Banks refusing hardship claims because accounts are too old.

Tigerchaser

I can't be the only one whose noticed there seems to be a large discrepancy between the way different banks are dealing with these hardship claims. Reading the successful results thread seems that banks like Abby and Halifax are paying out quite regularly on charges that go back a few years, other banks are paying nothing.

I've been pursuing a hardship claim against the Nationwide for the last couple of months, I was involved in an accident, braking my leg really badly and was made redundant in the same week, I got behind on rent and bills and have been unable to work for quite a while; I foolishly thought this would be enough to make the case for hardship. But apparently not... as the accounts i'm claiming charges for "are both closed"... And thats the only reason the nationwide gave for ignoring that claim. One account was only closed by the Nationwide quite recently and is now with a dept company. (I obviously can't pay it, because of financial hardship). They're reason for not paying those charges back on that account is that again.. "it's closed" and also "charges didn't match the statment of earnings I sent back" (Prusumably because I wasn't made reduntdent etc, until after I incured my last charge on that account)!


I don't think it's fair that banks are doing this. I've read through all the FSA guidlines. Nowhere do they say you have to prove to of been in financial hardship when the charges were first incured. They simply say: - "Banks and building societies will have to conduct a filtering process to ensure that cases of genuine hardship are still dealt with during the waiver period. "

It seems a lack of clarity has led to banks having carte blanche to make up there own rules about when to pay and when not to pay.
Isn't it time we had some more specific rules from the FSA? If you can prove your in financial hardship beond resonable doubt, like I and many others can, then surely banks should be dealing with these claim the same way as they did before the court case, i'e paying back the charges!!