=( charged £28 for going 74p overdrawn

stella512200

my bank have charged me £28 for going 74p over my overdraft. i really don't want to pay these charges as i think they're unfair. i could understand if i went 30 or 40 quid over it but i never. they want to take it out of my account on the 31st july, but i don't get paid until the first of every month. i spoke to customer services last night (natwest bank by the way) and the member of staff i asked "can you change the day the charge comes out of my account?" said "no." when i told her there would be no money in the account, she replied "well it's your job to make sure there is money in there otherwise you will just build up bank charges". i'm not happy. this morning i called and asked to speak to a manager, the lady i spoke to told me that the managers were too busy to speak to me, she wouldn't let me hold to speak to them or let me leave my number for them to call back. i eventually got through to a manager in another office, who passed my complaint/query to customer service, who then phoned me to tell me it was tough. i couldn't get out of these charges. help!!! i really don't want to pay these charges, especially after the poor customer service i received from NATWEST!!!

natweststaffmember

Bank policy is that if there is no bank error than no refund is made. Have you asked to extend the overdraft to avoid further charges? I do understand what you are saying with regards to the amount over the overdraft but it is OVER it.
The problem I have when someone says that they only went over by a few pence, is that if the bank started saying if it less than a pound we won't charge is that someone will do £1.01 over and claim it was only 1p out of the acceptable boundary. Do you see why the bank have said no in spite of the amount it is over?


If you have had previous charges on the account, have you considered claiming the bank charges back?

emmagrey

yeah its ridiculous, and unfair, the amount they can charge for such a tiny amount of loose change.

it should be illegal but as of yet its not. but the test case is on hold for reclaming for another 6 months i just read on the main site. so there's little you can do as to recovering the charge (other than putting a claim in and getting in line for when its lifted)

as for them refusing to move the date till you get paid...


so let me get this straight, you get paid friday (1st) and they want the money on the thursday (31st) the day before and they wont wait one day????????????????????

what?

that sounds even more ridiculous, id be !!!!ed off myself. obviously they dont want to help because they want the unreasonable fee's to build. and you deff. dont want that to happen.

can you borrow £30 off anybody you know and get it paid in before thursday? you need to cover the money so you dont get another fee before you get paid.

stella512200

natweststaffmemebr, i've never been charged as far as i know, this is my first charge. i wouldn't know where to start to claim it back! how would i go about that?

emmagrey i can get the 30quid but i suppose it's not the point. i shouldn't be charged such a stupid amount in the first place!! i really am unhappy about the charge.

it's just alot of money for going over by a minimal amount. is there anything at all i can do? it's the first time this has happened =(

emmagrey

i know. i agee with you. if its the first charge, you might have a good chance of recovering it. i dont know how wiling they are now with the case going on, but most banks will give you back a first charge or at least thats my understanding. my bank did. phoning has been no help, so do what i did when i got a first charge. ring up you're local branch, make an appointment, and go see the manager. explain, how flustrated and annoyed you are to be charged such a huge amount for been a few pence overdrawn, that you feel its unfair, that you have never went over you're overdraft before, this is you're first fee, and and then ask for it to be recovered. she has the authority to recover it and hopefully she will.

natweststaffmember

It may be worth asking the bank as this is the first time to waive the charge that is coming out as a Gesture of Goodwill. Please remember that the bank will not do this again. Mention this is the first time. Bank policy is that if there is no bank error then no refund is given.
The angle I would go with is not that they are unfair but that it was the first time that this mistake had been made and that your wages go in after the time that the charges go out and therefore making it impossible to cover the charge coming out.

stella512200

ahh thanks guys. i'll make an appointment with the branch manager but it will have to be a weekend. is natwest open on a weekend?

Orford

Branch opening hours here:
http://www.natwest.com/tools/personal/branch_locator/step1.asp

tsol

stella512200 wrote: »

i shouldn't be charged such a stupid amount in the first place!! i really am unhappy about the charge.

Stella, luckily I rarely use my overdraft and what I do use only amounts to pennies anyway.

However, I have complete sympathy with you, 3700% interest rate :eek: for less than a month is absolutely outrageous!!!!

Hope you get your money back.

A_fiend_for_life

As you have never gone over before you should be seen as a good customer and they are very likely to refund it is a good will gesture more so if you are your usual friendly self.

MikeSMike

We went £5.04 overdrawn with the A & L and ended up paying just short of £200 in charges!