Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

natweststaffmember

norwichkaren wrote: »

I sent a letter with £10 on 19th May asking for list of charges and I still havent got them no. I called them just now and the guy said it is still sat in the queue to be dealt with but this is now well over the 40 days they have to send?

Call them tomorrow and ask them again and state that regardless of the amount of people asking for their details, the bank has 40 days to respond and they are very late. You aren't happy that you have to ring them up to query this and you want them by Friday morning or you will complain to the ICO about it.
Furthermore tell them that they have a duty to go back to 27th July 2001 and that the FSA wrote to them to tell them about their responsibilities in March 2009 on data retention.

bekki0405_2

I requested a refund of bank charges in Feb 2009, and after filling in a budget form, which was subsequently lost, and then calling daily, a very nice lady from Financial Guidance took my details in May, and I was called the next day with an offer of £943 (2 months shortfall of essential expenses), plus a £317 cheque for gas arrears. I was very please with this, and the lady told me that in two months time I could call back and make a second request. I was truly impressed by HSBC.

So two months down the line I have called HSBC today, and what a bunch of donkeys. They wont put me through to anyone as my account is closed. They wont let me make a complaint, because that is only for customers, and I have called three times, and they have just told me to go to my branch. Which is odd, as I clearly don't have one, as the bloody account is closed!

I am usually a very calm and rational person, but this has really got me going. I have explained that I have an ongoing case, but it's as if I'm speaking another language, which as most of the time i am talking to Mumbai, is actually true.

Any ideas how I can get past first base. Or even who I CAN complain to?

natweststaffmember

bekki0405 wrote: »

I requested a refund of bank charges in Feb 2009, and after filling in a budget form, which was subsequently lost, and then calling daily, a very nice lady from Financial Guidance took my details in May, and I was called the next day with an offer of £943 (2 months shortfall of essential expenses), plus a £317 cheque for gas arrears. I was very please with this, and the lady told me that in two months time I could call back and make a second request. I was truly impressed by HSBC.

So two months down the line I have called HSBC today, and what a bunch of donkeys. They wont put me through to anyone as my account is closed. They wont let me make a complaint, because that is only for customers, and I have called three times, and they have just told me to go to my branch. Which is odd, as I clearly don't have one, as the bloody account is closed!

I am usually a very calm and rational person, but this has really got me going. I have explained that I have an ongoing case, but it's as if I'm speaking another language, which as most of the time i am talking to Mumbai, is actually true.

Any ideas how I can get past first base. Or even who I CAN complain to?

Is the account closed?
Who shut the account you or them?
How much is outstanding and do you bank elsewhere?

bekki0405_2

They shut the account as I had stopped paying into it due to the number of charges applied. I think this was in Feb, but it was certainly before I started my financial hardship claim. My original bank charges claim started in Nov 2007.

I bank with Natwest now. And the debt from HSBC was passed on to a debt collection agency. I am paying them £1 per month on advice from CCCS until my priority debts are cleared.

I also claimed from Halifax, and have just agreed a payout from them, and the account has been closed for years. They were quite happy to talk to me.
I don't understand why HSBC have changed their policy. In fact the guy I spoke to first was rude to the point of arrogance. He actually refused to pass me through to anyone.

norwichkaren

natweststaffmember wrote: »

If you are in financial hardship the bank have to pay out.

Have you got something I can have to quote them when they start to argue with me...it some sort of legislation or ruling that I can include in my letter to them I doing now?

Thanks for your help...

norwichkaren

bekki0405 wrote: »

They shut the account as I had stopped paying into it due to the number of charges applied. I think this was in Feb, but it was certainly before I started my financial hardship claim. My original bank charges claim started in Nov 2007.

I bank with Natwest now. And the debt from HSBC was passed on to a debt collection agency. I am paying them £1 per month on advice from CCCS until my priority debts are cleared.

I also claimed from Halifax, and have just agreed a payout from them, and the account has been closed for years. They were quite happy to talk to me.
I don't understand why HSBC have changed their policy. In fact the guy I spoke to first was rude to the point of arrogance. He actually refused to pass me through to anyone.

Thats odd as I am in the process of trying to claim with Halifax and they wont pay me as the account is closed, they say they wont even discuss that account with me, only the other one? They closed it tho as I, the same as you, stopped paying in to it as their charges had made me overdrawn.

natweststaffmember

norwichkaren wrote: »

Have you got something I can have to quote them when they start to argue with me...it some sort of legislation or ruling that I can include in my letter to them I doing now?

Thanks for your help...

Apologies but it was a mistake on my part which I have now corrected. The Bank DO NOT have to pay out with financial hardship claims but they can suspend charges.
I'm not sure why you are paying a Debt Collection Agency any money if the amount owed by the bank is more than the charges?
Have you reclaimed all credit card and PPI back as well?

norwichkaren

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Apologies but it was a mistake on my part which I have now corrected. The Bank DO NOT have to pay out with financial hardship claims but they can suspend charges.
I'm not sure why you are paying a Debt Collection Agency any money if the amount owed by the bank is more than the charges?
Have you reclaimed all credit card and PPI back as well?

I am not paying a debt collection agency. That is someone else. I had my account closed as they charged me loads then made me overdrawn so I changed banks and they closed the account and told me I owed them several hundred worth of charges.

I have gone back through all my statements and they owe me around £2000 on the closed account and around £500 on the open account. But they refuse to deal with the closed account and refuse to pay me out on the open account, even tho they agree I am in hardship.

I have not been sent a list of charges for either account, but they say they will not send me a list for the closed account as it is closed?

natweststaffmember

norwichkaren wrote: »

I am not paying a debt collection agency. That is someone else. I had my account closed as they charged me loads then made me overdrawn so I changed banks and they closed the account and told me I owed them several hundred worth of charges.

I have gone back through all my statements and they owe me around £2000 on the closed account and around £500 on the open account. But they refuse to deal with the closed account and refuse to pay me out on the open account, even tho they agree I am in hardship.

I have not been sent a list of charges for either account, but they say they will not send me a list for the closed account as it is closed?

That is total nonsense from HSBC. Tell them that the FSA have already written to them with regards to data retention so they can produce the charges back to July 2001. Furthermore ask for it in writing that they cannot produce the details cos that would be dynamite.
Do you have priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?

norwichkaren

natweststaffmember wrote: »

That is total nonsense from HSBC. Tell them that the FSA have already written to them with regards to data retention so they can produce the charges back to July 2001. Furthermore ask for it in writing that they cannot produce the details cos that would be dynamite.
Do you have priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?

Yes we have priority debt on all of them and I sent them copies of all the bills etc. They agreed today that they accept I am in hardship and a letter will be on its way to me, but they will not pay out still.

They also said I need to go through to their money matters debt help team and speak to them before they will help me anymore, but they have sent me a final letter which I should get soon.