Urgent help with A&L £5 a day overdraft fee

LordLee

Hi all.

I'll cut to the chase... i went overdrawn at the end of last month and this month (July & August). A&L informed me i'd be charged £5 a day but it would be capped. Seeing a £30 unauthorised overdraft fee leave my account i assumed this was it. Alas no...

I'm horrified to find they want £100 on the 1st September. What am i to do? It's tough at the mo and that's the reason i've stupidly gone overdrawn. But this is gonna cripple me.

I'm aware of the process for reclaiming as i have done it before... but as everything is on hold, how on earth do i stop this? The only idea i have is opening another account and being defaulted by A&L.

Please help i'm soooooo worried.

just to add... after a lengthy chat with A&L on the phone they say i do have an option of closing the account and setting up a repayment plan.

or... as i do have another account still open, i can just transfer everything to that, stick two fingers up to them and go through the reclaiming process. any ideas?

natweststaffmember

LordLee wrote: »

Hi all.

I'll cut to the chase... i went overdrawn at the end of last month and this month (July & August). A&L informed me i'd be charged £5 a day but it would be capped. Seeing a £30 unauthorised overdraft fee leave my account i assumed this was it. Alas no...

I'm horrified to find they want £100 on the 1st September. What am i to do? It's tough at the mo and that's the reason i've stupidly gone overdrawn. But this is gonna cripple me.

I'm aware of the process for reclaiming as i have done it before... but as everything is on hold, how on earth do i stop this? The only idea i have is opening another account and being defaulted by A&L.

Please help i'm soooooo worried.

just to add... after a lengthy chat with A&L on the phone they say i do have an option of closing the account and setting up a repayment plan.

or... as i do have another account still open, i can just transfer everything to that, stick two fingers up to them and go through the reclaiming process. any ideas?

Are you in financial hardship?
Are you in arrears with priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?

stu1975

If you do not come under the criteria of "Hardship", IMHO if it was me I would transfer all wages and DD to the new account and start the ball rolling.

I am assuming that they will not refund these for you as you have gone overdrawn before on the account?

LordLee

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Are you in financial hardship?
Are you in arrears with priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax, utilities)?

I have to say... apart from being arrears with an enormous gas/electric bill i'm up to date with everything else. but struggling. i'd say i was in hardship... not sure a bank would agree. they are keeping me in hardship that's for sure.

if i was classed as being so, how does this change things?

natweststaffmember

LordLee wrote: »

I have to say... apart from being arrears with an enormous gas/electric bill i'm up to date with everything else. but struggling. i'd say i was in hardship... not sure a bank would agree. they are keeping me in hardship that's for sure.

if i was classed as being so, how does this change things?

They might refund you some of the charges but you have to send copies of arrears plus an income and expenditure form.

LordLee

well... i have another account so have transferred all my DDs etc. Moved my salary there and will close A&Ls account, setup a repayment plan, negotiate whilst starting the reclaiming process.

with regards the reclaiming process... as it's all on hold do i start with letter before action? or a polite letter initially?

natweststaffmember

LordLee wrote: »

well... i have another account so have transferred all my DDs etc. Moved my salary there and will close A&Ls account, setup a repayment plan, negotiate whilst starting the reclaiming process.

with regards the reclaiming process... as it's all on hold do i start with letter before action? or a polite letter initially?

Start the process off. The Bank will acknowledge your claim and then its a wait and see. There is no reason to file at court since the claim will be automatically stayed so a waste of time.

LordLee

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Start the process off. The Bank will acknowledge your claim and then its a wait and see. There is no reason to file at court since the claim will be automatically stayed so a waste of time.

yes... sorry i'm being anal about this. are u saying i should start off with the very first letter just asking for money back. then wait and THEN send letter before action?

stu1975

yes, I would still start with the initial "polite letter" give them 14 days then send them a LBA letter

natweststaffmember

LordLee wrote: »

yes... sorry i'm being anal about this. are u saying i should start off with the very first letter just asking for money back. then wait and THEN send letter before action?

I am saying send letter one and get response and enjoy the wait for the decision of the Courts. The fact that the claim is acknowledged means it is logged by the bank.