A High Street Bank Employee's View

simon_templar_2

Didnt Mr Lewis tell people to fix their gas and electricity tariffs but then the companies reduced prices. That left many consumers paying more on the advice of Mr Lewis, who also advocated putting savings into Icelandic banks.

Honest_Banker

simon_templar wrote: »

Didnt Mr Lewis tell people to fix their gas and electricity tariffs but then the companies reduced prices. That left many consumers paying more on the advice of Mr Lewis, who also advocated putting savings into Icelandic banks.

100% agree, consumers act on his every word. And just to repeat myself, I do think that Martin gives a lot of good hints & tips to people, but he has to realise that due to his popularity, he must be VERY careful what he tells consumers, because he is not always right.

On a lighter note, I wish I was getting £1 for every customer who came into the branch I work at and stated "I want my bank charges back NOW, as Martin Lewis says they're Illegal!!!"

gallygirl

Honest_Banker wrote: »

Just my own personal view there, but whilst I do have a lot of time for Martin and the site, I do think that Martin should realise the 'power' he has over the public and they follow his every word. I do personally think that Martin should sit back and think, "have I encouraged people to spend beyond their means, because they were expecting any charges occured to be refunded back?"

You are joking aren't you? Where has Martyn encouraged anyone to do this?

Pammy

Actually I agree with the first point on one point. I read on here someone say they wanted the money back for extra holiday cash.

It could be argued that its the persons right to do what they want as unfair is unfair but I also feel that for those people its a luxury, for some of us the cash back would actually have helped get out of a rut the charges put us in the first place.

I won't relay my whole story again. I was not necessary a hardship case but I was told I had cancer which Im sure you can appreciate was not the best news and as a consequence I was not paying attention to the small amounts I went overdrawn.

When I was informed by the bank that a whole lump sum was going to be taken out the following month I knew that all my direct debits would hit without the money to pay for them. All I asked the bank was if I could pay it off in 3 payments, but no, they would not. They knew I had money coming in, they knew the consequence of taking out the money, yet took it out. The direct debits hit, I was then charged another huge amount. The cycle started. If it had not been for my parents I would have been in an absolute mess.

So you may be sick of hearing customers complaints, that must be awful for you. But maybe oneday in your own life the poo will hit the fan and it will happen to you eventually, its called life. Then perhaps and only then will you have some empathy for your customers.

esmerellda

Honest_Banker wrote:

I think there has been a huge change in the public's culture over the past months, where many have thought- well, if we go over our limit then we'll just claim the charges back. This has had the knock on effect that people have perhaps not managed their finances as carefully as previously, because they have been led to believe that they WOULD get all their charges back.

for what its worth I agree with this entirely and I hate this side of it.

On the other side of the fence read http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=27291345&postcount=7 (just cause its one I happened to have just read)

natweststaffmember

In answer to you, Honest banker I have a video for you to watch:

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=3722&player=windowsmedia
I suggest a few points of reference but I think the one I would suggest is perhaps from 2hrs 43 minutes in. Fascinating stuff although the intro isn't bad.

Pammy

esmerellda wrote: »

for what its worth I agree with this entirely and I hate this side of it.

On the other side of the fence read http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=27291345&postcount=7 (just cause its one I happened to have just read)

Thanks for highlighting that post. That is just disgusting and yet I can't understand how anyone, such as the original poster, could defend the banks after reading this.

They have acted like vultures in so many cases. Its the ruthlessness and the fact they are taking this from the vunerable and less well off people in society. Those with money won't get bank charges because they have the money. Its archaic, next the banks will be sticking children up chimneys.

Honest_Banker

Pammy wrote: »

Actually I agree with the first point on one point. I read on here someone say they wanted the money back for extra holiday cash.

It could be argued that its the persons right to do what they want as unfair is unfair but I also feel that for those people its a luxury, for some of us the cash back would actually have helped get out of a rut the charges put us in the first place.

I won't relay my whole story again. I was not necessary a hardship case but I was told I had cancer which Im sure you can appreciate was not the best news and as a consequence I was not paying attention to the small amounts I went overdrawn.

When I was informed by the bank that a whole lump sum was going to be taken out the following month I knew that all my direct debits would hit without the money to pay for them. All I asked the bank was if I could pay it off in 3 payments, but no, they would not. They knew I had money coming in, they knew the consequence of taking out the money, yet took it out. The direct debits hit, I was then charged another huge amount. The cycle started. If it had not been for my parents I would have been in an absolute mess.

So you may be sick of hearing customers complaints, that must be awful for you. But maybe oneday in your own life the poo will hit the fan and it will happen to you eventually, its called life. Then perhaps and only then will you have some empathy for your customers.

First let me say that I am genuinely sorry to hear the story of your illness. Did you have any critical illness cover or accident, sickness & unemployment cover. From your story I assume not. This would probably be because at some point you had ignored an advisers advice to be fully protected should anything happen. This sort of highlights my point that customers believe that banks should 'bail them out' of any financial difficulties, and its not the customers responsibility.

For the record, I do believe that there should be a cap on the amount of charges that can stack up, and I do not mean any offence, and if any point is incorrect I stand corrected. I have been a mortgage adviser in a bank for over 3 years and I saw so many customers who believed that critical illnesses would not happen to them, or they would never be made redundant. I have twice been the person who has had to tell a customer that they were NOT covered because they declined my advice to protect themselves. I hope it never happens again!

krisskross

capehorn wrote: »

You make some reasonable points, but this isn't one of them. It IS our money, that is why you will have to pay it back, and it isn't right that you make the money to pay back our money from charging us exuberant fees.

Well it made me smile:rotfl:

Charlie94

justjohn wrote: »

The bank will pay it back..many of the overdraft blaggers will not.

What would your defense be before the bank bail out.

Bank bailout is a different kettle of fish 2 wrongs do not make a rite just a bigger hole to be dug out of.

The banks would have got back some respect if they had paid back these unfair charges. We don't even know for sure how much money the taxpayer has given the UK banks. Its only just come out that the government gave the UK banks 60 billion last October.

I think the publics respect for banks is at an all time low. They have been far more financially wreckless than any person exceeding their overdraft acquring numerous toxic assets.

To the banker who posted the first message your customers have a right to be angry. You are representing your bank so they are bound to complain to you. Your company has treated its customers with contempt. Instead of publicising your frustration with your customers on an internet messageboard you should pass peoples complaints to your managers.

I used to work for Lloyds TSB a few years ago. I was glad I chose to leave in the end as it was clear to me they were complete sharks. Yes a bank has to make a profit but you should at least treat customers with respect. Life is too short to work for a bank!!