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Barclays unfair charges

Hi all,

Yet again i'm after some advice. I have 2 accounts with Barclays. One is a current account & another being a savings. These were originally Woolwich PLC accounts. Too cut a long story short. Back in September of this year i went into a local Barclays Bank in Bexleyheath and asked the cashier if either of my 2 accounts had an overdraft facility. I was advised that my current account had a £10.00 overdraft. After i gave her both my bank cards to check. So i withdrew £10.00 from a cash machine. Leaving with a -£9.84 in my account. It was 1 week later i received a letter saying i had gone into my reserved usage fee. So i proceed to place a call of complaint with Barclays in late October after receiving letters and i also requested for the reserve usages to be removed from my account as this was the first time i heard about changes to my account and would of prefered not to be given the chance to go into the Red. I just presumed that my account from Woolwich PLC going to Barclays Bank would stay the same. I was advised by the telephone banking adviser that i had charges of £31.84 and that all i had. I said to the adviser i'm willing to go into my local Barclays and pay the £10.00 back in. Even though it was a Barclays Cashier that told me i had an ovedraft.

I recieved a letter from the customer complaints dept of Barclays who had refused to remove the £22.00 a week charges. So i called the complaint dept and told them i was not happy with the reply as they never mentioned anything in regards to there Cashier giving out incorrect information. I was told i would get a call back. Never did. Not till this week. I get a call from Consumer finance saying i now owe them £120.00. I asked what this was in regards to. Politely told by Nathan of consumer Finance these are charges on your current account. I explained i had a complaint. So he checked the system for myself and was told customer relations had resolved the issue. Even though there letter dated the 21t October stated it would stay open for 8 weeks. Yet again in what i told Barclays about the Cashier had not been noted on there system. So i stated to Consumer finance i shall place a complaint with Financial Ombudsman Service.

Who are gladly going to look into this for me. But the thing that i'm annoyed about is that Barclays do not have the best customer services. There complaints proceedure is bad. I did ring Customer relations dept again yesterday after speaking to Financial Ombudsman service. I was advised by a manager in that department to go and challenge the local branch over this. Even though its now like 3 months old since i seen that cashier and like she is going to remember let alone take the blame.

It bad enough people have to pay charges once a month. But once a week at £22.00 is not on and is not fair for such a small amount of money. Our goverment wants to see the poor even more in debt.

Any advice, due to the fact i am in receipt of benefits.

Comments

  • I too have a £22 fee I am trying to get removed.

    I have around 8 accounts with Barclays when you include my joint accout, ISA, kids savings etc.,

    One account went into the red when I used the card in error. Annoyingly the pin was locked but I was asked to sign in the cafe I used. Even though my other accounts are around £4,000 in credit, they will not remove the fee. Even threatened to close all my accounts, they will not budge and said I need to send in my details to close the accounts.

    Very annoyed.....
    I want to be credit card and loan free by Christmas 2010
  • MrCarrot
    MrCarrot Posts: 252 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Years ago I had such a charge with Barclays (around £22). I called them up and was polite, and they gave me the money back. I think this maybe happened twice and they gave it me back twice.

    On a seperate issue, I found a member of staff in branch who was really very helpful compared with the staff on the phone who were rude and about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.
  • MrCarrot wrote: »
    Years ago I had such a charge with Barclays (around £22). I called them up and was polite, and they gave me the money back. I think this maybe happened twice and they gave it me back twice.

    On a seperate issue, I found a member of staff in branch who was really very helpful compared with the staff on the phone who were rude and about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.
    Apologies for this but the £22 has only been since August 2008. Can ask what "years ago" means?
    I have not worked for NatWest Bank since February 2009

    This username is no longer active.
  • siren25
    siren25 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Well last night i got a call from Barclays Collection Department. I spoke to a very nice man who quiet understood my anger with Customer relations and the actual Branch Cashier problem. He did try to get the charges dropped from my account and by the tone of his voice agreed that i should persue the complaint with Financial Ombudsman Service.

    Also advised i should go into the branch and speak to someone in there. But i stated i don't want this due to the fact it could be embarrassing on Barclays side in front of there local customers. To argue over the fact that they charged me £120.00 in charges for going -£9.84.

    Even though collections man must of seen the funny side of it. On how a bank can charge for such a small minus number. Its not like is a direct debit. Still got there letter in front of me stating they would honour upto -£15.00. This is going to be bad on there Customer Relations.
  • esmerellda
    esmerellda Posts: 2,237 Forumite
    Which letter is this
    Still got there letter in front of me stating they would honour upto -£15.00
    LegalBeagles
  • siren25
    siren25 Posts: 10 Forumite
    It was a letter i regards to the Personal Usage Fee's....and it states account numbers and how much they will honour upto. Also stating they will remove the Personal Usage on a certain date.
  • esmerellda
    esmerellda Posts: 2,237 Forumite
    siren25 wrote: »
    It was a letter i regards to the Personal Usage Fee's....and it states account numbers and how much they will honour upto. Also stating they will remove the Personal Usage on a certain date.

    Okay and that was in force when the -£9.52 occured ?


    Complaint to the CEO may help quicker than FOS in this case.
    LegalBeagles
  • siren25
    siren25 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Will give it try Esmerellda =)
  • siren25
    siren25 Posts: 10 Forumite
    WOOOOHOOOO Barlcays collections dept called today...i must be popular with them if its the 3rd one in the space of a week.

    Seem collections will remove the charges from my account and all i need to pay back is the £10.00......They must thought i was joking when i said i had put a complaint in to FOS. Explained my case for the 7th time to Barclays employee's....and it seems only 1 was actually listening this time.

    So thanks Matthew in Collection in Manchester :D
  • esmerellda
    esmerellda Posts: 2,237 Forumite
    Excellent :)
    LegalBeagles
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