Reclaiming Bank Charges with New Approach

mystery_united

Hi Guys

Having started trying to reclaim bank charges in 2008, and getting pushed from pillar to post with my bank, I have used the guide to try and get an outcome from my bank one way or another. Having got the 'we won at court, so if there's nothing else' letter from my bank in January I thought I would try Martin's new approach. I sent my letter last week - and guess what I received a reply today - Obviously the bank are sticking by the 'your complaint has been rejected' approach. However one of the paragraphs reads as follows:

The paid item/unpaid fee of £** is payable when the balance of your account at the start of business on any particular day, is not sufficient to cover payments due to debit regardless of wheter they are paid or not. these fees can be taken up to three times a day.

Personally I don't think that they have investigated my complaint very thoroughly and I have asked them to look at it again.

Thanks to all the MSE team for giving the great guidance, and long may it continue.

esmerellda

Which bank is this?

Do they refer to any of the points you made in the letter, and did you use the Human arguments only or the legal ones as well ?

mystery_united

Hi esmerelda

The bank in question is HBOS. I only used the Human arguments, I have some very specific issues with them and they did sort of address them. However, they replyed within one day of receiving my initial letter - to me that means that they haven't investigated each of the points fully and I feel that they have basically given me the bog standard brush off. I have written to them again asking them to look at each of the points I have raised in more detail - I have even given them examples to point them in the right direction.

davidgmmafan

"Personally I don't think that they have investigated my complaint very thoroughly and I have asked them to look at it again"

I cannot believe such an outragoues statement. Seriously though this is a problem with a lot of banks, and a particular problem for bank charges. You know you're being fobbed off when they start explaining things...

If they had addressed people's legitimate complaints earlier then the issue wouldn't have become so huge. If you are going to persist in complaining don't get emotional, be businesslike and propose solutions.

mystery_united

thanks davidgmmafan.

I started out on this trail back in 2007, but haven't really persued it too much, However due to a change in circumstances, and the way I have been treated by the bank recently, I thought I would give it one last go. When I opened and read the letter it did bring a smile to my face - I couldn't believe how quickly they had replied.

mystery_united

I have had another reply from the bank with regard to my Bank Charges claim - To be fair to them they have responded very quickly to my letters, however they are still refusing to accept my complaint. I have sent a further letter to them and I am waiting for their reply...........

However the day I posted the letter, I received a demand to pay off the outstanding balance on my overdraft from a DCA.

I have been in a DMP with for a while now and despite not missing a payment to the bank - they still wanted me to come to a 'mutal agreement'. Letters had been sent from the bank and had replied to the last letter I had from the bank asked for all the information with regard to my debt and outgoings, so that we could come to a payment I can afford???? I replied back stating that I was in a DMP and that if they need the information they could contact the debt management company, whom have already carried out this work. I never received a reply back from the bank saying that they where passing this on to the DCA.

I am now very suspicious of why, all of a sudden the DCA has got involved. Thoughts / comments appreciated.