hardship claim any advice

Natalie6999

I complained to my bank last week about the amount of charges on my account (over £1000 since christmas) & the customer services advisor referred me to the hardship unit who contacted me & asked me to complete a budget form & will be ringing me to discuss this today at 11.00am.

Has anyone got any advice or tips to help me to fight my corner & hopefully get some of these charges back.

If I didn't have charges then we could just about afford to live.

natweststaffmember

Natalie6999 wrote: »

I complained to my bank last week about the amount of charges on my account (over £1000 since christmas) & the customer services advisor referred me to the hardship unit who contacted me & asked me to complete a budget form & will be ringing me to discuss this today at 11.00am.

Has anyone got any advice or tips to help me to fight my corner & hopefully get some of these charges back.

If I didn't have charges then we could just about afford to live.

Is there an update on this?

Natalie6999

I have been busted down to a basic bank account & have had my switch card confiscated.

Due to the fact that I spend some money on leisure activities they have said that I am not suffering hardship & refused to consider refunding my charges.

I would hasten to add that neither myself or DH smokes, drinks or has an extravagent lifestyle, we just treat ourselves to 1 evening of online bingo a week & more often than not come out in profit.

natweststaffmember

Natalie6999 wrote: »

I have been busted down to a basic bank account & have had my switch card confiscated.

Due to the fact that I spend some money on leisure activities they have said that I am not suffering hardship & refused to consider refunding my charges.

I would hasten to add that neither myself or DH smokes, drinks or has an extravagent lifestyle, we just treat ourselves to 1 evening of online bingo a week & more often than not come out in profit.

Do you have any priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax. utilities)?

Natalie6999

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Do you have any priority debt arrears(mortgage/rent, council tax. utilities)?

We have taken a mortgage holiday, owe this month's council tax, water rates, are £400 in arrears with gas & electric & at least 2 months in arrears with credit cards etc.

This has been made worse by my husband being seriously ill & in hospital for over a month so that I had extra expense of £100 per week in petrol, laundry etc.

Before my husband became ill & our son was born our income was over £36000 but now as he can't work & I am his carer & only work p/t our income is around £16000.

natweststaffmember

Natalie6999 wrote: »

We have taken a mortgage holiday, owe this month's council tax, water rates, are £400 in arrears with gas & electric & at least 2 months in arrears with credit cards etc.

This has been made worse by my husband being seriously ill & in hospital for over a month so that I had extra expense of £100 per week in petrol, laundry etc.

Before my husband became ill & our son was born our income was over £36000 but now as he can't work & I am his carer & only work p/t our income is around £16000.

Are you reclaiming charges on the credit cards?
Is the account that you are reclaiming from, your main account?

Natalie6999

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Are you reclaiming charges on the credit cards?
Is the account that you are reclaiming from, your main account?

No I haven't claimed charges on the credit cards & yes this account is my main account for my money or lack of it.

natweststaffmember

Natalie6999 wrote: »

No I haven't claimed charges on the credit cards & yes this account is my main account for my money or lack of it.

Going back to the original post, what leisure activities do you have and what is the cost?

Natalie6999

natweststaffmember wrote: »

Going back to the original post, what leisure activities do you have and what is the cost?

We have an old caravan that we visit for 4 nights a month costing £60 & 1 night a week on Bingo costing £10 a total of £100 per month as we don't go out anywhere else & like I said we don't drink or smoke.

Do I take it that we aren't allowed to have a life while getting ourselves debt free.

natweststaffmember

Natalie6999 wrote: »

We have an old caravan that we visit for 4 nights a month costing £60 & 1 night a week on Bingo costing £10 a total of £100 per month as we don't go out anywhere else & like I said we don't drink or smoke.

Do I take it that we aren't allowed to have a life while getting ourselves debt free.

To be blunt, the caravan could be ditched, imho since £60 a month is £720 a year which you could easily cut for a night at the cinema and a meal out.(sorry to be blunt)
How much would reducing that £720 a year by half be to you?