MSE News: Banks hit back in row over hardship charges 24 October 2009 at 1:36PM in Reclaim Bank & Credit Card Charges 7 replies 1.7K views

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has hit back at MoneySavingexpert.com after we highlighted the Financial Ombudsman's concerns that many bank charges reclaimers in hardship are being unfairly treated ..."

Read the full story:
Banks hit back in row over hardship charges

natweststaffmember

I think you missed the Banking Codes Standards Board agreeing with regards to the treatment of customer in financial hardship as well. Their report yesterday added criticisms of the banks with regards to the general treatment of customers in financial difficulties.

natweststaffmember

Article is inaccurate as well as their response is available on the BBA website: Did you guys actually look?
http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=976&bRef=2661

MSE_Martin

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Article is inaccurate as well as their response is available on the BBA website: Did you guys actually look?
http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=976&bRef=2661

Of course we looked - its been added to the site since we wrote the story. THe press release was distributed a long time before it went up on their site. I've amended the news article to reflect that.

Thanks for the note about Banking Standards

natweststaffmember

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Of course we looked - its been added to the site since we wrote the story. THe press release was distributed a long time before it went up on their site. I've amended the news article to reflect that.

Thanks for the note about Banking Standards

Martin as soon as you released the press release I spent minutes searching for it and found it via their twitter site. It was dated 23rd October 2009 at 2:46pm. It was there on that date and the story on MSE is dated 24th October 2009 at 1:24pm. I do appreciate that you write the stories in advance of publication and can I ask if you asked the BBA for comment Friday which might have prompted their blog even though their blog is dated 22nd October 2009?
Not knocking the story but BBA Twitter site might be one to follow

oakhouse13

It may have only taken you minutes to locate the relevant facts but Martin Lewis who has limited experience in journalism compared to you probably lacks your top drawer powers of investigation.

natweststaffmember

oakhouse13 wrote: »

It may have only taken you minutes to locate the relevant facts but Martin Lewis who has limited experience in journalism compared to you probably lacks your top drawer powers of investigation.

The site has corrected the article so I guess my few minutes of work has at least meant that it has been corrected. I took no fee for doing this either

Former_MSE_Guy

FYI, folks, the BBA's press release is still not up on its usual press release list available to the public, in its online 'News Room', as stated in my original story, despite it releasing that statement to financial journalists.

The point being made was that it was largely only communicating to journalists as it didn't want the subject aired to the public as it gives the banks a bad name.

Yes, it appears tucked away on the BBA's communications department blog but that has nothing like the profile of its 'News Room' where the organisation releases its key thoughts. And I'd doubt it will get many hits from members of the public there.

As it's not a big deal, and not what the issue is about, we've removed any mention of this now.