Who else can I complain to about A+L?

Fezzik_2

I opend a bank account with A+L about 2 years ago because of the great rates and recommended to my sister that she do the same. A few months later A+L changed their fee structure (just in time for Christmas when everyone is skint) and many of their customers got stung by this, including me and my sister. I decided that I didn't want to be a customer of A+L anymore and sent them this letter:

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]6[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] February 2008[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Account number: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Dear Sir/Madam[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Due to the recent change in your terms and conditions regarding your fee structure for your current accounts I am closing my account with Alliance and Leicester.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I have recently had the following charges made to my account:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]24[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] December 2007 - £25 payment review fee[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]19[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] January 2008 - £35 Exceeding overdraft limit fee[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]19[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] January 2008 - £4.50 Overdraft usage fee[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]4[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] February 2008 - £5.00 Overdraft usage fee[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I know about the test case that is currently proceeding in the High Court, and that due to this I won't get a proper response to this letter but I cannot comprehend how you think these charges are justified and fair. I would be very interested to know why you refer to them as fee's when you are not doing anything. You don't even send a letter out to inform me that I have exceeded my overdraft, wouldn't a fine be a more suitable description?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Today I have had several tearful phone calls from my sister. Firstly, she was unable to get into her A+L branch to deposit cheques and the ATM outside wouldn't give her the envelopes needed to deposit cheques. Whilst at the ATM she obtained a mini-statement where large amounts of money had been taken out of her account. She then spoke to one of your advisor's on the telephone and was advised that charges had been applied to her account. Her charges total £160 for going over her overdraft by £100. So for that £100 she will have to pay back 260% of it. In my opinion you align yourself with scum bag loan sharks when you start charging disgusting and extortionate rates like these. I am incredibly embarrassed by this situation as it was at my suggestion that she transfer her account to you from Barclays. It goes without saying that I will not recommend you to anyone else, unless I despise them. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am aware that the person reading this letter will be thinking that the terms and conditions are published and I have been sent an email (or letter, I can't remember which) letting me know that these charges were being bought in and I (and my sister) should handle our finances better. These are valid arguments. I just find it immoral that those with financial difficulties are seen only as a great money spinner, and you wring every penny out of them that you can with your creatively named fines (the most ridiculous being the payment review fee, what do you review?). I also know that I am not the only one who has been caught unaware with these fee's. The main one that has come as a shock for people is the overdraft usage fee. It is a bit of an oxymoron to charge someone for their free overdraft.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My account is closing on the 15[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] of March, and I am recommending to my sister that she switches to another bank. I fully intend to start reclaiming my charges, which I realise I wont get very far with until the case is over, but I will also be claiming the interest.[/FONT]

On reflection I may have gone a little over the top with my letter but I was throughly !!!!ed of with A+L at the time. This however only caused more problems as A+L didn't close my account, they closed my sisters. My sister does have the same surname as me, but none of the addresses they have for us are the same and we live 40 miles apart in different counties.

To cut a VERY long story short 18 months later my sister is still having problems with the fall out of this. As they closed her account without her knowing her wages were rejected, her direct debits went unpaid etc and things have spiralled. She has spent another couple of hours today in her local A+L branch today in tears and the manager eventually took pity on her and sat down with her and did do his best to help her. Of course they weren't able to do anything in the bank and no one she spoke to on the phone were able to do anything.

In addition to what has happened previously I want make a complaint as she was told by 3 seperate departments that it is not possible to have a list of charges (which anyone who has tried to reclaim bank charges knows is a lie), she was told originally that she couldn't have an overdraft as she does not earn enough money, and was then told by a second person that as she earns so little she could (if she earns so little how is she going to pay this back, surely this is irresponsible lending?). But my favourate bit was when the manager told her off the record that there is a special code on her account to say that she is causing a lot of trouble with bank charges so not to give her any assistance. I'd be angry enough if this was true, but as she has never tried to reclaim her bank charges, they've got her confused with me again!

She has asked for my help in writing letters of complaints and I'm planning on sending these to A+L, Santander as their parent company and the FSA. Should I contact anyone else?

Sorry for the very long rambling and ranting post.