Barclays Personal Finance?

fisherman7

Not sure if this is really the correct place for this, but as it is a 'wholly owned subsidiary' I thought someone might be having dealings with them.

They have been charging me £22.50 for late payment and then again after seven days, when they 'check' to see if a payment has been made, for several months. I have told them repeatedly that I am JSA and only getting £60 per week, which, after paying for electricity and coal, only leaves £10 - £15 per week for food, so I cannot pay anything. Eventually, since weather warmed up, offered to pay nominal £1 per month until I get a job, which was rejected, with them wanting minimum £7, which I haven't got.

So, two questions:
(1) Are these charges claimable back again, as with bank charges?
(2) Is there anything else I could do to get them off my back?

Any help gratefully received, thanks.

Incidentally, I even tried charging them £25 per letter that I had to write to them, because they didn't reply to mine, just sent the standard 'on file' replies. They said that because it wasn't allowed for in the original agreement, they would not pay.