Can I dispute a bank charge with A&L?

dchurch24

masonic wrote:

For one thing, direct debits can be rejected. For another, why should the bank be expected to loan you the money free of charge for a day when other people pay for overdraft facilities?

Indeed they can, and are.

...usually at a cost of £35 to the account holder.

It's a breach of the contract not to have sufficient funds available - therefore, the bank can only lawfully be recompenced for it's loss due to the breach.

£35 worth of loss due to a person not having available funds? Very unlikely.

If it really is the case, then I think they need to have their processes looked at. I could send a couple of letters for under a quid - and I don't have a deal for bulk with the Royal Mail either.

masonic

dchurch24 wrote:

I'm pretty sure most people DO know about the charges.

Personally, I don't think that there is anyone that desputes that, or indeed, actually LIKES being charged. The reasons for being charged are most often beyond the control of the person incurring them.

Sure, but I was alluding to the many cases where people have not known about particular charges and subsequently found out the hard way. Perhaps this is an instance of the silent majority. I hope so.

dchurch24 wrote:

Knowing that a bank if going to impose them doesn't make them right OR lawful.

Of course, it doesn't make them wrong or unlawful either, but those issues are just a matter of opinion, for the moment anyway. Personally, I do not see anything wrong with the notion of bank charges. Their magnitude and ability to compound, however, are different stories.

MarkyMarkD

dchurch24 wrote:

The reasons for being charged are most often beyond the control of the person incurring them.

I don't believe that for a moment.

Most people incur charges due to their own error - spending money which they don't have, either because they mis-calculate, or because they consciously exceed their authorised (or non-existent) overdraft limit.

The small proportion of people who incur charges due to other people's errors should reclaim them from the party responsible, not blame the bank.