Bank Charges Reclaiming Guide discussion

Aquamania

frankp57 wrote: »

Hello,


Does anyone know if a request for a refund (financial hardship) can be made on a self employed business account?


If so, are the guidelines, letter templates etc the same as in this thread moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges (cannot put the full thread link in - ie the http bit at the front as I am a newbie poster)


Regards

Yes and yes

frankp57

Aquamania wrote: »

Yes and yes

Many thanks for the feedback Aquamania.

baileyfatface

Hi – I’m new and I’m not sure if I’ve posted this in the right place but I was hoping for some advice.

I am wondering if I have a case for reclaiming the account fees I paid for many years with HSBC Plus account.
After graduating I had significant credit card debt (we will not cover the fact that despite the fact I had no ongoing job for the 3 years I was at university the bank increased my credit card limit from 1000 to 5500 without me ever once asking) and an overdraft with HSBC. Due to a poor credit rating I was unable to transfer the credit card to a 0% card or similar. So they told me I need to have a managed loan while I was told I needed this product I was also told I could not longer have my student account they would remove my overdraft and it would be included in the loan and while this was happening they said I would need a new account and I should have the plus account for which I had to pay £10 a month. The impression I was given was that I needed to have the plus account to be allowed to have the managed loan and to solve the problems I found myself in. It was a really stressful time I had just started my first job which paid terribly and I was really struggling with money, I had also never had any issues with the bank before so I felt very uncomfortable with everything.
From then on I assumed I had to keep my plus account while I paid off my managed loan. I never used any of the benefits that came with the account, breakdown cover – I didn’t drive when I was sold the account and when I finally did my car was too old to qualify for the policy, preferential borrowing rates – I was told I would be allowed no other borrowing while I had the managed loan. I think there are other benefits like discount schemes for days out again nothing I have ever used.
It was only after reading about the issues with paid for accounts that I realised this was not the case. I cancelled the paid for account 3 months ago. Nothing has changed in my banking at all.
I am wondering now if I can reclaim. I cancelled before I thought about re-claiming, I never felt like I needed the paid for account but I always felt I needed to have it. As it was such a long time ago I don’t remember what exactly was said I know it was in a branch of HSBC that I was signed up.

Do you think I would have a case? I am worried because I have cancelled the paid for account already or never checked that I had to have the account for the loan if my case would be thrown out.
Thanks for any advice

[Deleted User]

baileyfatface wrote: »

Do you think I would have a case?

Write and complain. They can only say no.

ashjax22

Hi there... first time using a forum so please bear with me!
I've been wondering whether it is worth my time pursuing the bank charges reclaim from an old account which was active a few years ago.
My account is now closed and it's possibly about 7+years old now I think, don't have any of the details as I reckon i've binned it all now, but is this something that the banks would still have a record of at all? I remember getting into a lot of difficulty with bank charges at one point, but don't know if i've missed the boat now that the account is closed etc. Anyone know whether this is possible?
Thanks
Ashley

[Deleted User]

ashjax22 wrote: »

I've been wondering whether it is worth my time pursuing the bank charges reclaim from an old account which was active a few years ago.

No. You are far too late.
Banks will only even consider a refund of (some) recent charges if you currently fulfil their "hardship" criteria.



The Banks won their court case about "unfair" charges in 2009.A complaint about historical charges will be rejected.

mandymel

I've requested from First Direct a list of transactions but they say they no longer hold them on file.

Okay, I admit, it was around 22 years ago, but I thought it was worth a shot, as at the time I was continually in debt with them due to their extortionate bank charges. When I phoned them for help I was told I should get an additional job! Yes, I still remember that conversation even to this day! I ended up having to borrow £1000 from my father to help me out of my situation.

Is there anything I can do this late on?

AlwaysWondering

I asked Santander for a refund of charges between April 2013 and Feb this year; those charges created so many difficulties for me and i'm still trying to work my way out of it.

I was called today and told that they can't go back further than the last two months which resulted in a paltry £45 refund plus stopping some upcoming charges which does help but given that the charges over the year amount to around £500, i'm now taking my case to the ombudsman.

[Deleted User]

AlwaysWondering wrote: »

but given that the charges over the year amount to around £500, i'm now taking my case to the ombudsman.

You are wasting your time, the Bank are not obliged to refund any charges at all and FOS cannot force them to. The Banks won the court case on "unfair" charges in 2009.

AlwaysWondering

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

You are wasting your time, the Bank are not obliged to refund any charges at all and FOS cannot force them to. The Banks won the court case on "unfair" charges in 2009.

I'm going by what I read on this site.