Report Bank Charges successes and failures

claire1284

I'll try and give the bank a call tomorrow. I didn't realise I would get a back payment on my benefit entitlement, otherwise I'd still be in the same financial strain as I was last month.

I'll update when I've spoken to them. Wish me luck.

ExcludedCloud

Posting just to hopefully encourage other people to (attempt) to reclaim charges if they feel they were unfair.

Read Martin's email about reclaiming charges so thought I might as well as I have nothing to lose, filled in the template letter and sent it off to Halifax, explaining that at the time I was in hardship and the fees really did not help my situation. Within 2 days I had a call back from a complaint handler saying that they had upheld my complaint and will refund me £1623.

My account with Halifax was closed in May 2013, they agreed to refund me all overdraft fees (planned and unplanned) from between September 2012 until the account closure date.

Received the money into my bank account (TSB) the same day, so needless to say very happy and a big thank you to Martin and the site!

claire1284

ThTs good news! Unfortunately I don't have that much luck, so really not holding out.

I had a call from TSB saying that they've passed my letter onto customer relations. She said to expect to hear from them by Friday.

I am kicking myself for not sorting this sooner. All I've done is annoy myself by adding up my charges.

Sellurgranny

Thought I'd report my experience of reclaiming bank charges so far with the Halifax.

I sent off for all my details under Data Protection to Halifax at the end of June using Martin's template and a cheque for £10 which they cashed within two weeks of sending letter. I received back the most humungus pile of papers by DHL about a month later. I finally sat down on Sunday and went through them all highlighting all the charges I'd incurred since my marriage ended and I became a single parent. They amount to approx £2k over a period of 7 years.

I then sent off the 2nd of Martin's template with a detailed breakdown of all the charges I wished to claim back in light of being in financial hardship and also explaining my situation.

I've had a call this afternoon from Halifax (I only sent the letter out on Monday) asking me to confirm that I am in still financial hardship (which I am although I am able to better manage my small budget) and to tell me that they will look into my complaint and get back to me tomorrow afternoon.

I do hope I have a positive response and will let you know what happens when I hear back from them. Obviously I hope to at least be offered something of the sum I am claiming but am realistic, having re-read all the tips and threads on the forum.

[Deleted User]

Minky_Jones wrote: »

I stated that I was not satisfied with the service I had received from Natwest when I held an Advantage Private Account.

This thread is for Bank charges not account charges.

Well done and thank you money saving expert for giving me the confidence and inspiration to claim back unfair charges.

Well done on your success, but you claimed back account charges, not "unfair" bank charges.

I make the distinction deliberately because no complaint about "unfair" bank charges will be successful. The Banks won their court case on "unfair" charges. Now only those in what the bank deem as current Financial Hardship may have (some) charges refunded.

Minky_Jones

I have reported in what I believe is now the correct section sorry for any confusion

Alpine_Star

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Now only those in what the bank deem as current Financial Hardship may have (some) charges refunded.

You were already told in post 1173 (and the one that has been deleted) that this isn't the case but you keep spouting the same misleading mantra.


This will obviously come as a bit of a disappointment to you but the criteria is whether bank charges contribute to causing hardship or not. The circumstances at any point beyond are irrelevant to that consideration.

Aquamania

Sellurgranny

An update following on from my post yesterday about reclaiming bank charges from Halifax. The lady called me back today as promised and told me that she had reviewed my accounts, and as I do not fit their criteria for being in current financial hardship (i.e. Im no longer regularly going over my overdraft and incurring charges etc) they would only consider the couple of occasions in the last 12 months where I had incurred charged. She then told me they would refund these which amounts to the princely sum of £25!

Feeling disappointed to say the least but perhaps I expected too much. She asked if I was happy to close my complaint with them but I said I'd rather not at this stage. I know i can take my complaint to the Ombudsman and probably will, as its only the cost of stamp and a bit of my time in putting my case together but still, £25, its paltry when my charges amounted to £2k in a 6-7 year period from 2008.

She said I could take the banks 'financial difficulties' telephone number but that I should have really contacted them at the time. Great - thanks - like I was really thinking straight in the middle of all my difficulties with a very stressful divorce going on and looking after 3 kids and running a household.

Oh well, will plod on to the ombudsman to see what they have to say.

[Deleted User]

Alpine_Star wrote: »

You were already told in post 1173 (and the one that has been deleted) that this isn't the case but you keep spouting the same misleading mantra.

Can you tell me why said post was deleted (by the poster concerned) and so is no longer on this particular sub-forum?

Thanks anyway (as always) for your contribution.

Aquamania wrote: »

There really is no more to see here