Bank Charges Financial Hardship Success Stories

urgenthelp_2

urgenthelp wrote: »

Thanks for your help I will write to FOS today seeking the closure letter - This account did not reduce any charges they continue to be added on along with interest and taking out the £12.50 per month from an account seriously in arrears - if I were to use a card it would be instantly declined so how can Halifax continue to do so? I'll seek your help as soon as I get a response.

Sent a letter to FOS got a reply to say they would contact Halifax again to request further information about this fee paying account which they advised me to take. In the interim the bank has suspended interest and charges for 30 days- but FOS has asked me contact Halifax to set up a repayment plan!! (give me my money back and I don't require a repayment plan)

FOS do not have a financial hardship closure letter from Halifax as they provided them with sufficient explanation! I do not want to give up but it is just never ending - banks always appear to be correct!:mad:

RuthnJasper

Have just heard from NatWest that my claim (for £200) has been turned down because they do not deem me to be in genuine financial hardship. I cannot afford food and my electricity is perilously close to being cut off. I do not qualify for benefits. Just what ARE their criteria for judging people to be in hardship?! I was so hungry the other day that I ate one of the dog's treats. It wasn't pleasant.

I'm reading the success stories so that I don't feel too despondent; hopefully I can appeal and add my own success story one day.

natweststaffmember

urgenthelp wrote: »

Sent a letter to FOS got a reply to say they would contact Halifax again to request further information about this fee paying account which they advised me to take. In the interim the bank has suspended interest and charges for 30 days- but FOS has asked me contact Halifax to set up a repayment plan!! (give me my money back and I don't require a repayment plan)

FOS do not have a financial hardship closure letter from Halifax as they provided them with sufficient explanation! I do not want to give up but it is just never ending - banks always appear to be correct!:mad:

Ok, ask the FOS to provide you with the financial hardship final response letter from Halifax so you have the reasoning behind it. Might be worth offering them £1.00 a month until the conclusion of the OFT test case as a gesture of goodwill on your part

lawfrodo

ok. have spoke to halifax again to chase them up about the final response, and the halifax staff member on the phone said that she will put a note on the system that i require a final response by post.

so, will see what the halifax's final response is if/when the letter arrives.

lawfrodo

natweststaffmember wrote: »

So if you are in financial hardship, how are they helping you?

Still ask for a final response and we will see what it says and whether we can get the FOS to take a look.

ok. have spoke to halifax again to chase them up about the final response, and the halifax staff member on the phone said that she will put a note on the system that i require a final response by post.

so, will see what the halifax's final response is if/when the letter arrives.

urgenthelp_2

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Ok, ask the FOS to provide you with the financial hardship final response letter from Halifax so you have the reasoning behind it. Might be worth offering them £1.00 a month until the conclusion of the OFT test case as a gesture of goodwill on your part

Thanks I'll get onto that this evening

adewolves

I got my letter back today from the bank of scotland after I claimed through financial hardship, my case has been on hold for ages so I went through this route. Basically the gist of the letter says that they feel the fees were lawful, as did the letters originally. They are going to put me in touch with their money management team.

" We also acknowledge that you indicate that you are experinencing financial difficulties"

If we don't hear from you in eight weeks we assume you are saisfied etc.

What should I do next, I feel like pulling my hair out now, this has been dragging on for what seems like ever. Any advice most welcome.

natweststaffmember

adewolves wrote: »

I got my letter back today from the bank of scotland after I claimed through financial hardship, my case has been on hold for ages so I went through this route. Basically the gist of the letter says that they feel the fees were lawful, as did the letters originally. They are going to put me in touch with their money management team.

" We also acknowledge that you indicate that you are experinencing financial difficulties"

If we don't hear from you in eight weeks we assume you are saisfied etc.

What should I do next, I feel like pulling my hair out now, this has been dragging on for what seems like ever. Any advice most welcome.

Do you have priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?
Are you repaying any of the arrears?

adewolves

No none of those. I have an administration order for several debts that is being paid, just over 2000.00 outstanding. We also have 2452.00 outstanding with provident credit, we are paying that on a reduced rate, we had whats called a temporary waiver on that. We are left with around 66.00 a month after paying everything out.

natweststaffmember

adewolves wrote: »

No none of those. I have an administration order for several debts that is being paid, just over 2000.00 outstanding. We also have 2452.00 outstanding with provident credit, we are paying that on a reduced rate, we had whats called a temporary waiver on that. We are left with around 66.00 a month after paying everything out.

At the moment, most banks are looking at priority debt arrears with regards to financial hardship. As you have a surplus with regards to when everything is paid out, they are unlikely to view that as financial hardship. From the information you have written I would probably agree with their assessment at the moment.