help!

elliott10

i have only just found the time to register on here nad ask for some much needed advise.. i have two bank accounts one with halifax and one with alliance and for the last two / three years ive been getting charged for going over my over draft but only recently i have noticed that i cant cant afford to pay the charges any more fro example i was was minus say 6 pound from a zero overdraft and was not aware this was maybe for a around a week at 5 pound day. when i saw i was od i placed 10 pound in to cover it.. then the bank decided to charge me 5 a day for that week around two weeks later not to my knowledge. so then i was 25/30 then another 20 days went by od and no another bill has gone on top of that. i have eventually paid that off and the exact same is now happening with my halifax but on a much bigger scale in the past month ive had a 140 od fee and a 85 od fee with is making me around 225 0r so od to this date od so the next fee will be coming soon on top of this.. what can i do as im worrying at night and day about these charges and in the past ive paid such charges but enough is enough i want to know if im in the right to ask if i could claim what i have had back and stop these charges like freeze them until i pay them off as they can see my low income isnt enough to pay off the ever increasing charges,

plse help?

Premier_2

Hi elliott10 and welcome to MSE :hello:

Have you tied talking to your bank? Initial one off charges can often be waived by simply speaking with your bank.

Have a read of the MSE bank charges reclaiming guide
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges

You'll see that financial hardship is one category where you may have more success securing a refund of bank charges, but if an initial call doesn't result in waiving the charges, I would suggest you only continue negotiations in writing.

Have a read of the lending code (page 20) which discusses financial hardship
http://www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk/docs/lendingcode.pdf
Note that in general it considers financial hardship to be when something happens that reduces the disposable income, not when someone simply spends more than their income.

hicskis

I agree with premier - talk to someone at the bank - be nice - if the call centre assistant can't help ask to speak to a more educated Manager who has the authority to wipe the charges as a matter of good will and customer satisfaction as they can and often do that.

Promise to be more careful in the future - and to manage your affairs better.

You've got to try this first because the other way requires a clear head and a good understanding of the Law and how the system works. It's not easy.