Natwest bank change - can I get it back?

no1wf

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, this has never happened to me before and I'm not sure where to post this.

I write everything I spend down in the back of my diary and always compare it with my Natwest online banking and my PayPal account just incase and so far it's never gone wrong.

But yesterday I logged on to see if I had been paid and I noticed that they had taken £38 from me in a transaction titled

UNPAID ITEM(S) , D/D 7.47, PAYPAL PAYMENT

I finally figured out what it was, I'd put £10 in on the 1st May because I get money taken out every month on the 3rd and I knew I wouldn't have enough. The money got taken out as normal but it was the one thing I forgot to write down so I thought I had more in than I actually did.

Does this mean that the payment hasn't gone through? I think it might have because I had £9.14 and after the £38 it says -£28.86
There was another payment after this of £3.71 which leaves me with a total of -£32.57 so hopefully that's gone through too.

My question is can I get it back? I can go to the bank after work this afternoon but I'm scared I won't be able to because It's my own fault

EDIT: I've just realised, I had £9.14 in my bank so why are they charging me £38 for £7.47 that could easily have been taken out?

natweststaffmember

I think you are going to have to examine the online statements or go to your local branch and get a printout to work out where the discrepancy occurred. I would ask the bank to refund this as a gesture of goodwill otherwise, you are going to have to start the process of reclaiming the charges back.

no1wf

I've juse come back from town and they said that because it was my own fault they can't refund it She gave me a number to call, she said I can try ringing it but to be honest I wouldn't get anything.

natweststaffmember

That doesn't come as a huge shock to me but have you worked out the discrepancy on your calculations?

no1wf

Yes, I think it was mostly my fault but why they couldn't take £7 from £9 is still beyond me! I think I'll just have to accept it, my Mum has lent me the £40 they took for my driving lessons and I'll pay her back soon.

Thanks for your help though

mikeandrach_2

i wrote a strongly worded letter to natwest about 3 months ago, in the same boat as you and i got the charge back. my situation is slightly different, i mainly bank with citibank, and wrote to natwest pointing out that i was looking at moving my salary to be paid into their account in the future. I said I would be using the account more over then next year, and would potentially consider them for mortgages, credit cards etc if they showed some compassion. I then finsihed the letter by saying if they don't show willing to refund the charge, would they forward my number to the area manager for my branch, and ask him or her to ring me and explain how it made financial sense to potentially lose a profitable customer over a quick gain of £38. I got a reply 3 days later saying money will be in account within a week