Need some help with HSBC Bank Charges

Bromarc

Hi Guys,

Need some help with reclaiming my money from HSBC with regards to bank charges.

About 2 months ago I sent off a letter stating that they owed me £852.00 with interested included. I waiting a couple of weeks and didnt recieve a reply of aknowledgement of my claim, so I called HSBC and they said they hadnt recieved anything. I voiced my frustration and instrusted them to send me a full breakdown of all my bank charges over the 6 years, they did and infact they stated on the letter they owe me £1157.00 which is a nice improvement.
Currently at the moment I have fallen on very bad terms and would consider myself as being in a financial crisis, what with no job....credit cards, loans, rent and the rest.
So what I wanted to know was there anyway they would pay me this or do I have to wait for the damm court case to finish??
And does anyone know the progress of the court case in detail??

I look forward to your replies.

Many Thanks
Bromarc

lallysmum

Hi, I'm in the process of claiming back over £1400 from HSBC.

I wrote an initial letter. I told them that I was claiming back under the OFT test case submission and that I believe I qualify for an immediate refund due to being in financial hardship.
Their reply was basically telling me to go away, but included an income and expenditure form. The letter had a number to call once I had filled in the booklet.
I called, they were too busy to deal with it then, but I received a call back within 7 days offering me a telephone appointment on Monday at 3.30!

I'll let you know what happens on Monday!

(I got all the templates for the letters on here. I'll dig out the addresses for you, if you need them)

Ste__5

Having gone through the procedure just last Friday that lallysmum is lining up for next week I can give you the benefit of my experience, and its an unfortunate "don't get your hopes up" (in the slightest).

The gist of what was a pleasant conversation was that the advisor took a reasonable amount of data about incomings/outgoings, monthly spend on a reasonable raft of what are normal domestic expenses. Afterwhich the HSBC advisor agreed that it was clear that I was in financial hardship.

The offer they made? (I'm seeking repayment of about £2500) Well, the nice people at HSBC are taking the following approach:

a.) repayment of sums of money you might be in arrears to with utility companies (gas, elec, water) are the only amounts being considered for refund. Mortgages might be, but I'm not in that territory.

b.) repayments will only be made to the utility companies themselves, i.e. if you're in arrears with your gas they'll pay the gas company directly, electricity, the same, etc..

c.) nothing else is on the table, if you're not in arrears with your utilities then its tough luck, the HSBC are not considering any other refund irrespective of "hardship".


My thoughts? Well, you can guess. I was polite on the phone but I am livid at the positioning the bank is taking. The extent of the HSBC's condescension is absolutely and utterly unbelievable.

Luckily.. and this is probably also mentioned elsewhere on the forum:

"Updated 9 October 2008

Latest news: The Court of Appeal hearing will start on Tuesday 28 October and is expected to last for six days. It will be held in court 73 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2."

Source: OFT web site

PS

If anyone has come across this same attitude from the HSBC and still found a direct way forward I would be grateful for the information.

Lal'smum, please let me know if your experience on Monday turns out to be the same as mine?

lallysmum

Oh balls.. I will of course let you know.

I am fed up with them entirely. They charge me £179 a month because their charges from the month before have caused me to go overdrawn!
I was initially charged the overdraft fee because I went £11 overdrawn. My fault entirely, and a reasonable charge I wouldn't have quibbled, but this is ridiculously excessive.
I am currently trying to claim Income Support as my (lovely) husband and I seperated and he is failing to give me anything to help pay bills/feed our children. These charges are quite literally taking food out of their mouths. And it quite winds me up!

Sorry that they didn't help you.. I'll let you know tomorrow what happens.

novelli

yes i had the same thing with HSBC. Wasnt happy as i felt this was my money and they were telling me how to use it. I had other debt to pay than utilities, but they werent interested. eventually managed to get them to pay £500 into account instead, as interim payment, but as they owe me £4500 in charges, which is ever increasing, it was a drop in the ocean!!!
Have recently written to them again asking for payment of the rest due to my circumstances, but as usual they are using every delay tactic they can grab!!! whilst adding further charges at the same time!!!:mad:

Ste_ wrote: »

Having gone through the procedure just last Friday that lallysmum is lining up for next week I can give you the benefit of my experience, and its an unfortunate "don't get your hopes up" (in the slightest).

The gist of what was a pleasant conversation was that the advisor took a reasonable amount of data about incomings/outgoings, monthly spend on a reasonable raft of what are normal domestic expenses. Afterwhich the HSBC advisor agreed that it was clear that I was in financial hardship.

The offer they made? (I'm seeking repayment of about £2500) Well, the nice people at HSBC are taking the following approach:

a.) repayment of sums of money you might be in arrears to with utility companies (gas, elec, water) are the only amounts being considered for refund. Mortgages might be, but I'm not in that territory.

b.) repayments will only be made to the utility companies themselves, i.e. if you're in arrears with your gas they'll pay the gas company directly, electricity, the same, etc..

c.) nothing else is on the table, if you're not in arrears with your utilities then its tough luck, the HSBC are not considering any other refund irrespective of "hardship".


My thoughts? Well, you can guess. I was polite on the phone but I am livid at the positioning the bank is taking. The extent of the HSBC's condescension is absolutely and utterly unbelievable.

Luckily.. and this is probably also mentioned elsewhere on the forum:

"Updated 9 October 2008

Latest news: The Court of Appeal hearing will start on Tuesday 28 October and is expected to last for six days. It will be held in court 73 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2."

Source: OFT web site

PS

If anyone has come across this same attitude from the HSBC and still found a direct way forward I would be grateful for the information.

Lal'smum, please let me know if your experience on Monday turns out to be the same as mine?

Chopsuzy

Hi
Thanks for posting this thread, ive been looking for details on HSBC from us customers all morning.
I am literally posting mine off this week, I didnt realise how much the charges were until I got all my charges back.
How did the phone interview go Lallysmum???
Mine add up to about £600 which isnt much compared to some people however that would pay off my overdraft nicely..
Any tips would be appreciated ALSO which HSBC do i send it to? my local branch or a london HQ??
Thanks
Suzy

lallysmum

Still waiting for my call back.. 11 mins to go!

Address I sent it all to:

HSBC Bank PLC
Service Management
CPT, Arlington Business Centre
Millshaw Park Lane
Leeds
LS11 0PP

lallysmum

Well now I'm supremely ******* off!

They agreed that yes, I am in financial hardship. They were on the phone for 30 mins maybe. Rang back after "thinking" about it.. and they have decided the following:

They will stop the charge of £179 due to debit my account on Wed.
They will NOT refund ANY of the 1400 I was asking for.
They will cancel my Switch card - effective immediately - and not allow me access to funds I have in my account until I receive a new *cash only* card.
They will cancel my overdraft, effective immediately.

My account is now on "suspension" until Jan when the next round of the court battle begins.

Anyone know if I can use this info and go straight to the OFT? They have really ballsed everything now.. I do all my shopping online so I can do a cheaper shop.

Really really (insert words you're not allowed to use on here) now

want2bmortgage3

sorry to hear that what a pain it must be to have the unfair charges. i'm lucky i dont have any, there was one or two occasions where i got charged £38 for going overdrawn but a quick call each time and they refunded it immediately.

good luck with the claim i hope the decision in jan is in customers favour!

Chopsuzy

So should I even bother sending a letter asking for my charges back? there seems to be a lot of negative responses from HSBC, and hardly any positive bank charge refund stories. I have got a copy of all statements and charges over past 6 years, and I was going to send a letter to them this week but not sure now :-(

Is the address above best for the first letter (the letter where I enclose all my charges etc etc asking for refund on charges) Thanks

want2bmortgage3

yes as it says on the bank charges article get your letter in with all the charges. as my mate found out there were more charges than he thought. the bank should give you a full breakdown. there is obviously a big backlog now but if the court ruling is in customers favour then they will have to pay out.