and check on Monday, as whoever had claimed the money would show up then. It became clear on the Monday that it was Close Payment Services.

The bank said they could do nothing to get the money back, but they cancelled my husband's debit card to prevent any money being taken. We rang Close Payment Services who advised that, because we had given our debit card details to pay the 30 admin fee at the outset, we had signed to allow them to take further money if need be at a later date. As far as we are concerned, other than the 30 admin fee, we have definitely not given authority for them to take any further money under that debit card. We were charged 35 by the bank, Close Payment Services took 250 out of our bank account, which was put there in order to pay our mortgage. Because we have been late paying our mortgage, we fear we have got a bad name with our mortgage company and they charged us a 40 late fee. If the company attempt to take money from our account again on 6th June, there will be additional bank charges of 35. In all, we will be 360 out of pocket. We had to borrow 250 from our son in order to pay the mortgage. Because the company were a little threatening in their manner when my husband telephoned them, and to our minds they have been devious in their actions, we are very worried what they will do now. Please could you advise what is the best course of action for us to take. Thank you.