Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

Lansander

Well i just phoned my bank again and the advisor told me that what they are doing is correct. She told me for instance if a bank account was closed 2 years ago and a claimer fell into hardship last year then their case would not even be considered under the fsa waiver.

I am not happy about this and i shall be pursuing it with the financial
ombudsman.

Thank you again.

rchlbentley

What are my chances for going ahead with claiming financial difficulty.

Done income v expenditure and I am left with about £100 per month BUT that is taken up by bank charges well about £50 on a good month.So about £50 a month left

My total charges for the year is £475 (so just short of the £500 mark.

I have been out of work since oct so lost about £400 per month plus lost out on £135 per month TC.

I am only in arrears on 2 catalougues

Is it worth the persuit, i am supposed to be going into the bank (HSBC) for a review but wont bother if i have no chance.

Can someone give their opinion please
EDIT i also have a £900 OD and get charged on that about £15 per month + whatever i go over per month

funkystuff

can i just say firstly, thanks, have reclaimed charges and won before now.

but as of febs statement, i was to pay 155 pounds worth of charges.. i try not to sponge on the goverment, but hey things happen in your life that are completely out of your control.
i had been workin as a taxi driver, all night, 2 nights a week, so i was still there for the kids, for 60 quid.
now i have no job, credit crunch, smoking ban, whatever, blackpool is dead, and consiquently no work.
i am relying soley on benefits. how can a bank take 155 pound off someone, when they can plainly see the only income going into my account is from benefits?

i called there charges dept to be told i could pay it off over 2 weeks, yippee....
but also failed to tell me that because i was on benefits i would have to call the centre every time i had a benefit going in i wouod have to call them in the morning to have a temp overdraft put on so i could get some of the money from it, i kid not!!!!!
so after calling them and going into the branch, in which at one point was in tears, because i was told from the customer service advisor to call the charges dept, who would in turn release somemoney for me because of my financial hardship. great i thought.
how wrong was i. they told me that because i had not let them know in time, that they couldnt do anything, it had already come out. hense the tears. the advisor patted my hand very condisendingly and told me to go home, get myself together and call them back...me being the sucker that i am, and also being very embaressed, agreed.
so i went home, got myself together and called them back. only to be hung up on.
so, after going to get the kids from school, went back into the branch where they took it upon themselves to try and get me some money from them..
i was there until closing. where i was allowed 30 quid.
until of course having to pay that back the following week.
i made a complaint, by phone the following morning, in which i was told a complaints form would be in the post f9or me to fill in and return.
i am still waiting for that form, i chased this up, by phone, at the beginning of last week, where she took the complaint details over the phone, assuring me that the initial response from the phone call would be put in writing and with me before the end of the week.
i called them yesterday, they said it was posted friday, and would be with me either mon or tues, with a conclusion to my complaint.
no letter has arrived. i have called them today to be told, that the letters need to be checked before being sent and that my letter could take between 5 and 7 working days to get here, even though i was reassurd that it was sent friday, was this by donkey????????

i asked her what the outcome was, so i would have some kind of idea where i stood, to be told that they were unable to access any contents that the letter contained....

what the hell do i do.

they take it off me in seconds, but i cannot find out basic information, that i feel i am entitled to over the phone....

i do not ask them security questions as they do me, they know its my account as it seems i give them everything bar my inside leg measurements.

i am completely naffed off. and dont know where to go from here.

help.....please!!!!!!!!

and thanks for reading my memoirs, lol

heather

esmerellda

First - get a new account - basic account - any bank - just get out this circle of charges and appalling treatment. Its extremely frustrating when you are left without money for food because of a small oversight. Personally I live off cash now and have my benefits paid into a post office card account. There is no risk at all of charges. But maybe thats a bit extreme.

i just posted a letter of appropritation for someone else, if you look at my last posts you should find it....keep it handy incase it looks like happening again, yes sadly you have to do it each time you have benefits going in if u think they will get swallowed in charges.

forget the complaints form. Have a read http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/showthread.php?t=15761 - claiming in hardship guide and start getting everything back off them they have taken.

kashie

Hello,
I have got a claim that has been stayed by the courts since July 2007. I wrote to the court using the request for the stay to be lifted with the form n244, I think, but was exempt from fees because of being on benefit.
I recieved a letter shortly from the court refusing the lift on those term, (hardship) and that has been the end of that, until now.....
I saw Martin on TV this morning and have read the information on his site regarding reclaiming for hardship cases, but it is just telling me to do the same as I did back in 2007 by sending in a n244 form and request that the stay be lifted, if this is the case, is there any point in me repeating this procedure? or should I attempt again in case they are taking more notice of these requests now????

natweststaffmember

kashie wrote: »

Hello,
I have got a claim that has been stayed by the courts since July 2007. I wrote to the court using the request for the stay to be lifted with the form n244, I think, but was exempt from fees because of being on benefit.
I recieved a letter shortly from the court refusing the lift on those term, (hardship) and that has been the end of that, until now.....
I saw Martin on TV this morning and have read the information on his site regarding reclaiming for hardship cases, but it is just telling me to do the same as I did back in 2007 by sending in a n244 form and request that the stay be lifted, if this is the case, is there any point in me repeating this procedure? or should I attempt again in case they are taking more notice of these requests now????

You can't lift stays at court. you need to approach your bank again(that is what is being advised).

kashie

Thanks for prompt response thats great - are there any template letters I can use to do this?? Sorry to be a pain!

novelli

Well its so difficult to get the banks to accept financial hardship, im sure they make most of it up as they go along.
Im totally reliant on benefits, lots of debts (due to split up), disabled and caring for my disabled son as well. have much more supposedly going out than coming in.
HSBC did pay 500 of the 5,000 they have taken in charges several months ago.
Recently i had bailiffs at the door for c.tax arrears from when i was married. Decided to pursue the bank again. They can see i am struggling as have a loan with them that i have been unable to pay for six months and they know i rely on benefits. Eventually had to resort to shouting and losing my rag somewhat, asked to speak to someone english as couldnt understand the first person. Had already sent them income and expenditure, this was gone al through again on the phone last week, then this morning someone rang from the bank and yet again went through it all, she did call me back and said besically i would not generally meet the criteria for hardship (heaven knows why, how bad does it have to get), but on this occasion due to the bailiffs etc, that they would pay £1000 into the account. She is supposed to be doiong this today, so it should clear overnight.
My point is tho i shouldnt have had to wait til i had the bailiffs wanting to remove things from my home, and i shouldnt have had to resort to shouting etc, and i cannot possibly see how i would not normally meet the hardship criteria??
BUt at least this will help for a while, think i will now gather together some other letters chasing me for money and send them to see if \hsbc will pay those for me too, well its worth a try.
So for those who are hoping to get their money refunded under the hardship rules, if u are with hsbc i reckon you got a fight on your hands!!

risequincy

Hello - I'm new to this so hope you can help and thank you. I am owed around £1200 by citibank incurred Oct 07 to Mar 08 and also around £600 from Nat west who I changed to last April - I would be covered by the 'hardship' criteria for both of them. I have no overdraft facility at all NW frequently return D/Ds even if I am only £5 short and they know I will have money paid in next day causing me more financial hardship! Can I still make a hardship claim for both of them or is it not included due to a cut off date being July 07 - I'm not quite sure what that means? Any answers would be gratefully received.

natweststaffmember

risequincy wrote: »

Hello - I'm new to this so hope you can help and thank you. I am owed around £1200 by citibank incurred Oct 07 to Mar 08 and also around £600 from Nat west who I changed to last April - I would be covered by the 'hardship' criteria for both of them. I have no overdraft facility at all NW frequently return D/Ds even if I am only £5 short and they know I will have money paid in next day causing me more financial hardship! Can I still make a hardship claim for both of them or is it not included due to a cut off date being July 07 - I'm not quite sure what that means? Any answers would be gratefully received.

What cut off date? There is no cut off date for claims under the FSA Waiver on bank charges. You can go back to july 2001.