Can anyone help me please?

Little_Leita

I hope I'm posting this in the right forum - please move if necessary

Hi all, I need a little bit of help and will keep it as short as possible.

About 5 years ago I had a joint account with my estranged hubby, but he was the one that dealt with it (I would pay in my share of the bills and he would supposedly pay everything). To cut a long story short he got stung with £160 of charges for bounced direct debits in one month, which they took off the balance. He opened an account with another bank and left the account with £2-odd in it. When the next statement came I opened it and he had been hit with another 2 lots of charges, taking the balance up to -£80. I rang the bank and explained we were not in a position to pay another £80 so soon. I asked them to close the account and I would settle the outstanding amount when I got paid. They said that they were unable to do this and that we would continue to be charged for the charges every so many days…..fast forward a few months and the account was almost £600 in debit …..ALL charges. They then write to us telling us that they are closing the account with the outstanding amount owed! Why the hell couldn’t they do that when I asked them to and the balance was -£80?? I tried to claim the charges back but obviously that case was lost.

Almost immediately I have started receiving threatening letters from them demanding payment. I have just split with my hubby and he is refusing to pay it. As I am now on my own with 2 kids, and living on one wage. I can’t afford to repay them at the rate they will expect. I haven’t rung them yet because I don’t know where I stand legally.

I’d like to add that I’ve also have another bank account with the same branch since 2001, that I use for all my bills, wages etc and I have NEVER had a charge on that account. I am really worried that they will try to take the money out of my wages when they go in. Can anyone advise me what to do, who to speak to or where I stand? Is the CAB the best place to go, or one of the debtlines?

natweststaffmember

Little_Leita wrote: »

I hope I'm posting this in the right forum - please move if necessary

Hi all, I need a little bit of help and will keep it as short as possible.

About 5 years ago I had a joint account with my estranged hubby, but he was the one that dealt with it (I would pay in my share of the bills and he would supposedly pay everything). To cut a long story short he got stung with £160 of charges for bounced direct debits in one month, which they took off the balance. He opened an account with another bank and left the account with £2-odd in it. When the next statement came I opened it and he had been hit with another 2 lots of charges, taking the balance up to -£80. I rang the bank and explained we were not in a position to pay another £80 so soon. I asked them to close the account and I would settle the outstanding amount when I got paid. They said that they were unable to do this and that we would continue to be charged for the charges every so many days…..fast forward a few months and the account was almost £600 in debit …..ALL charges. They then write to us telling us that they are closing the account with the outstanding amount owed! Why the hell couldn’t they do that when I asked them to and the balance was -£80?? I tried to claim the charges back but obviously that case was lost.

Almost immediately I have started receiving threatening letters from them demanding payment. I have just split with my hubby and he is refusing to pay it. As I am now on my own with 2 kids, and living on one wage. I can’t afford to repay them at the rate they will expect. I haven’t rung them yet because I don’t know where I stand legally.

I’d like to add that I’ve also have another bank account with the same branch since 2001, that I use for all my bills, wages etc and I have NEVER had a charge on that account. I am really worried that they will try to take the money out of my wages when they go in. Can anyone advise me what to do, who to speak to or where I stand? Is the CAB the best place to go, or one of the debtlines?

They have the right of Set off so open an account with another unrelated bank ASAP. With regards to the account tell the bank that you and your hubby have split up. I would offer the bank to pay 50% of anything outstanding providing the OH pays the rest. Legally, you have the right to reclaim the charges and if the repayment of them would take you into financial hardship then they cannot take more than you can afford to pay.

Little_Leita

Thank you for the advice. I have opened a new account with Lloyds TSB (I freaked myself out writing original post and went to the bank in my lunch break with my passport), my new card arrived this morning.

Interestingly, during my application I was told I have a good credit rating and was offered a better account than I applied for!