Claim back any unfair bank charges! Article Discussion Area

ronaldmacdonald

not 100% sure, maybe a finance person can confirm, but when I worked in an accountants then under financial regulations we had to keep records for 3 or 6 years, depending on the actual information held (I suspect this is where the 6 year claim limit comes from).

mjanet

dinghy wrote:

Many thanks to all on this board and indeed to Martin for all his hard work on this website in general.

Have requested information from Egg, Cahoot and First Direct so far. Egg seem to be behaving and have told me they will be providing the requested information within the next 4-5 days on the basis of a couple of secure-messages through their website.
Cahoot are playing silly games at the moment and "as a gesture of good will" will provide the information for £180 instead of £360 ! (£5 / statement for 6 years.) Informed them that they have a statutory obligation to provide said information for £10 and now a "Team co-ordinator" has taken "full ownership" of my "concerns" ! Will let you all know how they respond in future !
My reason for posting on here is primarily the response I have recieved from FirstDirect. They have said that they can only provide information for the past 3 years. I am sure that they must hold information for longer than this. Anyone got any suggestions / reasons for this ? Or any basis for me to insist that they must hold this information somewhere ?

Thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can give.

Yes they must hold the information.You need to do a DPDR or if you have done that can you let us know exactly what their answer was in here ?

6 years is the statute of limitations @ ronaldmcdonald

Sarahsaver

Is it best to get the fes sorted out BEFORE changing accounts? I have an overdraft i want to clear, and natwest have messed me about BIG style recently, charging me for going over when i wasn't over the limit!
I fancy the look of the alliance and leicester account but i wonder if i should (try...) get the money out of natwest before i close the account.

dinghy_2

mjanet wrote:

Yes they must hold the information.You need to do a DPDR or if you have done that can you let us know exactly what their answer was in here ?

6 years is the statute of limitations @ ronaldmcdonald

I've told them that I am after the information on the basis of the DPA. Been conversing with FD through their e-messages and it would seem (didn't realise before never used it !) that once you have read a message it has gone ! Fairly sure what they said was pretty much just as I said before that they could only provide 3 years worth of information. I've gone back to them saying that I can't believe that that is all the information that they hold and I'm awaiting another reply. As said before I'm fairly sure that they have to keep account information for over 6 years, if nothing else it's surely got to be good business practice (however we all know that that doesn't necessarily apply to banks !!! ) Just really wanted to know if it was mandatory for them to keep 6 years of records ?
I guess if they don't keep the information I could claim thousands of charges in those 1st 3 years ????

taff999

Hi AWESOME THREAD IM ON PROCESS AT THE MINUTE OF REQUESTING ALL MY CHARGES! CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE BANK CLOSING MY ACCOUNT BECAUSE OF THIS ACTION? IM WITH NATWEST IF THAT GIVES ANY HELP,

AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE ASKED BEFORE BUT COULDNT FIND ANY 'EXPERT'ANSWERS..........SO HERE IT IS-DOES THIS APPLY TO A STORE CARD AS WELL? IN TERMS OF LATE PAYMENT CHARGE AND INTEREST?

MANY THANKS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORKK!

3 BILLION IS JUST A BIT TOO MUCH !!!!!!

Sarahsaver

I got one months fees back from nat west and a letter personally signed by the manager telling me to 'not tell anyone about it'
THey are really worried.
Taff you have your caps lock key on;)

mjanet

dinghy wrote:

I've told them that I am after the information on the basis of the DPA. Been conversing with FD through their e-messages and it would seem (didn't realise before never used it !) that once you have read a message it has gone ! Fairly sure what they said was pretty much just as I said before that they could only provide 3 years worth of information. I've gone back to them saying that I can't believe that that is all the information that they hold and I'm awaiting another reply. As said before I'm fairly sure that they have to keep account information for over 6 years, if nothing else it's surely got to be good business practice (however we all know that that doesn't necessarily apply to banks !!! ) Just really wanted to know if it was mandatory for them to keep 6 years of records ?
I guess if they don't keep the information I could claim thousands of charges in those 1st 3 years ????

There is a few ways you can go with this
You can either write back saying if they do not provide you with the information for the past 6 years then you will report them to the information commissioner or wait and see what they send and the accompanying letter then report them to the commisionaire or what I would do is phone the commisionaire now and explain what they are saying and ask them what they recommend.
Also you must keep copies of your corrospondence with the bank , as proof.so either email them or snail mail by recorded delivery is best.

mjanet

taff999 wrote:

Hi AWESOME THREAD IM ON PROCESS AT THE MINUTE OF REQUESTING ALL MY CHARGES! CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE BANK CLOSING MY ACCOUNT BECAUSE OF THIS ACTION? IM WITH NATWEST IF THAT GIVES ANY HELP,

AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE ASKED BEFORE BUT COULDNT FIND ANY 'EXPERT'ANSWERS..........SO HERE IT IS-DOES THIS APPLY TO A STORE CARD AS WELL? IN TERMS OF LATE PAYMENT CHARGE AND INTEREST?

MANY THANKS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORKK!

3 BILLION IS JUST A BIT TOO MUCH !!!!!!

There is a high chance they will close / threaten to close your account so you must cover this angle by opening another account.If they do actually close it there is other options you can take against them.

Yes penalty charges on store cards are also recoverable.

mjanet

Sarahsaver wrote:

Is it best to get the fes sorted out BEFORE changing accounts? I have an overdraft i want to clear, and natwest have messed me about BIG style recently, charging me for going over when i wasn't over the limit!
I fancy the look of the alliance and leicester account but i wonder if i should (try...) get the money out of natwest before i close the account.

You don't actually need to close or change accounts , you just open another account as a parachute account.

michelefauk

Hi
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place as am very new to this!
Firstly, would like to say what a fantastic site, have recommended it to lots of people!
After having read and reread most of the info on claiming back charges, I have taken the plunge and decided to go for it. I reckon in the past year alone the Halifax have had at least a few hundred pounds off me. Hand delivered my letter asking for 6 years info on both accounts I hold with them (cardcash and current accounts) on Saturday 15th April along with cheque.
I have also registerd with the Bank Action Group site, but am unable to login, keeps bouncing me out, not sure what that is all about!
Anyway, wish me luck, am very very nervous about this (especially as i used to work for the Halifax albeit the estate Agents dept and know all the girls in the branch!)
Thanks again for a top site!
michele