Bank Charges Financial Hardship Disussion

balla_2

I tried exactly the same thing and enclosed a detailed (and very strict) budget from my DMP with the CCCS only to be told that they don't count that as part of your income & expenditure! The deficit between my income and expenditure is £83 a month which goes on my DMP and because I 'have' that £83 they don't deem me as being in financial hardship!

I'm due to be homeless in a month but they still won't give me my charges back as I'm not in arrears with utility bills.. Crazy!

Please keep me updated... and good luck..

natweststaffmember

balla wrote: »

I tried exactly the same thing and enclosed a detailed (and very strict) budget from my DMP with the CCCS only to be told that they don't count that as part of your income & expenditure! The deficit between my income and expenditure is £83 a month which goes on my DMP and because I 'have' that £83 they don't deem me as being in financial hardship!

I'm due to be homeless in a month but they still won't give me my charges back as I'm not in arrears with utility bills.. Crazy!

Please keep me updated... and good luck..

That is how they decide claims ie priority debt arrears. I think I might have said something to you on your original thread on this one.

natweststaffmember

Pennys2Pounds wrote: »

Well i am claiming under financial hardship with Natwest sent off the I&E forms with a little letter explaining my situation (recorded delivery) and within 4 days of it arriving at Natwest i recieved a letter stating i had been accepted, which is good news so far. This letter explained i will recieve an offer soon. So i let a week pass and no reply i phoned the direct number they gave me and was told that they have computer problems at the claims department and that it proberly will not be sorted until 3/6/09 so i think there could be a bit of a back log going on. So once i recieve my offer i will update how i get on. My claim was for £3000 so we shall see :cool:

When did you call them?

norwichkaren

funkydan wrote: »

Hi Karen,

I'd say to keep calling them. I started my claim at the beginning of May 2009 and once I had sent my budget planner back and received a letter confirming receipt of the BP, I then was just calling them every other day, pestering them politely, requesting an update on the status of my hardship claim.

And when I phoned this Wednesday just gone, the very nice lady that I spoke to apologised profusely for me having to wait so long (!) and said she would immediately fax the team dealing with my complaint straight after she had finished talking with me.

And lo and behold, when I phoned today (2 days later), I was told that my case had been resolved yesterday, was waiting to be signed off and that I should receive a letter within the next couple of working days, so don't give up, it will happen. I just hope my complaint outcome is positive in my favour.....

Hope that helps

Dan

Hi Dan and thank you for that.

I got a letter through dated 27th May saying due to the amount of Budget planners they had received they are asking people to be patient with them.

I dont mind being patient but this has now been going on for months and I still have even heard weather they have accepted my hardship or not. There isnt really much to work out tho, I am unemployed and am in serious debt so I cant see what is taking them so long?

I always get through to the same old people on the phone too and a few of them are very unhelpful. I even demanded to speak to the manager last week and was told she cant do anything to speed it up.

surely if I am told I would have an answer in writing by 27th May and this didnt happen I can now take it further can't I?

If so what my next step???

Thanks again Dan,

Karen

Pennys2Pounds

Thursday 28th may 09

Pennys2Pounds

Do you think this just could be to stall the claim?

natweststaffmember

Pennys2Pounds wrote: »

Do you think this just could be to stall the claim?

I was interested in any delay happening as I don't get that much insider info anymore

squink

bluepricey wrote: »

hi i've just filled out a financial statement for the natwest trying to claim under hardship any idea how long they usually take to reply

there are set timescales laid down by every bank in their complaints procedures - leaflets av. from the bank (and look in your mail/stuff with your statements etc.). If you have this then you know what should be happening, and then can quote back at them if they transgress (usually 14 days for a response I think). Otherwise you're left hanging, which puts the ball in their court - take control!

squink

tinytot143 wrote: »

Hiya, Can anyone help me. Me and husband are in a debt management plan with Payplan and was wondering if this is classed as been in financial hardship or not?

Thanks

Tracey

Being on a DMP suggests you are in difficulty, but you need to verify the criteria - if you look through Martin's claiming info pages I think it's referred to there somewhere (took me some searching) - certain factors are: being on certain benefits/having debts and outgoings that are greater than your income (that's loose, need to check out); using credit cards regularly to pay household bills - can't think of all, but basically common sense ie. if you're not living a frivolous lifestyle (your DMP will have identified what you need to live on and what's left) and are struggling then it's worth checking out.
I phoned the FOS (no. online) who'll give guidance, and they verified I qualified (I was on a DMP), so if that happens with you, you can also quote what they tell you, to the bank (make notes when you make phone calls).
Are Payplan a free service? (I used CCCS who I found pretty good).
And if you follow it up with your bank, get their complaints procedures and banking codes leaflets, and do everything by letter so is recorded . If you do make a claim, the bank have to send you an income/expenditure form (or send yours from Payplan, looks good) and then offer to help (ie. not "no chance" if you've found you do fit the criteria); I say this because they often try to fob people off but their banking code says they have got to be nice and helpful (quote their procedures back at them if they don't follow them)
Good luck!

rozmister

I am a student and am obviously not REALLY poor but I am still struggling. I have a store card maxxed and bad credit rating. Previously I have paid about £400 in charges on account that I have now shut down. Can I claim?

Also I have taken out 3 student overdrafts which is really unallowed. If I start digging with the bank will they catch me out? I can't afford to pay them back (obviously) will trying to claim actually get me in to a bigger mess?