Open Letter To David Cameron - 25 AUG REPONSE NOW IN

Orford

clarelea wrote: »

Yes, of course and I do think that that is wrong, and it is very difficult to try and explain those policies to the customer.

If you think that's difficult just wait till you have to explain to the other 80% who are apoplectic with rage at now having to pay for something they've expected to be provided for nothing:D

Widelats

Orford wrote: »

If you think that's difficult just wait till you have to explain to the other 80% who are apoplectic with rage at now having to pay for something they've expected to be provided for nothing:D

Personally i think the whole system needs a overhaul.

oscar52

I haven't read the whole thread, so I apologise if this has already been mentioned, but it was essentially the Tories that created this banking mess (at least in part). It was the Tory party that allowed the deregulation of banks, beacuse, as the banks put it "we can be trusted and we know what we are doing".

In my opinion, though I applaud D Cameron for his current stance, is that the Tory party is only trying to correct a wrong they created.

clarelea

Widelats wrote: »

I do know what you mean, i am one of these who has no setanta or other direct debits yet i got charged for paypal errors 4 times, money was taken without my consent which leads me to as you what bank gives notice that they are going to take money? I would join this bank.

If it was an error made by paypal, then they should refund you the money that they took, and any bank charges that were caused by their error. The bank I work for informs you of any bank charges they are going to take, but wouldn't have told you about when paypal were going to take the money. Otherwise those people with lots of direct debits would be bombarded!

I don't want to specify which bank, as I have mentioned their charge reversal policy which I'm sure isn't supposed to be common knowledge, and I don't want to get in trouble. However, it is a major high street bank and if you ask a member of branch staff they would tell you about our charges letters.

I hope you have some better customer service with us, and I'm sorry that my first post was a little harsh. It comes from hours of being shouted at by customers who have only themselves to blame!

natweststaffmember

clarelea wrote: »

Yes, of course and I do think that that is wrong, and it is very difficult to try and explain those policies to the customer. However, it is not just the extra charges which will be refunded, it will be all of them. This is why, if a bank has a policy in which it reverses the first charge on an account, it should act as a warning to the account holder, but time after time I see people getting charges they could have easily avoided and now they will get their money back.

Clare, let me explain a little of my viewpoint which may give you background as to why things changed for me. I loved my work and dealing with customers face to face. I was passionate about what I did and providing informative and accurate information. I believed in what the bank did and the values of the bank I worked for(sales and service sides of things).In June 2006 my branch received a letter from someone quoting some legal jargon and asked for his charges back. To be totally honest, my mindset was, "you are taking the P mate, get lost!". We had processes in place which I followed and we refunded the money. It made me stand up and question why this was happening. I should add that I had read an article on MSE in March 2006 about bank charges.
The case I dealt with made me sit up and get involved. I haven't left on internet based forums and that one letter eventually cost me my banking job because I did get involved.

Most people do not know how on one occasion, a Direct Debit is PAID without sufficient funds and another time returned UNPAID. The bank should either simply PAY or NOT PAY, end of.

In fact many people do not understand how the charges worked. In fact within 3 months of being on internet based forums I did a thread on how NatWest charges worked because the information within the charges booklets we had were simply ridiculous and that remains the same today. "informal request" is nonsense. You either request it or it is an unauthorised payment request.

In time I hope you find a way to read everywhere about how people got into trouble. For example, have a read of the early threads on the budgetting and current accounts forum with regards to charges.

Widelats

clarelea wrote: »

If it was an error made by paypal, then they should refund you the money that they took, and any bank charges that were caused by their error. The bank I work for informs you of any bank charges they are going to take, but wouldn't have told you about when paypal were going to take the money. Otherwise those people with lots of direct debits would be bombarded!

I don't want to specify which bank, as I have mentioned their charge reversal policy which I'm sure isn't supposed to be common knowledge, and I don't want to get in trouble. However, it is a major high street bank and if you ask a member of branch staff they would tell you about our charges letters.

I hope you have some better customer service with us, and I'm sorry that my first post was a little harsh. It comes from hours of being shouted at by customers who have only themselves to blame!

Thanks for that - you wouldn't get in trouble, that is what this forum is all about - helping and advice.

natweststaffmember

clarelea wrote: »

If it was an error made by paypal, then they should refund you the money that they took, and any bank charges that were caused by their error. The bank I work for informs you of any bank charges they are going to take, but wouldn't have told you about when paypal were going to take the money. Otherwise those people with lots of direct debits would be bombarded!

I don't want to specify which bank, as I have mentioned their charge reversal policy which I'm sure isn't supposed to be common knowledge, and I don't want to get in trouble. However, it is a major high street bank and if you ask a member of branch staff they would tell you about our charges letters.

I hope you have some better customer service with us, and I'm sorry that my first post was a little harsh. It comes from hours of being shouted at by customers who have only themselves to blame!

Don't worry it is common knowledge amongst most of the main high street banks but if I was putting money on it(which I don't want you to confirm), I would say that sounds like Halifax.

clarelea

Yeah, tell that to my bank executives!

clarelea

Can I also just add, although I'm sure it's obvious to most. But if you have a problem go in to your branch and talk to the staff nicely. Trust me, we are MUCH more helpful when we aren't shouted at.

natweststaffmember

clarelea wrote: »

Can I also just add, although I'm sure it's obvious to most. But if you have a problem go in to your branch and talk to the staff nicely. Trust me, we are MUCH more helpful when we aren't shouted at.

Been there and got the T shirt(in fact been screamed at for something that wasn't my fault). There are other reasons why people shout which may mean that you are the first person they can vent against cos the telephone people can cut them off