Advice please - query about a closed acct getting wiht A&L

yabeauty

I had an Alliance & Leicester current account which I ended up getting over £500 charges applied during a period of unemployment.

A&L advised me the only way to stop charges was to close account and repay overdraft over 2 months.

They assured me all direct debits & standing orders would be cancelled ensuring that I recieved no further charges. My account would be closed apart from accepting payments in to clear my overdraft.

After I had repaid my overdraft, cut up my card and breathed a sigh of relief I got a letter from them informing me I was overdrawn by £17 because of payments leaving my account for a magazine subscription. I immeadiatley called them and was told they were not sure what had happened but would look into it. I heard nothing else.

In hindsight I should have written to them because at the end of last week I got a letter informing me they'd be taking me to court for £56 because of these payments they have been making from my account!

I called them again today and after arguing with the guy in their collections department that I could not understand how they were making payments from a closed account he informed me that althoug it was within his jurisdiction, they would not be writing off this amount due to their error and would be pursuing me for the full amount.

I need to write to them now but can anyone give me any tips on what to include in my letter please?

Thanks v much in advance for any help.

natweststaffmember

yabeauty wrote: »

I had an Alliance & Leicester current account which I ended up getting over £500 charges applied during a period of unemployment.

A&L advised me the only way to stop charges was to close account and repay overdraft over 2 months.

They assured me all direct debits & standing orders would be cancelled ensuring that I recieved no further charges. My account would be closed apart from accepting payments in to clear my overdraft.

After I had repaid my overdraft, cut up my card and breathed a sigh of relief I got a letter from them informing me I was overdrawn by £17 because of payments leaving my account for a magazine subscription. I immeadiatley called them and was told they were not sure what had happened but would look into it. I heard nothing else.

In hindsight I should have written to them because at the end of last week I got a letter informing me they'd be taking me to court for £56 because of these payments they have been making from my account!

I called them again today and after arguing with the guy in their collections department that I could not understand how they were making payments from a closed account he informed me that althoug it was within his jurisdiction, they would not be writing off this amount due to their error and would be pursuing me for the full amount.

I need to write to them now but can anyone give me any tips on what to include in my letter please?

Thanks v much in advance for any help.

Can you explain HOW the payment went out of the account?
Was it a direct debit or standing order or a payment on your card?
Was the subscription cancelled with the magazine?

yabeauty

A&L have told me it went out as a card payment but I do not understand why as the account was apparently closed.

I have now arranged alternative payment for the subscription.

natweststaffmember

yabeauty wrote: »

A&L have told me it went out as a card payment but I do not understand why as the account was apparently closed.

I have now arranged alternative payment for the subscription.

Because it was done via a repetitive payment ie they do it automatically and unless the authority is cancelled, the card will continue to take off payments.