Help! I've just started reclaiming bank charges

natweststaffmember

cybermonkey wrote: »

I'm not too happy either, surely the new T&Cs they imposed are in the same legal bracket as the original ones that are going through the courts right now, ie unfair.

I was just going to post the completed budget planner back to them tomorrow, but should I now also include a cover letter asking for confirmation of what will happen with both the unauthorised overdraft fees and the personal reserve fees?
Follow the process as per usual, I am making some inquiries with regards to the reserve fees so at the moment keep going as usual.
I'm pretty sure my financial hardship claim will be rejected, as i've only just recently been seeing a small surplus in my income vs expenditure (due largely to help by people on this forum). So if that happens then i'm assuming that the bank will respond saying my claim for the unauthorised overdraft will be put on hold until the courts have ruled, but that they will not be pursuing my claim on the personal reserve fees any further. Can I expect this kind of response from them?

From what I've read on this site I thought both these charges I'm claiming for are considered unfair, have I got that right?

If the claim looks clear financial hardship then we will look at the FOS route WITH the reserve fees.

cybermonkey

Ok a bit of an update.I filled in the financial hardship form and posted it, I received a letter back dated 5th August confirming they had received the form and would respond within 10 days. I haven't heard anything from them yet, but I checked my current account just now and yesterday there was a transfer into my account of £360 with a detail of "Goodwill Gesture, RTB Cust Rel".

I don't know what this is, but it must be from the bank. I'm going to query this with them tomorrow, but has anyone got any clues as to why they would do this without telling me. The amount is just after half the amount i'm claiming for.

Also, has anyone got any more info on the reserve fee issue listed a bit earlier in this thread? I've got 8 weeks to reply to the bank about them not recognising my claim to recover the reserve fee charges, so i need to get back to them by the end of September...

natweststaffmember

cybermonkey wrote: »

Ok a bit of an update.I filled in the financial hardship form and posted it, I received a letter back dated 5th August confirming they had received the form and would respond within 10 days. I haven't heard anything from them yet, but I checked my current account just now and yesterday there was a transfer into my account of £360 with a detail of "Goodwill Gesture, RTB Cust Rel".

I don't know what this is, but it must be from the bank. I'm going to query this with them tomorrow, but has anyone got any clues as to why they would do this without telling me. The amount is just after half the amount i'm claiming for.

Also, has anyone got any more info on the reserve fee issue listed a bit earlier in this thread? I've got 8 weeks to reply to the bank about them not recognising my claim to recover the reserve fee charges, so i need to get back to them by the end of September...

The Barclays Reserve is not part of the FSA Waiver on Bank Charges but they should deal sympathetically with customers in financial hardship.

cybermonkey

Thanks for the info on the reserve fee. I'm still wondering about this transfer into my account though, is it normal for a bank to do this when they are being asked to refund bank charges? If they are deeming this as a settlement fee shouldn't they have contacted me first?

cybermonkey

This is just getting stranger. I called Barclays to query the amount they credited to me, and their rep told me they were just acknowledging my financial hardship and are putting this amount into my account as a gesture of goodwill. She then went on to say this wasn't a settlement amount, but when (if) the court case is resolved then the full amount owed will be taken into consideration MINUS the £360. Are the bank serious? Why are they being so nice to me now?

Apparently there is a letter in the post detailing all this. Is anyone getting a similar outcome?

Orford

cybermonkey wrote: »

Apparently there is a letter in the post detailing all this. Is anyone getting a similar outcome?

It's perfectly normal as per the FSA waiver Directions:

(16)
if the firm attempts to resolve a relevant charges complaint after 27 July 2007:
(a)
the firm must not seek agreement from the complainant that the resolution is in full and final settlement of the matter;
(b)
in relation to such complaints, if the outcome of the test case produces a result that is more favourable to the complainant, the firm must take all reasonable steps to pay any difference in the amount of compensation actually received by the complainant and that that the complainant would have been entitled if his claim has not been settled by the firm then; and
(c)
the firm must explain the implications of its approach and commitment;

esmerellda

Well done. Nice and quick from Barclays really. People who are getting refunds on hardship are getting mostly up to half back now, and the rest stays on hold till the end of the test case. The letter will outline that I expect and probably have an acknowledgement form for you to return.

On your spreadsheet detailing the charges you want to put that £360 in as a minus figure on the date it was credited.

cybermonkey

Thanks for the reply, it's making sense now