I could lose my home, says bank row hunger striker
Protester served with a writ... at his TENT!
A SCOTTISH businessman on hunger strike outside a bank’s headquarters faces losing his home – after being served with legal papers at his tent.
John Guidi, 63, was on day five of his camping protest when he was handed the writ by sheriff officers outside the former Clydesdale Bank, now CYBG.
The former property entrepreneur, from Bothwell, Lanarkshire, claims Clydesdale mis-sold him £10 million in loans in the early 2000s and withdrew funding in 2012, transferring them to National Australia Bank.
Despite never missing a payment, the loans were sold on to US equity giant Cerberus, which liquidated the assets and he was declared bankrupt.
He and wife Ingrid now face losing their home as Cerberus, which is behind the legal action, seeks to seize the property using a ‘personal guarantee’ he agreed on his original loans. Last night, Mr Guidi said: ‘I am staggered to be served with these legal papers at my tent after five days protest on hunger strike. I couldn’t believe what was happening.’
It comes as the chief executive officer of CYBG, David Duffy, received a letter of rebuke from a Parliamentary watchdog last week over the handling of Mr Guidi’s case. Following a personal pledge by Mr Duffy to investigate his claims, Mr Guidi was told the bank was not responsible for his current situation.
On Friday, Stirling Tory MP Stephen Kerr, the vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on fair business banking, called on CYBG to ‘reconsider its position’.
He told Mr Duffy: ‘It is regrettable the bank is taking this approach. It does little to bolster confidence it is committed to treating customers fairly.’
His criticism follows a week of hunger strikes by disgruntled customers at other high street banks – all inspired by Mr Guidi’s action.
A grandmother of 74 is among six protesters who began hunger strikes last Tuesday outside branches of banks in Belfast, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle and Cardiff.
Mr Kerr added: ‘We had hoped to see CYBG engage in a meaningful, proactive and productive discussion. I am disappointed to hear no progress whatsoever has been made. I am alarmed to hear Mr Guidi has restarted his hunger strike and there are others, some of whom are not in good health, who have joined him.
‘Some institutions are able to sit around the table with customers and come to an agreement. I hope the bank will reconsider.’
Yesterday, Mr Guidi welcomed the parliamentary group’s support. Of the writ, he said: ‘CYBG washes its hands of my case and as a result the hounds of hell of the vulture fund Cerberus reopen the legal proceedings to get my house. Their rapacious injustice knows no bounds.’
A CYBG spokesman said: ‘Mr Kerr’s letter is deeply disappointing, making a number of inaccurate and unfounded accusations. Even though it is clear we are not responsible for the position he is in or any enforcement activity relating to his debts, we have pursued a number of avenues to see if we can help Mr Guidi resolve his situation.’