Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

natweststaffmember

Louise82 wrote: »

Hi all, hoping someone can advise me.I have bank account with Abbey since sept 08, i have just started a dmp and although its wrong of me i didnt declare the od i have with abbey as i am going to try in time and get it paid off its for £200 and i really wanted to keep my main account. I have had about £550- £600 charges with them since end of may this year and its the one thing thats ruining me financially as every month its up on £100 thats setting me back and causing me to have to borrow from family members etc. I am scared though that if i try to reclaim under hardship that they will pay me nothing but take away my £200 od straight away and cancel my debit card facility or something. Thats my biggest fear. I really would love to get my charges back as it would enable me to have the od cleared and a few extra pound at xmas that i wont have as every spare penny goes on dmp.Many thanks for advice

They shouldn't be able to do that due to the FSA Waiver on bank charges.

smillso

I found the Ombudsman a bit useless recently and wondered if anyone else has had the same experience? I have been in financial hardship due to redundanct, to the tune of £1000 a month shortfall in my finances- eek! Including interest, I had been trying to claim £2180 of back charges accrued on two current accounts over the past 6 years. Barclays agreed I was in financial hardship so refunded me £365 and posted me a patronising leaflet about 'how not to get in debt'. Er bit late.
So I took this to the Ombudsman as at this point my £3380 overdraft with Barclays was getting £50 interest a month plus more charges and had risen to £3490 overdrawn. The Ombudsman came down on Barclays side saying the bank had done all they can, when Barclays wouldn't allow any negotiations or even offer to freeze the interest.
I feel totally unsupported, disillusioned and have no idea where to go next. I have read so many other success stories of other poeple getting their money back so am really disappointed- any advice or ideas?

natweststaffmember

smillso wrote: »

I found the Ombudsman a bit useless recently and wondered if anyone else has had the same experience? I have been in financial hardship due to redundanct, to the tune of £1000 a month shortfall in my finances- eek! Including interest, I had been trying to claim £2180 of back charges accrued on two current accounts over the past 6 years. Barclays agreed I was in financial hardship so refunded me £365 and posted me a patronising leaflet about 'how not to get in debt'. Er bit late.
So I took this to the Ombudsman as at this point my £3380 overdraft with Barclays was getting £50 interest a month plus more charges and had risen to £3490 overdrawn. The Ombudsman came down on Barclays side saying the bank had done all they can, when Barclays wouldn't allow any negotiations or even offer to freeze the interest.
I feel totally unsupported, disillusioned and have no idea where to go next. I have read so many other success stories of other poeple getting their money back so am really disappointed- any advice or ideas?

How did you argue your case? Remember the FOS will look at your view and their view and decide on who is right. You have to argue that Barclay are wrong in their view and that a specific period of time started the charges that impacted on your ability to pay for rent or mortgage, council tax or utilities and the charges took money from your budget for this. No bank have to refund 100% of the charges even under financial hardship. I would have looked at arguing perhaps for a higher amount rather than necessarily have gone to them because their offer was low and backed it up with my reasoning. I hope that makes sense if you have a chance to appeal the ombudsman decision.

hopping_mad_3

I am just starting on the long road of reclaiming charges from natwest totaling 1225 have been passed onto collections because their charges have sent me overdrawn.smug person from collections advised clear my overdraft then claim it back,if i fail to do this in 28 days they will pass my file to a third party and i won,t get credit again and i,ll be blacklisted from the main banks,nice !
what do i do next shall i have to get the ombudsman involved?

natweststaffmember

hopping_mad wrote: »

I am just starting on the long road of reclaiming charges from natwest totaling 1225 have been passed onto collections because their charges have sent me overdrawn.smug person from collections advised clear my overdraft then claim it back,if i fail to do this in 28 days they will pass my file to a third party and i won,t get credit again and i,ll be blacklisted from the main banks,nice !
what do i do next shall i have to get the ombudsman involved?

just responded to you on your thread

smillso

natweststaffmember wrote: »

How did you argue your case? Remember the FOS will look at your view and their view and decide on who is right. You have to argue that Barclay are wrong in their view and that a specific period of time started the charges that impacted on your ability to pay for rent or mortgage, council tax or utilities and the charges took money from your budget for this. No bank have to refund 100% of the charges even under financial hardship. I would have looked at arguing perhaps for a higher amount rather than necessarily have gone to them because their offer was low and backed it up with my reasoning. I hope that makes sense if you have a chance to appeal the ombudsman decision.

I did try to negotiate and argue for a higher amount but Barclays would not negotiate or discuss things with me, they refused point blank. That's why I went to the Ombudsman, who felt Barclays had done enough even though the £50 a month intererest I was paying on that account was stopping me paying my mortgage and other debts (of which there are about £10k!). I give up! Thanks for your help anyway ex Natwest staff member- I think all the advice you give on these forums is brilliant.

DaveChaos

Hi all just need alittle advice, I have a hardship claim in with RBS and today I received the letter below and I’m not sure what to do next?

I refer to recent correspondence in relation to your financial hardship. This arrangement can continue, if required, until the result of the Office of Fair Trading and UK Banks court case outcome is known, In accordance with these arrangements please now return the highline card that you have in your possession along with any unused cheques, For security reasons, please cut the card in two befor posting. Alterntavley these may be handed into their local brancn for forwading onto this office. If you have already disposed of the card please sigh and return the declaration below within the next 10 days.

Until the result of the charges test case is known we can confirm that no further charges or intrest will be appled to your account.

Once the legal proceedings between the OFT and the banks finish, we will resolve your complaint regarding bank charges as quickly as possible.

A letter confirming details of your claim for a refund of bank charges will be sent under seperate cover within the next 21 days.

hayton2k3

cut cards up,
hand them to local branch along with cheque book or post them away and sign letter and send that back with in 10 days

they aint going to charge you anymore/atleast not until they know whats happening in the test case,

they are also sending you details of your claim for a refund of bank charges and you will receive it in the next 21 days

natweststaffmember

smillso wrote: »

I did try to negotiate and argue for a higher amount but Barclays would not negotiate or discuss things with me, they refused point blank. That's why I went to the Ombudsman, who felt Barclays had done enough even though the £50 a month intererest I was paying on that account was stopping me paying my mortgage and other debts (of which there are about £10k!). I give up! Thanks for your help anyway ex Natwest staff member- I think all the advice you give on these forums is brilliant.

Hang on, you can't quite leave us yet, cos my ears pricked up when I heard the words "other debts".
Is there credit cards, store cards, and/or catalogue accounts that we can lay into?
Until we have worked those out we may not be finished yet. Did the mortgage have PPI with it? Could you claim on it or is that missold?

antilloyds

Lloyds TSB is killing me could someone help me please???
I have been paying unplanned overdraft charges for the last couple of years, at the moment my account has been pssed to the Collection department and i cant manage to pay anymore charges. Last week I received a letter from Lloyds says i have to pay them the full amount overdraft back by 18th of this month otherwise i'll be given to court! i havnt got idea about what to do! can anyone help me please?