bank charge due to system error?

thriftymanc

I have just received two bank charges for supposedly going overdrawn.

I have two accounts with the same bank. I use internet banking. Transfers between accounts are instant.

Account B is usually empty. From time to time I will transfer funds from A to B, then withdraw the cash from Account B later on (usually the next day). My transfers always show up instantly.

I logged in yesterday and had a message - I'm getting charged. I sent a message asking why and was given the details. I checked through my transaction history to look up the two instances the bank said I was getting charged for. Two of the payments I made are now showing up as though I made them the day after I actually did (i.e. as if I withdrew the cash on Tuesday, then paid it back in on Wednesday, thus being overdrawn overnight - when in actual fact I transfered the cash on Monday and withdrew it on Tuesday).

The problem is, it's my word against theirs, now that their system has 'mysteriously' altered the transaction dates! I think it's a system error and sent them a message explaining what had happened, but got a message back saying "our charges are fair, you were overdrawn overnight, we're not cancelling them", etc.

From now on I'm printing out my account every single day in case they try this on again. I don't care if the banks are running out of money, they're not stealing mine!

Is there any letter template for this kind of situation? I'm not happy paying the charges, I can't afford to!



ALSO: Does the bank have to notify me of charges in writing (i.e. a letter, not online) by law, or anything like that? Because they never send me letters about anything. If they don't send me a letter, can I dispute the charges because of this?
(Just thinking of as many ways of disputing as possible, I can imagine they're not going to give my money back that easily!)

Orford

Does the bank have to notify me of charges in writing (i.e. a letter, not online) by law, or anything like that? Because they never send me letters about anything. If they don't send me a letter, can I dispute the charges because of this?

No, although I don't have on-line banking, AFAIK that's one of the conditions, ie paperless banking

mikee81

good luck the bank i'm with does exactly the same some transactions say appear on a friday then on a monday all dates changed to the monday and when go to statement history all listed in wrong order so say my wages where paid in then i spent or withdrew cash the cash and spends all appear first before my wages so it states i'm overdrawn when i'm not. it confuses me totally.

same with money transfer if i do on a mon to another account with same bank it shows same day then next day it changes to the following day so tuesday.

i had big arguement with them before as charged me and didnt know what for as nothing was listed correctly and basically unless i write down hundreds of transactions per month with time and date then its very hard to tell as they change dates and times

davery83

thriftymanc wrote: »

I have just received two bank charges for supposedly going overdrawn.

I have two accounts with the same bank. I use internet banking. Transfers between accounts are instant.

Account B is usually empty. From time to time I will transfer funds from A to B, then withdraw the cash from Account B later on (usually the next day). My transfers always show up instantly.

I logged in yesterday and had a message - I'm getting charged. I sent a message asking why and was given the details. I checked through my transaction history to look up the two instances the bank said I was getting charged for. Two of the payments I made are now showing up as though I made them the day after I actually did (i.e. as if I withdrew the cash on Tuesday, then paid it back in on Wednesday, thus being overdrawn overnight - when in actual fact I transfered the cash on Monday and withdrew it on Tuesday).

The problem is, it's my word against theirs, now that their system has 'mysteriously' altered the transaction dates! I think it's a system error and sent them a message explaining what had happened, but got a message back saying "our charges are fair, you were overdrawn overnight, we're not cancelling them", etc.

From now on I'm printing out my account every single day in case they try this on again. I don't care if the banks are running out of money, they're not stealing mine!

Is there any letter template for this kind of situation? I'm not happy paying the charges, I can't afford to!



ALSO: Does the bank have to notify me of charges in writing (i.e. a letter, not online) by law, or anything like that? Because they never send me letters about anything. If they don't send me a letter, can I dispute the charges because of this?
(Just thinking of as many ways of disputing as possible, I can imagine they're not going to give my money back that easily!)

Which bank are you with out of interest? Both my girlfriend and I recevied bank charges from Alliance & Leicester this week despite not going overdrawn - basically, money had been paid in the same day I withdrew it, they counted the withdrawal first!

dunstonh

Did you do the transfers during working hours or after working hours? After working hours would explain the transaction going through the next day

qw3rt7

Go to a local branch and collar an account manager (you may need an appointment, if so make one). When they are sitting in front of you they cant give you rubbish generic replies!! This has always worked for me when i have been in the right.

EDIT. Just a thought, but in your first post you said you withdraw cash from account 'B' when you have transfered funds into it, but normaly it is empty. Did you withdraw cash from an ATM in both the incidents you have been charged for?
If so this could work in your favour. If you had tried to draw cash from an empty account with no overdraft facility (as the bank seem to sugest) then surely the ATM would have simply refused your withdrawal? Dont know if this helps, but worth a try.

kenbear37

davery83 wrote: »

Which bank are you with out of interest? Both my girlfriend and I recevied bank charges from Alliance & Leicester this week despite not going overdrawn - basically, money had been paid in the same day I withdrew it, they counted the withdrawal first!

I have had this same problem with Alliance & Leicester, I have written to them 3 times about it and each time I get a standard response which states that Bank Charges are under review in the Court etc.

Last week I got a charge for a DD they honoured which would have taken me overdrawn, I had actually cancelled the DD and the payment was not made yet they still charged me £25.

Its no wonder the Banking system is in the state it is, if this is how it runs.

dlk

What time did you do the transaction? HSBC have a cut off time for internal transactions of 23.45. If you did it after this time it wouldn't go through until the next day.

As for you trying to pay in to cover the charges. Hsbc don't charge on charges so if a charge takes you over your overdraft limit they don't charge unless another debit goes through as well so no need to worry about that part.