Bank Charges Reclaiming Guide discussion

dunstonh

PANFACE wrote: »

We did know we had the benefits of the account but at the time we did not know we could have had an account with out paying charges.we thought that the benefits just came with the account. If offered a non charge account I am sure we would have chosen this. What do I say when I phone the bank back? Do you understand what I am trying to say? Thanks

I understand what you are saying. its a weak complaint and you just have to accept that. Even if they uphold the complaint, the cost of the two AA callouts will be calculated and removed from your redress. That could wipe out any redress.

PANFACE

We have been paying £17 per month for at least 15 years so surely the cost of the callouts wouldn't be that much would it? Thanks

JuicyJesus

PANFACE wrote: »

We have been paying £17 per month for at least 15 years so surely the cost of the callouts wouldn't be that much would it? Thanks

Probably not. However your complaint is still weak, as for it to be successful you would need to convince them that the bank actively hid the existence of free accounts from you (i.e. they lied to you and told you you had to have the paid for account as they don't do a free account - a different thing from saying that they sell a paid for account and trying to sell it to you, or simply not mentioning a free account). Your complaint cannot simply be that you didn't know that free accounts existed - they have to have actually misrepresented the situation to you and told you that you can't have a free account. Even then, that's not a slam dunk, since the FOS tend to take the view that if you had a free account before you took the paid for account, you would be aware that accounts exist without a monthly fee.

You have also had 15 years in which to query this charge and indeed lots of opportunity to shop around and notice that free accounts existed. That weakens your case further, if not actually timebarring the complaint.

wenarobs_2

Hi there

I have written my letter to Halifax and Santander so that I can attempt to reclaim my bank charges. However, I'm a little confused as to where to send them. I saw that you can send them direct to the branch but I've just gone back to double check and now I can't find that information. Does anyone know the address of where the letters need to be sent to for both Halifax and Santander?

Many thanks

[Deleted User]

Unless you still hold accounts with both of these banks then you are wasting your time. Banks won't entertain attempts to claim historical charges at all and will only consider financial hardship cases if you still bank with them.

If you still have open accounts (and are in financial hardship), you should write to the addresses on your statements.

EDITED TO ADD

If you are making complaints about packaged accounts rather than Bank charges then the above advice does not apply. A few posts on this thread have gone off-topic because of this mistake...

STEFF198465

Hi
i am tried to claim charger back pervously and bank sent a letter advising me that i was using a claim company. I had never signed up to one they had got my detail from some where kept phoneing asking for money to claim i declined. I want to try again using the financial hardship as i was living off credit card, had a dro, claim eiher esa or jsa due to ill health.
They said i need to contact claim company to get them to cancel due i dont remember who they are or contact details i have moved twice since

tried googling and cant seem to remember the name so email bank on complain form. Take a whole to get back to me is it worth popping into branch can tthey see info

Nasqueron

STEFF198465 wrote: »

Hi
i am tried to claim charger back pervously and bank sent a letter advising me that i was using a claim company. I had never signed up to one they had got my detail from some where kept phoneing asking for money to claim i declined. I want to try again using the financial hardship as i was living off credit card, had a dro, claim eiher esa or jsa due to ill health.
They said i need to contact claim company to get them to cancel due i dont remember who they are or contact details i have moved twice since

tried googling and cant seem to remember the name so email bank on complain form. Take a whole to get back to me is it worth popping into branch can tthey see info

Can you clarify this? What are you trying to complain about - packaged account or bank charges?

Claims companies might take on packaged account complaints but they won't do bank charges as they should be aware there is little chance of any charges beyond current hardship. Current hardship is not really much of a market either as there is no guarantee of any charges back as the banks have multiple options such as interest freezes or stopping future charges so no money for the CMC.

bairnpunter

Hi,

My wife's claim was knocked back from RBS because she downgraded her account to a free account in 2008. She was paying for a fee paying account from 1999 until 2008. We didn't formally complain then, and they've said that we've raised the complaint too late. Financial Ombudsman literature mentions they might not be able to help because it was more than 6 years ago.

My point is that it's only of late (2014?) that people have been able to successfully reclaim.

Worth pursuing, or should we drop claim?

tks

dunstonh

bairnpunter wrote: »

Hi,

My wife's claim was knocked back from RBS because she downgraded her account to a free account in 2008. She was paying for a fee paying account from 1999 until 2008. We didn't formally complain then, and they've said that we've raised the complaint too late. Financial Ombudsman literature mentions they might not be able to help because it was more than 6 years ago.

The response is correct for the scenario you describe.

There are two timebars in play. 3 year and 6 year. You have 6 years from the sale of the product or 3 years from being reasonably aware of an issue to raise a complaint (whichever is longer)

In her case, she bought in 1999 which is longer than 6 years ago and changed in 2008 which is longer than 3 years ago. The change of account is a trigger to start the three year clock.

My point is that it's only of late (2014?) that people have been able to successfully reclaim.

That is not correct. The regulated complaints process has existed since regulation began in 1988. However, you have always been able to complain about whatever you like to a firm.

Worth pursuing, or should we drop claim?

The timebar seems to be correctly applied in this case.

GillianWalsh29

Hello,
I have a Natwest select account and have noticed that I have been paying £6 a month for a £100 overdraft facility, this is the only benefit from this account. Shows on my statement as "arranged overdraft charge"
Is this classed as a package bank account and would it be worth pursuing a claim for this?
Thanks
Gillian