What instantly becomes clear when speaking to Beat the Banks founder Mike Begg is that he is a man on a mission.
And it’s about making sure the people who have cost their customers thousands of pounds are held to account.
“I have always hated injustice,” he told me after we had picked our starters and mains from the gorgeous menu at The View in Wormit. “And this is, to me, one of the biggest injustices in our country.”
Mike is talking about mis-selling PPI, and there is passion in his voice as he talks about the work he has done, and continues to do.
He spends hours trying to contact MPs and MSPs to get them to hold the banks to account.
As he tucked into his salmon linguini Mike added that he is also a stickler for making sure that he and his team give their all to their clients.
“If I’m going to do something, then I’m going to do it right. I ask all the questions and I won’t give up until I have clear answers. I think that comes from my bank training.”
Yes, you read that right. The man who fights tooth and nail against the banks for his clients was once a part of that very system.
Mike spent over 20 years working for the Clydesdale Bank, working his way up to senior business manager. And even now, he hires ex-bank staff to work for him, because he knows they can do the best job for customers.
“My knowledge and experience, as well as those of the people who work with me, give us the drive to make sure any job is done thoroughly and no stone is left unturned.”
But Mike concedes that his work with Beat the Banks is a bit of an obsession.
“I suppose it probably is,” he chuckled in agreement after admitting that his “down time” is spent doing research on legislation, ombudsman and financial oversight organisation regulations to try and stamp down on these unscrupulous practices by financial institutions.
Although the day will come that PPI reclaim will stop, Mike doesn’t believe his work will end there.
“When I retire I will write the book on the banking industry and it will be a belter!”