📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

1…1415171920…255

Comments

  • Webentity_2
    Webentity_2 Posts: 5 Forumite
    Hi, I have recently made a hardship claim against HSBC. I received a letter back from them today explaing they acknowledged my complaint etc and then at the bottom telling me to complete the income and expediture form and call them. I did this and when i got through to someone i firstly got told that the court case had ended and the charges were deemed fair!!! then he went away then came back saying because i wasnt over my overdraft limit he couldnt see why i was claiming financial hardship! I am unemployed at the moment i explained this to him that i would have no money going into my account and that i had credit card/Mobile phone/food bills etc! He said all i could do was set up an appointment with a local branch and speak to them!

    So all i could some from this is that because i refused to be charged excess overdraft fees anymore i couldnt make a claim?!? and the only way to get them to listen is to go overdrawn and have more charges to claim?!?

    Can anyone help me please cos this doesn't seem right to me!

    Thanks
  • TWILLIAMS
    TWILLIAMS Posts: 1 Newbie
    :mad: Recentley I went overdrawn for three days with the Nat West Bank. I deposited money into the account and was advised by the employee I would be charged £28.00, and to make sure I could cover this charge. I had written notification of this alone.
    Three weeks later realised Nat West had taken a huge £60.00 and seperate £28 plus interest from my account. They advised £88 is legal to debit an account in a month. It then took me overdrawn again by £24. I was not too concerned as told by another employee when opening account there is an automatic £50 overdraft. There was not.!!!
    The circle of debt begins...... I have spoke to the manager and customer relations, ref incorrect advice given by there employees. they will not refund anything. I have to put in writing and wait for decision on court case.
    I am lucky, I can put money in but as I told the bank, I can see how many people in financial hardship would literally rattle up huge debts, causing stress and worry for them. With no way out.
    I am now Emailing them and my local paper and The mail paper who ran an article on Sunday......
  • A_fiend_for_life
    A_fiend_for_life Posts: 1,643 Forumite
    TWilliams

    I might be reading your post wrong but it sounds like you have received some charges without notification. Is that correct?
  • HOBBSNATASHA
    HOBBSNATASHA Posts: 2 Newbie
    :j HI EVERYONE

    JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I PHONED ALLIANCE AND LECESTER 3 WEEKS AGO AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS IN FINANICAL HARDSHIP AND THE BANK CHARGES WHERE UNFAIR THET SENT ME A FORM TO FILL IN ABOUT INCOME ETC... AND I HAD 10 DAYS TO REPLY THEY THEN SEND ME ANOTHER LETTER ASKING ME TO PROVE MY DEBTS WHICH I DID LAST WENSDAY THIS MORNING I RECEIVED £315 IN MY BANK :j AS I HAD NO LETTER FROM THE ALLIANCE AND LECESTER LETTING ME KNOW IT WAS FROM THEM I PHONED THEM JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WAS A REFUND OF MY BANK CHARGES AND IT WAS THEY TOLD ME A LETTER WOULD BE IN THE POST..

    SO IM SO PLEASED AS READING SOME OF THE POSTS ON HERE I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE TEST CASE TO FINISH

    GOOD LUCK EVERYONE
  • keefybhoy
    keefybhoy Posts: 7 Forumite
    hi folks

    great site and some fantastic advice on here , looking for a little advice or help myself . i bank with teh HSBC (booooooohissss) . and have amounted £2481 in charges over the last 5 years (in scotland). i got the list of charges very easily by making a call and had them within the week , so far so good . i downloaded and amended the 2nd letter to claim the monies back under the financial hardship as i had lost my job and currently have zero income , bills are not getting paid etc , stupidly i did not send the 2nd letter recorded delivery , the 14 days have now past and no word from the bank .

    so what now ? call them ? resend the claim (recorded this time) ? or proceed with the threat of court ?

    any help is much appreciated

    kind regards

    Keefybhoy
  • keefybhoy
    keefybhoy Posts: 7 Forumite
    keefybhoy wrote: »
    hi folks

    great site and some fantastic advice on here , looking for a little advice or help myself . i bank with teh HSBC (booooooohissss) . and have amounted £2481 in charges over the last 5 years (in scotland). i got the list of charges very easily by making a call and had them within the week , so far so good . i downloaded and amended the 2nd letter to claim the monies back under the financial hardship as i had lost my job and currently have zero income , bills are not getting paid etc , stupidly i did not send the 2nd letter recorded delivery , the 14 days have now past and no word from the bank .

    so what now ? call them ? resend the claim (recorded this time) ? or proceed with the threat of court ?

    any help is much appreciated

    kind regards

    Keefybhoy

    anyone ? :confused:
  • A_fiend_for_life
    A_fiend_for_life Posts: 1,643 Forumite
    Hi keefybhoy,

    it can be a bit quite on Saturdays :). I am going through the same process but I don't have all my statement though what I do have is just shy of 2k so I will need to phone and see if I can get the rest.


    Regarding your circumstances I am not sure the best way forward. Though going to court without evidence of the bank receiving the 2nd letter sounds a potential weakness.

    By the way have you got a parachute account in case they close your current account?

    At the risk of asking the obvious are you able to sign on?

    Sorry I can't help anymore but other folk should be along soonish.
  • mister_skint
    mister_skint Posts: 3 Newbie
    Hi,
    I have browsed this forum often and it has been mosty helpfull.
    I seem to have succesfully passed the hardship hurdle and managed to get my claim against First Direct for £3000+ to progress.
    I have a £900 over draft and a £12,000 loan with them.
    They have offerd me the following In a letter after filling out the income and exp form
    " Dear Mister
    Thankyou for blah blah blah
    ---
    Presently it would appear that your outgoings exceed your income by xxxx, We sympathise blah blah ---- -
    we are prepared to make a payment to you for the sum of £1010 being the present balance of youir 1st account in an effort to provide assistance.
    "bit more waffle " then " I am prepared to accept month payments of £110 towards your total first direct debt of £110 at a preferential interest rate of 1% above base rateas oposed to £225"
    Bit more waffle basically saying that the bank account will be closed.
    then they say
    "subject to the receipt of your signed acceptance the following action will be taken
    Refund charges amounting to £1010.63 to your 1st account (as mentioned previously we are unable to confirm whether your total current claim will be succesful, however please note your refund will not affect your current claim other than to reduce the final payment made to you by the sum of £1010.63)
    All banking facilities will be withdrawn blah blah and therafter you will make payments of £110 at a preferential intrest rate of 1% above first direct base rate to be reviwed after 12 months"

    ....
    It is a confusing offer
    I am not sure how to respond I presume they are saying
    The reduced loan offer sounds like a good deal but i am coinfused as to what they are saying about the actual charges it seems to say that it will mean any descision on the rest of the claim will be paid or not paid when the court case is decided am i right?
    Should i sign as the offer of the reduced loan payments equal to a saving of £1200 over the year on top of the £1010 to clear my bank overdraft.
    Should I sign and send it back or ask for more of the charges?
  • A_fiend_for_life
    A_fiend_for_life Posts: 1,643 Forumite
    I haven't got that far yet. A few things to take onto account based on what youv'e posted:

    Does the amount proposed cover the last 12 months of charges?

    Not sure whether it is best to accept for your circumstances but I would be inclined to try for a greater refund on the charges. The refund covers the account but if you do push for more can you argue you are still rescheduling other outgoings or paying off other arrears as a result of receiving charges I wonder? Is the current proposal sufficient to give peace of mind for the next 6 months and maybe longer I wonder.

    I'd feel more comfortable if the response for the loan and bank account were separate documents though. Doesn't look like the offer for the loan affects the bank charges claim but that makes me want to double check the document especially since it switches between discussing the loan and the account.

    Just on the off chance - if you do accept make sure the acceptance form doesn't sneak in a 'full and final settlement'.
  • wilf55
    wilf55 Posts: 3,102 Forumite
    Originally Posted by keefybhoy viewpost.gif
    hi folks

    great site and some fantastic advice on here , looking for a little advice or help myself . i bank with teh HSBC (booooooohissss) . and have amounted £2481 in charges over the last 5 years (in scotland). i got the list of charges very easily by making a call and had them within the week , so far so good . i downloaded and amended the 2nd letter to claim the monies back under the financial hardship as i had lost my job and currently have zero income , bills are not getting paid etc , stupidly i did not send the 2nd letter recorded delivery , the 14 days have now past and no word from the bank .

    so what now ? call them ? resend the claim (recorded this time) ? or proceed with the threat of court ?

    any help is much appreciated

    kind regards

    Keefybhoy


    I would re send your letter recorded delivery this time but send another letter with it saying that the 14 days had elapsed but you are giving them a further 7 days from the date of your second letter (enclosing a copy of the first letter)

    just to give them the benefit of the doubt (Ha !) so to speak

    I wouldnt give them a futher 14 days as no doubt they will have got your first letter but this shows them that you do mean business and that you are keeping copies and will take it as far as you need to

    Good Luck keep us all informed

    I am in the process of a second claim with HSBC claimed and got £500 in charges a while back but since then have had a further £800 am going the financial hardship route this time

    I messaged them through online banking and they told me to fill in an income and expenditure form and give them a ring which i am doing and will update you when done

    Good luck everyone

    Of subject slightly but does anyone know how the Global financial crisis will impact the charges reclaim case if the banks are going under will they still pay out?
    Save 12k in 2015 member 187. £62.50/6000
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.1K Life & Family
  • 257.7K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.
Update Your Picture