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halifax bank charges... what would you do?
Brodiebobs
Posts: 1,050 Forumite
Long story short after nearly a year of chasing nearly £1200 pounds of bank charges and escalating to Fos i finally got an offer of £175 and suspension of fee's for 3months from the fos.
We were spiraling with debts and partner was out of work so we bit their hand off, more to do with the suspension of fee's which was crippling us. With hindsight maybe i should have held out for a bit more but didnt.....
Signed forms and returned at begining of June, around the 10th. Never heard anything for around 6 weeks and in middle of July e-mailed the person at fos who was dealing, she came back within an hour saying the money would be with me in next 2 weeks and it appeared on the 24th July. Therefore based on this i thought the suspension would be until october.
Then checked my online banking in on 22nd sept there were 3 charge letters waiting for me... i was gutted as we finally seemed to be getting back on our feet.
Agained e-mailed fos and they came back to me saying that the suspension was from 15th June til 15th sept. I feel this was slightly underhand as i NEVER receieved anything stating when the suspension would start and finish, let alone anything at all from the halifax.
Expplained this to fos and the lovely lady there agreed it was out of order but there was nothing they could do and that i had to start the whole process again for the newly applied bank charges. My partner has now started work again and his first weeks pay only just covered these charges.
My question is it worth going through the whole thing again and am i right in thinking they were out of order?
any advice welcome.
We were spiraling with debts and partner was out of work so we bit their hand off, more to do with the suspension of fee's which was crippling us. With hindsight maybe i should have held out for a bit more but didnt.....
Signed forms and returned at begining of June, around the 10th. Never heard anything for around 6 weeks and in middle of July e-mailed the person at fos who was dealing, she came back within an hour saying the money would be with me in next 2 weeks and it appeared on the 24th July. Therefore based on this i thought the suspension would be until october.
Then checked my online banking in on 22nd sept there were 3 charge letters waiting for me... i was gutted as we finally seemed to be getting back on our feet.
Agained e-mailed fos and they came back to me saying that the suspension was from 15th June til 15th sept. I feel this was slightly underhand as i NEVER receieved anything stating when the suspension would start and finish, let alone anything at all from the halifax.
Expplained this to fos and the lovely lady there agreed it was out of order but there was nothing they could do and that i had to start the whole process again for the newly applied bank charges. My partner has now started work again and his first weeks pay only just covered these charges.
My question is it worth going through the whole thing again and am i right in thinking they were out of order?
any advice welcome.
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Comments
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I think the problem was that there was no clear indication from either the bank or the FOS when the suspension was agreed from.
When did you sign the letter and return it? I might have a different angle on this one and it will include a refund of charges.0 -
hi thanks for your fast reply.
i think i returned it around the 8th, i have a copy of the letter and it was dated the 4th July but obviously thats when they printed it.
The person who was dealing with it at the fos even stated herself that when she chased the monetry payment she wasn't aware the suspension had started!0 -
Brodiebobs wrote: »hi thanks for your fast reply.
i think i returned it around the 8th, i have a copy of the letter and it was dated the 4th July but obviously thats when they printed it.
The person who was dealing with it at the fos even stated herself that when she chased the monetry payment she wasn't aware the suspension had started!
I think your argument has to be that the suspension started before you agreed to it and that as far as you were aware that receipt of the acceptance was when it would or should have started which any reasonable person would consider. As no acknowledgement of receipt of the form was received and no information as to when the charges were to be suspended from and to, I think that as a gesture of their goodwill ie the bank, that they should refund these charges due to that error in communication.
I hope that makes sense but I think that you should tell the FOS that the matter is part of the previous complaint and as such is unresolved.0 -
thanks very much.
thats exactly what i thought... but obviously you worded it better!
I wrote to the halifax when the charges were applied in sept, but am yet to hear anything, the optimist in me thinks the replies in the post, the pessamist says there ignoring me!!0 -
e-mailed fos and explained what you suggested. just wait and see now i guess!!!0
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no news yet from fos. say there looking in to it!0
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just received a letter this morning from halifax. Quite upset me.
It states they have acted in accordance with my settlement, and that while the legal proceedings are ongoing they "will not issue or respond to any further communications received from you (or a chosen representative) on this matter".
Also as i mentioned that hundreds had been taken from benefits money we needed to live on, and they say that the social security Admiistration act doesnt prevent them takin fees from this money.
i have notified the lady at fos about the letter, but am waiting a reply. i think its check mate!0 -
any one advise?0
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Brodiebobs wrote: »just received a letter this morning from halifax. Quite upset me.
It states they have acted in accordance with my settlement, and that while the legal proceedings are ongoing they "will not issue or respond to any further communications received from you (or a chosen representative) on this matter".
Also as i mentioned that hundreds had been taken from benefits money we needed to live on, and they say that the social security Admiistration act doesnt prevent them takin fees from this money.
i have notified the lady at fos about the letter, but am waiting a reply. i think its check mate!
They are right on the Social Security Administration Act but I think that you now have a final response, ie sod off we think we are right so I think you need to tell the FOS that they have basically refused to talk to you.
You need to focus on the date of suspension and NOT on the act of parliament that is not relevant to bank charges, ok?0 -
brill. thanks. I have e-mailed them a copy of the letter as well as my thoughts. so guess its a waiting game... again.
on the plus side i've moved my banking away from the halifax now, so they cant take any more from me!0
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