Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

Marinada

Hi there, I sent Halifax a letter in Nov 07, and have received the usual waffling excuses from them. After seeing Martin on TV yesterday, I contacted them today to advise them of my change in situation, now unemployed. They say they will contact me within 5 working days to go through a form with me to see if I am in financial hardship.

However, because I have Sky for my phone, broadband and TV, they tell me that this is a luxury and I won't be considered as in financial hardship.

Has anyone come across this as well? Thankyou!!

Good luck to everyone out there.

natweststaffmember

Marinada wrote: »

Hi there, I sent Halifax a letter in Nov 07, and have received the usual waffling excuses from them. After seeing Martin on TV yesterday, I contacted them today to advise them of my change in situation, now unemployed. They say they will contact me within 5 working days to go through a form with me to see if I am in financial hardship.

However, because I have Sky for my phone, broadband and TV, they tell me that this is a luxury and I won't be considered as in financial hardship.

Has anyone come across this as well? Thankyou!!

Good luck to everyone out there.

Interesting interpretation of Financial Hardship by Halifax. Any chance they could put that in writing to you? Do you have priority debt arrears(rent/mortgage, council tax, utilities) or are any non priority debt arrears that are threatening court action?

debttornado

Hi,
I have a recent claim for charges. I owe tons in arrears (partly due to stupidity and partly due to circumstance), I have arrears for CTax, gas, water and electric. I am trying to sort things out, but am also receiving letters from my former bank for OD caused by charges. Does being in arrears for priority bills count as hardship? Both OH and I work but have very little left after the bills are paid.

esmerellda

Regarding the Sky TV issues; if you have an all in one type package for basic tv, phone and broadband then thats acceptable, having all the channels/sports package etc is considered a luxury.

PaulinWeston

CCCS - As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike

I have outstanding charges against my (former) Bank. I pretty much think that I qualify under the "financial hardship" criteria because: (a) I'm fighting a terminal illness and (b) I lost my job recently and rely on benefit to survive. However, I'm at least lucky enough to have a family who have stepped in to prevent me going into debt.

The bank (of course) want 12 months proof of this, that, and the other - in order to even begin to assess my claim under the hardship rules. So, I took the advice on this site of contacting the CCCS and requesting an independant report.

The CCCS say they are unable to help me because I don't actually owe any money to any organisation (and oweing money to family members doesn't count).

Moreover, the adviser I spoke to had the "cheek" to say that if I wait to clam back my charges after the appeal has gone through, I should be able to ask for interest at a better rate than I would get through a normal savings account.

rachelg125

Hi

I too applied to reclaim charges back in 2007 from the HALIFAX and of course, was told to wait. I'm now out of work (on maternity, but have resigned) and my partner is on JSA. We are in financial difficulty and I would hope we are catagorised as hardship. I've not telephoned for an I&E form from the bank, nor am I with a debt counsellor.....but I'm concerned that my claim only includes upto July '07 - does that mean that I'll have to re-claim for all charges after this date as I'm certain we've incurred atleast another £500 since July?

Confused?!?!?!?!?

Thank you

honkitonkwoman

I wrote to my bank over 2 weeks ago claiming hardship but got no reply (Bank of Scotland) so I phoned them yest, they say they will contct me and it will all be dealt with within 7 days and if I can prove hardship the money will be in my account within 24hrs. I have stopped working my husband is down to basic hrs and we have 4 kids 1 with special needs so heres hoping .

lucinad

honkitonkwoman wrote: »

I wrote to my bank over 2 weeks ago claiming hardship but got no reply (Bank of Scotland) so I phoned them yest, they say they will contct me and it will all be dealt with within 7 days and if I can prove hardship the money will be in my account within 24hrs. I have stopped working my husband is down to basic hrs and we have 4 kids 1 with special needs so heres hoping .

well i am with bank of scotland and i claimed hardship in august last year. first they rejected the claim, so i wrote back and asked to see their criteria that they use to judge hardship.... i never got this but did have a letter saying that after reviewing it the claim for hardship was accepted!!! yay ... i though. i rang them to see what happens next, they told me a decision would be in the post within 7 days, this never came. so i rang again and they told me even though i had had hardship accepted, i would still have to wait for the outcome of the court case which at the time they expected to be november!!! but i am still waiting nearly 9 months later! so the people on the end of the phone talk absolute..... rubbish.
i just wrote back a few days ago telling them that i had been patient and that i expect a reply with in 14 days or i shall be taking this further. how can they accept hardship, but then expect you to wait!

natweststaffmember

PaulinWeston wrote: »

CCCS - As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike

I have outstanding charges against my (former) Bank. I pretty much think that I qualify under the "financial hardship" criteria because: (a) I'm fighting a terminal illness and (b) I lost my job recently and rely on benefit to survive. However, I'm at least lucky enough to have a family who have stepped in to prevent me going into debt.

The bank (of course) want 12 months proof of this, that, and the other - in order to even begin to assess my claim under the hardship rules. So, I took the advice on this site of contacting the CCCS and requesting an independant report.

The CCCS say they are unable to help me because I don't actually owe any money to any organisation (and oweing money to family members doesn't count).

Moreover, the adviser I spoke to had the "cheek" to say that if I wait to clam back my charges after the appeal has gone through, I should be able to ask for interest at a better rate than I would get through a normal savings account.

Whilst I sympathise with your situation, CCCS deal with people in debts and specifically arrears. Under the FSA Waiver on Bank Charges, mostly it is claims where there are priority debt arrears and threats of court action that are getting paid out. Unfortunately from the brief read of your post, I am not sure you would qualify as being in Financial hardship. The advisor is right(8% is higher than any savings rate you will get today on the high street).

natweststaffmember

rachelg125 wrote: »

Hi

I too applied to reclaim charges back in 2007 from the HALIFAX and of course, was told to wait. I'm now out of work (on maternity, but have resigned) and my partner is on JSA. We are in financial difficulty and I would hope we are catagorised as hardship. I've not telephoned for an I&E form from the bank, nor am I with a debt counsellor.....but I'm concerned that my claim only includes upto July '07 - does that mean that I'll have to re-claim for all charges after this date as I'm certain we've incurred atleast another £500 since July?

Confused?!?!?!?!?

Thank you

Your claim is the old one plus any additional charges from the bank. What stage did you get to in July 07?