I would never use them again

I contacted them about 18 months ago with a complaint against my bank (Halifax). Halifax had given me a £5,000 overdraft on my current account, at the time I had a gambling addiction and 12 outstanding payday loans, 2 personal loans and credit card debt. My income was £1,400 monthly which was nowhere near enough to pay all these loans, and I had been unemployed for 4 of the previous 5 years.

Halifax's decision to give me a big overdraft was because I had lots of money coming in and out of my current account, from all these payday loans in the previous months. The £5,000 overdraft was quickly used and I went unauthorised by around £80. Halifax was soon chasing me for the money. I informed them that I was in financial difficulties and we agreed a repayment plan, which involved me paying £80 into my account before the end of the month.

I paid in the £80 before the end of the month as agreed but Halifax had allowed more payments totalling £400 to go out to the payday loan companies, despite me already being in an unauthorised overdraft, financial difficulties and on a repayment plan with them.

I complained saying they were irresponsible lending to me because of my situation, and because I had informed them that I was in financial difficulties and had set up a repayment plan with them, they shouldn't have lent me any more money.

The ombudsman said that although I had set up a repayment plan with Halifax, because the further payments going out were using CPA they were right to make the further payments (lend me more money).

I asked them several times how much more Halifax could have lent me before they became irresponsible, or if they would still have been right to make the further payments if they were for £4,000 or £400,000. They never attempted to answer any of these questions and just ignored them.

I wouldn't use them again or recommend them.