It comprises details of the mortage shortfall chase *and* my saving account. The savings account didn't show up in the first SARN, interestingly. That Abbey have now proved that it *can* find these account details demonstrates that it was wrong to blame me for its undue delay in contacting me about the shortfall 'debt'

(I've had two excuses:
1. 'You moved';
2. 'We took over N&P'.)

N&P/Abbey National *always* had a current address for me in its systems; it's proven. I think where N&P/Abbey particularly screwed up was accepting a change of address letter from me, by writing back to me at the new address, but not entering the change of address in its 'Customer Closed Archived Account' database.

But it could have contacted me at any time it wanted to by doing what Eversheds eventually did; looking me up in (a) the electoral roll, and (b) the phone book.

This 'Customer Closed Archived Account' database information wasn't provided to me after the first SARN. Naughty naughty, Abbey. It's got some interesting stuff in it, eg my N&P mortgage is listed having an opening date of 11/04/1991 [which is correct] and a closing date of 28/02/1997. I do not understand the significance of that date, as N&P repo'd the flat in April 1995 and sold it in November 1995.

It also reminds me that I was originally sold an endowment mortgage, but I complained that I was missold this quite soon after the mortgage took effect and N&P agreed to convert it to a repayment for no charge. It took ages and N&P really messed about. Strange but true. It'll make the mortgage deed an interesting document.

There is also a data capture screen which shows a different valuation for the property at possession than the [lower] one told to me by Abbey in writing. (Skipton v Stott, how we love ya....).

Abbey, possibly trying to be seen to be helpful, included 'information provided by our agents, Eversheds'. I'm still going through this, but one thing which jumped out at me was a draft of a letter, dated 12 October, which Eversheds never actually sent to me (attached - click here to see it). Check out para 3:
'With regard to your request for valuation reports and documentation other than what you have already received, we can confirm that out clients instructions are not to disclose any further documentation.'

The context is interesting. Last October, Mike Hancock had recently got heavily involved in my case, and the Mail on Sunday's 'Call off the Mortgage Hounds' was in full flow, which included Abbey's public statement about supplying proof of alleged debts. I was very busy asking for evidence of the 'debt'. Ian Hart of the Abbey secretariat had just sent me those illegible photocopies (on 10th October).

But is there actually anything else to disclose? It would appear from my more recent correspondence with Abbey that there isn't. Just the fiche.

And therein lies a tale.

This SARN reveals a pattern of events which I find very bloody interesting. I had always though that it must have been N&P who closed the file by disposing of original documents and paper copies, and creating a microfilm/microfiche of my file. Not so. Abbey did it. And guess when Abbey did it? According to what I'm reading, in 2000. The Closed Accout Fiche Index reads:
Account number: 728823162
Date Closed: 28/02/97
Year fiched: 2000
Type of Closure: Redemption
Again, this info wasn't provided to me after I first SARNed Abbey.

The file/microfilm was then passed to Eversheds [when I started causing a stir Abbey had to keep asking Eversheds to fax things back]. Eversheds loooked me up in the phone book in May, and sent out their first letter in June. So the lender deliberately fiched the file *before* the shortfall chase began.

I am pleased to see that I wreaked a small amount of havoc at Eversheds when they found out that I had gone to the OSS. Senior partners (Meredith and Warren) sent emails and faxes and asked to be briefed about my case. Nice to know a couple of £250-an-hour solicitors got to hear the mundane details of my impoverished life and times.

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