Could I reclaim bank charges in this situation?

Louiseey

This is my first post on the forums so hello everyone
Also, this takes a bit of explaining so this might be a bit of a long one!

Basically, since October 2008 my bank (Natwest) has been charging me. From my statements it started out as 38.00, though at the time I had no idea what it was for. Only recently have I come to think that it must have been something to do with ebay where a friend wanted to take an item off so asked me to bid on it, then she marked me as having paid..I use ebay rarely and thats the only thing I think it could be. When these charges occured, later then they should have, it was to an empty bank account.

Anyway. Roughly around the time of these charges I'd opened a new student account and my loans were still being paid into this old account, so when they came through I'd transfer them to my new student account. These £38.00 charges appear on my bank statement three times, and you can see where I've paid in £.38.00 to pay them off. I thought nothing more of it, asked my account to be closed and forgot about it. However, when looking at the statements now, despite paying off this money, my bank account was still -£76.00 because they charged me three times.

After that it went down to £28.00 for some reason, and as I had my new student account now, as far as I knew I had paid off this £28.00 and closed the account so obviously I had no idea I was still being charged.

By the time my next student loan came in my bank account was £160.00 and when going to transfer the loan to my new account, I realised something was wrong. Because my bank account was -£160.00 when the loan went in, this money paid off this charge so again I thought okay they still charged me but the moneys been paid off now so it should be fine. I transfered my loan to my new account, the old account balance was £0.00 again and I thought things were fine. However over the next few months I continued to be charged again and again, sometimes appearing at £38.00 and sometimes at £23.00? At this time I had no idea what I was being charged for so I called the bank but they were not helpful whatsoever, they couldn't tell me what I was being charged for, I tried to explain that I had received no notification from these charges etc they would not help.

Between now and then they have continued to charge me, sometimes as much as twice a month and in some cases where my loan has gone into my old account, they've taken hundreds of pounds of me. Eventually I changed my details so my loan would go into my new account and my current balance on my old account at this very second is -£317.33. Over the years since 2008 I have been charged hundreds.

I have asked the bank time and time again why have I been charged, can they close my account, (sometimes where my loan had gone in and the balance was back to zero asking them to close it - once they said they would but didn't) and they have never helped me. The last time I rung they were extremely rude and told me to pay off the £317.33 then go into my branch to close it (as I've tried before) because it was 'my fault' I was being charged, yet they still couldn't tell me why.

I am a student and this has caused me a lot of stress since this has started. My sister even rung them up to try and sort it out (because if anyone can sort this out, its her, she doesn't take ANY cr*p and will not rest until something is sorted) - they told her they would DEFINITELY close the account - they did not.

I am at my wits end, I do not know what to do. Can I reclaim bank charges? I'm fairly new to the idea of reclaiming bank charges so was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Thanks in advance

the_insider

Did they say that they didn't know why you were being charged or did you just not understand the explanation? To be honest, it sounds like the charges are a monthly unauthorised overdraft charge which will be applied to the account at the END of the month following the one in which you are overdrawn. So each time you've paid off the balance there will have been a pending charge which has then been applied and taken you overdrawn again, therefore you've got another charge. Your best bet is to speak to someone and ask them to help you out by refunding the charges as it sounds like you've been charged on top of charges without using the account.

Louiseey

They said they didn't know why I was being charged.
I mean they explained to me that I was charged first of all because they were charging an empty account, but they haven't explained what the charge was for in the first place, nor why they continue to charge me every time I pay it off.
I guess that may be possible but the last few payments have been on these dates -

Date Description Paid In Paid Out
18 Sep 2009 Charges - £28.00
19 Oct 2009 Charges - £28.00
18 Nov 2009 Charges - £28.00
18 Dec 2009 Charges - £20.00
14 Jan 2010 Charges - £20.00
18 Feb 2010 Charges - £20.00

Which have all been very random, not necessary at the end of the month.

Thanks for the reply

Louiseey

And I have rung up and spoken to someone about removing the charges or asking what I can do and each time they've just said "pay off the charges" (whether the charges are 28 pound at this point or 300 pound) and get my account closed. However, no matter how many times I've asked my account to be closed (both with charges and both at points when the charges have been paid off) they never have.

natweststaffmember

Louiseey wrote: »

They said they didn't know why I was being charged.
I mean they explained to me that I was charged first of all because they were charging an empty account, but they haven't explained what the charge was for in the first place, nor why they continue to charge me every time I pay it off.
I guess that may be possible but the last few payments have been on these dates -

Date Description Paid In Paid Out
18 Sep 2009 Charges - £28.00
19 Oct 2009 Charges - £28.00
18 Nov 2009 Charges - £28.00
18 Dec 2009 Charges - £20.00
14 Jan 2010 Charges - £20.00
18 Feb 2010 Charges - £20.00

Which have all been very random, not necessary at the end of the month.

Thanks for the reply

Will go back to your original post but the charges are called maintenance charges which were caused by the £38.00 unpaid item charges(i think you mentioned ebay potentially being the issue). The charges go out 21 days after your statement and are pre advised so if you are at uni the charges advice may be going to your parents address. Furthermore, it will affect your ability to get a further increase on your student account...will go back to post 1 and look for further info.

natweststaffmember

Louiseey wrote: »

This is my first post on the forums so hello everyone
Also, this takes a bit of explaining so this might be a bit of a long one!

Basically, since October 2008 my bank (Natwest) has been charging me. From my statements it started out as 38.00, though at the time I had no idea what it was for. Only recently have I come to think that it must have been something to do with ebay where a friend wanted to take an item off so asked me to bid on it, then she marked me as having paid..I use ebay rarely and thats the only thing I think it could be. When these charges occured, later then they should have, it was to an empty bank account.
My specialisation is NatWest Charges.

Anyway. Roughly around the time of these charges I'd opened a new student account and my loans were still being paid into this old account, so when they came through I'd transfer them to my new student account. These £38.00 charges appear on my bank statement three times, and you can see where I've paid in £.38.00 to pay them off. I thought nothing more of it, asked my account to be closed and forgot about it. However, when looking at the statements now, despite paying off this money, my bank account was still -£76.00 because they charged me three times.
You need to get the statements of the account as far back as you can or if you still remember your online access numbers you can view this online and very quickly going into "transaction history".
After that it went down to £28.00 for some reason, and as I had my new student account now, as far as I knew I had paid off this £28.00 and closed the account so obviously I had no idea I was still being charged.
Did you ask the bank to close the account or did you write to the bank to do this?
By the time my next student loan came in my bank account was £160.00 and when going to transfer the loan to my new account, I realised something was wrong. Because my bank account was -£160.00 when the loan went in, this money paid off this charge so again I thought okay they still charged me but the moneys been paid off now so it should be fine. I transfered my loan to my new account, the old account balance was £0.00 again and I thought things were fine. However over the next few months I continued to be charged again and again, sometimes appearing at £38.00 and sometimes at £23.00? At this time I had no idea what I was being charged for so I called the bank but they were not helpful whatsoever, they couldn't tell me what I was being charged for, I tried to explain that I had received no notification from these charges etc they would not help.
Ok, the £38 is definitely an unpaid item charge (Direct Debit being bounced). The other charge is likely to be £28.00(unauthorised borrowing or maintenance charge as they call it and goes out 21 days after the statement date from last year)
Between now and then they have continued to charge me, sometimes as much as twice a month and in some cases where my loan has gone into my old account, they've taken hundreds of pounds of me. Eventually I changed my details so my loan would go into my new account and my current balance on my old account at this very second is -£317.33. Over the years since 2008 I have been charged hundreds.
You have been charged for the one or potentially 2 offences. You need to have the details otherwise it is difficult to advise you what to do or what can be done.
I have asked the bank time and time again why have I been charged, can they close my account, (sometimes where my loan had gone in and the balance was back to zero asking them to close it - once they said they would but didn't)
WHEN was this and HOW was this done as closing an account HAS to be done in writing and were you advised to do this or even go into the branch?
and they have never helped me. The last time I rung they were extremely rude and told me to pay off the £317.33 then go into my branch to close it (as I've tried before) because it was 'my fault' I was being charged, yet they still couldn't tell me why.
When did you last go into the branch, at what point and what do you recall them saying and what was your response and did you sign to close the account?
I am a student and this has caused me a lot of stress since this has started. My sister even rung them up to try and sort it out (because if anyone can sort this out, its her, she doesn't take ANY cr*p and will not rest until something is sorted) - they told her they would DEFINITELY close the account - they did not.
WHEN WHEN WHEN? Any account that is being closed HAS to have a WRITTEN instruction to close it. However if they said it WOULD be closed we MIGHT have bank error.
I am at my wits end, I do not know what to do. Can I reclaim bank charges? I'm fairly new to the idea of reclaiming bank charges so was hoping someone could give me some advice.
Yes and No because we might have the one route where they HAVE to refund because of a BANK ERROR rather than unfair charges. Having said that there is still a possibility of unfair charges as well.
Thanks in advance

Please see above but needless to say I think we have a more than 50% chance of sorting this out one way or the other.

Louiseey

I have access to all my old statements online so I can easily refer to these. I can probably also try and trail through old phone bills to get details of when these phone calls took place.

I was never told that to close the account I had to sign something. The first and second time I asked to close it was when I went into the branch, and since have asked over the phone but they never mentioned to me anything had to be signed. Most times I've asked them to close it they have said they would close it, and they said this to my sister too.

Thanks so much for your help, you've helped to break down the problems individually and explain why they are happening

What would you suggest my next step be? Get a hold of statements and phone bills and then go ahead with reclaiming?

Thanks again

natweststaffmember

Louiseey wrote: »

I have access to all my old statements online so I can easily refer to these. I can probably also try and trail through old phone bills to get details of when these phone calls took place.

I was never told that to close the account I had to sign something. The first and second time I asked to close it was when I went into the branch, and since have asked over the phone but they never mentioned to me anything had to be signed. Most times I've asked them to close it they have said they would close it, and they said this to my sister too.

Thanks so much for your help, you've helped to break down the problems individually and explain why they are happening

What would you suggest my next step be? Get a hold of statements and phone bills and then go ahead with reclaiming?

Thanks again

You have to write down chronologically exactly what happened and include evidence of that. You HAVE to mention that at no point were you advised either (a) that x amount had to be paid in to close the account and/or that (b) you had to close the account in writing.
The balance at the point you first spoke to them is important as to how much realistically you should pay based on the banks' own error.

Louiseey

Ok I'll do that then. Shall I get it typed out and post it here or have it written out to go ahead with reclaiming the charges?

natweststaffmember

Louiseey wrote: »

Ok I'll do that then. Shall I get it typed out and post it here or have it written out to go ahead with reclaiming the charges?

You have to first of all get your head around what you are asking for. The main issue is the account being closed. On that issue the question first of all is WHEN you asked the account to be closed and what the balance was at the time in question and if you paid in money after that date. The next question is how much EXACTLY should have cleared the excess and allowed the account to be shut. After that the issue is WHEN you asked and WHO you asked and asked and asked and asked and if possible their response. Remember, your ultimate goal is the closure of the account and that the bank have made an error on their part either mistakenly/deliberately/erroneously and it has caused you stress and to take your business elsewhere due to the way you were treated and the poor administration of your account. I hope that makes sense. No need to post on here but ask your sister(the one that takes no crap) to have a read of it and to make sure that the letter is clear and states what has happened, when it happened and what you feel you would like the bank to do to resolve this.

Louiseey

Okay, and then should I write a letter out stating all that and send this letter to Natwest, yes?