Advice please re settlement on a closed bank account debt

bathgatebuyer

I'm pretty sure that something can be accelerated if it is deemed to be a 'hardship' case. Given the circumstances involved a serious illness and an inability to work, I would suggest that a hardship definitely existed here.

I'm not surprised the debt collection agency deemed the charges fair as without that they would have nothing to collect on! It's not their decision to make and you should certainly seek to reclaim these. If anything, doing this to an ill person - while it may be in the terms and conditions - is certainly immoral.

I don't have any answers though as I did most of my reclaims a few years back - I have one against Natwest for about £3-400 worth of bank charges which I intend to take through the Scottish courts where sists (or stays) pending the outcome of the OFT case are not always enforced. I would check with the FOS if they are hearing 'hardship' cases, but be prepared to provide evidence as to hospital stays and the like.

Go for it - I tend to use the template reclaiming letters on CAG which have been updated to include the details of the OFT case, and you may also find one which relates to hardship cases too. Remember and send everything recorded delivery too otherwise they'll just dent ever getting the letter.

Jesthar

Yes, he should definitely start now! See here, in conjunction with the previous link:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/oft-bank-charges

You should start the process so you can ensure the ball is rolling. Once the case is finished, you can then be ready to procede with gusto!