Welcome to the wonderful 21st Century. One of the most striking things about this brave new world is the adverts: "Have you had an accident that's not your fault?" (by the way, if it's an accident then it happened unintentionally and no-one is the aggressor, yet those adverts usually portray the other party as some kind of evil villain--they aren't evil, even if they are feckless).
The companies behind these adverts tend to present themselves as champions of the people, defending the little man against the big corporations, and yet many of us are able to see through the facade and label them 'ambulance chasers'. But these last couple of weeks have for me really shed some light on the truth behind these kinds of adverts.
I received a telephone call, informing me that I could be entitled to lots of money if I was missold Payment Protection Insurance.
Well, I knew something they didn't. I've never had a credit card, or car loan, and while I have had two mortgages, I claimed the PPI back on one and the other was in joint names with my ex-girlfriend. I was the least likely person to need their help.
"No, no," they assured me, "The banks have put billions aside for these kinds of cases, if you had PPI you could still claim, it's your right".
For whatever reason I went along with the call as they processed my information.
Interesting fact #1: I could be owed over £3,000, and my champions only want 30% for helping me get it.
The call ended, and I felt uneasy, something just wasn't right about it. Yes, I may have been missold insurance, yes I may be owed money that would come in very useful, but I'd benefitted from PPI. Without it, we may have ended up homeless when I lost my job.
I received about a dozen calls over the week, and instead of telling them that I wasn't interested I kept stalling. I admit I was being cowardly, perhaps hoping that they would get bored. Ha Ha.
Anyway, during one of these telephone calls they were doing some important form filling when the crucial question was asked.
"Your first mortgage, was that solely yours?"
It wasn't. I told them that it had been in joint names with my ex-partner. Hope glimmered, perhaps this was my opportunity to bow out gracefully.
There was a pause on the line, followed by: "And do you still get along with your ex-partner?"
I do not, I told them our split was acrimonious and we hadn't spoken for over seven years.
There was a longer pause: "Do you think she'd mind if you claimed."
She would, she most certainly would. I told them so.
"I just need to talk to my supervisor." I was put on hold, occupied by the Girl from Ipanema.
Eventually my representative came back on the line. "My supervisor says there's no problem. If you don't tell your ex then she'll never know."
Now, as I was the one to pay the mortgage over the course of our relationship, it could reasonably be argued that any monies paid over were mine, and it could further be argued that as we are no longer friends I owe her nothing, but even so, to say that there's no problem felt very unpleasant.
Interesting fact #2: my champions apply the rule that ignorance is bliss.
I ended the call with an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I think it was bile.
The companies behind these adverts tend to present themselves as champions of the people, defending the little man against the big corporations, and yet many of us are able to see through the facade and label them 'ambulance chasers'. But these last couple of weeks have for me really shed some light on the truth behind these kinds of adverts.
I received a telephone call, informing me that I could be entitled to lots of money if I was missold Payment Protection Insurance.
Well, I knew something they didn't. I've never had a credit card, or car loan, and while I have had two mortgages, I claimed the PPI back on one and the other was in joint names with my ex-girlfriend. I was the least likely person to need their help.
"No, no," they assured me, "The banks have put billions aside for these kinds of cases, if you had PPI you could still claim, it's your right".
For whatever reason I went along with the call as they processed my information.
Interesting fact #1: I could be owed over £3,000, and my champions only want 30% for helping me get it.
The call ended, and I felt uneasy, something just wasn't right about it. Yes, I may have been missold insurance, yes I may be owed money that would come in very useful, but I'd benefitted from PPI. Without it, we may have ended up homeless when I lost my job.
I received about a dozen calls over the week, and instead of telling them that I wasn't interested I kept stalling. I admit I was being cowardly, perhaps hoping that they would get bored. Ha Ha.
Anyway, during one of these telephone calls they were doing some important form filling when the crucial question was asked.
"Your first mortgage, was that solely yours?"
It wasn't. I told them that it had been in joint names with my ex-partner. Hope glimmered, perhaps this was my opportunity to bow out gracefully.
There was a pause on the line, followed by: "And do you still get along with your ex-partner?"
I do not, I told them our split was acrimonious and we hadn't spoken for over seven years.
There was a longer pause: "Do you think she'd mind if you claimed."
She would, she most certainly would. I told them so.
"I just need to talk to my supervisor." I was put on hold, occupied by the Girl from Ipanema.
Eventually my representative came back on the line. "My supervisor says there's no problem. If you don't tell your ex then she'll never know."
Now, as I was the one to pay the mortgage over the course of our relationship, it could reasonably be argued that any monies paid over were mine, and it could further be argued that as we are no longer friends I owe her nothing, but even so, to say that there's no problem felt very unpleasant.
Interesting fact #2: my champions apply the rule that ignorance is bliss.
I ended the call with an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I think it was bile.
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