Abbey Charges - Escalation Frustration

Funky_Diver

OK, so December 2008, I accidentally went £9.79 overdrawn with an Abbey account, I had cash go in the next day £250... as I had put it in on the day my account went overdrawn, but somehow it doesn't show til the day after.

Not a problem thinks I... WRONG!

I am charged £15 for them honouring my transaction (with pets at home) and then charged another £25 for arranging an unauthorised overdraft. Fair does I think, I won't do it again. The Charges in January put me overdrawn.

February... I get charged £25 for being overdrawn in January, same story in March and now into April, I am expecting another £25 due to the charges taking me overdrawn. I must point out, that on EACH occasion it has not been my spending that has taken me overdrawn, but their charges.

Due to MY (as the obnoxious woman I spoke to first said) initial mistake, as I didn't know that cash paid in at a machine after a certain time ON the day that a payment was being taken would put me overdrawn (I think it was about 3.30pm as I remember picking my kids up from school and going to the branch in town) didn't count til the following day...

So it's currently cost me... wait for it...

£10.40 for the dog food...
£15 for them paying it
£75 in charges for being overdrawn

with another £25 due next week...

Total... £125.40 for stuff that was scattered all over the lawn during the latter part of December...

Do I have a leg to stand on when making a plea for sanity? I spoke to a nice lady this evening, but she's just sending me a form out to fill in, to obviously then get lost in the depths of time.

Anyone get a successful result with this in mind?

natweststaffmember

None whatsoever but you can claim the charges back usual the standard approach.

Funky_Diver

I'll see what the official form looks like when it arrives. Incidentally, I am also making a formal complaint about the first person I spoke to. Fingers crossed that may well get me some leverage, although I doubt it.

toontoon9

This happened to me aswell.

The Abbey staff on the phone and inside the bank were clueless. I then phoned the complaints department and told them the situation and they erased all the charges off my account, however the last 2 months i have been given charges again and i dont even use the bank any more. So when i can be bothered i will phone them up and take them off my account and i'm definately closing it.

leachyd

While i agree that charges are unfair, and quite rightly you should claim them back (as i have done on my credit card), i also believe that had you just ensured that you had funds to cover the initial charge, that leaves your account the month after it is incurred, then you wouldn't be in this position. Honestly, i find it irrelevant that it is the deduction of charges from your account that lead to a new charge being levied. It;s pretty clear when these charges will be leaving your account if you read your statements. Next month cut back £25 in your spending to cover the charge, this will stop the cycle, then go about reclaiming them down the usual route.

Funky_Diver

leachyd, a fair and valid point. I suppose I am miffed as the funds were put into my account to cover the initial £9odd amount but didn't show til hte following day.

Ordinarily I'd just suck it up, but in this case I think that things are disproportionate to the initial "overdraft".

skintstudentnurse

Hi Funky!

I have just got off the phone to abbey,I'm so annoyed!!

I have an electron card with abbey, in February I paid a catalogue bill with this card online (checked balance first for sufficient funds).

Didn't think anything more about it.

Somehow the payment had not been taken from my account until several days later and I became overdrawn by a few pounds. So on the 27th of March I received two bank charges for £25 and £35, I rang up and complained they agreed to refund the £35 so I chalked the £25 charge down to experience.

Got a bank statement this morning, I am being charged again!!!

The charge was taken out of my account the day before my pay went in so they have charged me £25 because there was insuffcient funds for one day.

Now I'm sure someone will say I should have read the T&Cs etc but I feel this really takes the biscuit. I'm closing the account.

leachyd

Funky - see your point. Didnt realise you put the money in on the day. I had the same problem once but made sure i phoned the bank and got away with it, as they contacted the clearing dept and sorted it all. In this case though, think it might be best to stop the cycle, and then try to resolve it. Just thinking that if it doesnt go your way, then ultimately you'd rather it didn't go your way earlier rather than late!

Hope all gets sorted

D

tobeloy

A family member has submitted a claim against abbey to reclaim bank charges, they were overdrawn slightly with the account too and after submitting the claim informed Abbey that they were making a claim against them.

Abbey said they would put a hold on any more letters or demands until a decision has been made regarding charges and tru to their word they have until now when a collection agency has had the debt passed onto them.

This family member just wants some advice and also to know if anyone else has had this experience and what they did.

Thanks

natweststaffmember

tobeloy wrote: »

A family member has submitted a claim against abbey to reclaim bank charges, they were overdrawn slightly with the account too and after submitting the claim informed Abbey that they were making a claim against them.

Abbey said they would put a hold on any more letters or demands until a decision has been made regarding charges and tru to their word they have until now when a collection agency has had the debt passed onto them.

This family member just wants some advice and also to know if anyone else has had this experience and what they did.

Thanks

Try this

"ACCOUNT IN DISPUTE

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your ref:


Thank you for your letter of **DATE**, the contents of which are noted.


I am disputing the total value of these debts with **BANK** due to unlawful and unreasonable charges. As such, therefore, I consider this account to be in dispute and no further action or payment shall be made until this matter is resolved.
As per OFT guidelines Section 2.8k "not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt."

This process may take some time, due to the Office of Fair Trading's test case, but I will try to expedite this issue as a matter of urgency.

I hope that you will enter into a sincere dialogue with me about this matter and I am writing this letter to you on the assumption that you would prefer to do this than merely respond with standard letters and leaflets.

I would appreciate your due diligence in this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you in writing.

Yours faithfully "

tobeloy

natwest staff member your a star many thanks for your help....letter is in the post