PLEASE HELP!! Unfair charge - Alliance&Leicester

Paulos77

Im with A & L and my water bill direct debit always comes out on the same day as I get paid, unless it falls on a weekend. I too use up most of my overdraft every month, which Im slowly trying to get out of. Anyway my account on payday always shows that I have gone over my overdraft limit because I withdraw cash to buy petrol etc and pay the water bill direct debit on payday, even though it shows that my wages are in my account. But this corrects itself by close of play that day. I have never been charged for going over my overdraft limit because of this, I always thought that if you have at least got money going in by close of play that day it would be ok.

Azrael_1701

Anarane wrote: »

Hi all,

I've joined this forum in utter desperation. I need some advice, BADLY!

I get paid every Thursday. Once a month, my rent leaves my account (also on a Thursday). Yesterday, my rent went out as normal, and my wages went in as normal... EXCEPT, I opened my account today to find that thbank have charged me £25 for a payment review fee.

They say that money LEAVES their accounts at 12.01 but the money isn't cleared INTO their accounts until late morning. But the money was in there on the SAME day!! Surely this isn't right?

All this wouldn't be a huge problem if something hadn't already left my account on Tuesday that there weren't enough funds for, so I am now looking at £50 in payment review charges.

To make matters worse, I was already living on the edge of my overdraft, and this £50 of charges has now put me over my overdraft - which A&L are charging £5 per DAY for. I already owe £15 of these charges, bringing the total today to £65 worth of charges in just 2 days!

I called A&L, explained the problem, and the gent I spoke to wasn't a gent at all - said they couldn't help me. I asked to speak to his supervisor in the hope that someone more senior would have a chance of helping me, only to have the 'gent' refuse to do so! Out of sheer despair I asked 'what I was meant to live on until I get paid again, fresh air?'. His reply? 'Yeah, pretty much'. (!!!)

Not only do I have this to deal with, but now I have realised that most of next week's wages are going to be eaten up by these charges and my bills - and I have literally NO money between now and next Thursday!

What can I do? I'm totally fuming and on the brink of tears all at once!

HBoS use a similar payment method, and when you set up a payment you are told that the money needs to be cleared in the account the working day before it is due to go out, as far as I am aware this is pretty standard for some banks. I know it doesn't help much, just thought i would provide some input....

shieldfab

Slightly odd:

A&L charges information states:
'Note one: You will not have to pay the payment review fee for items below £10. We will tell you in your statement before we take them from your account.'

So did this really apply to the current instance or is it an earlier, previously notified charge?

Anarane

shieldfab wrote: »

Slightly odd:

A&L charges information states:
'Note one: You will not have to pay the payment review fee for items below £10. We will tell you in your statement before we take them from your account.'

So did this really apply to the current instance or is it an earlier, previously notified charge?

I have never received any notification of any charges that have ever been applied to my account with A&L...

noh

Anarane wrote: »

I have never received any notification of any charges that have ever been applied to my account with A&L...

Do you read your statements?
Thats where you will find notification of your payment review fees.

Lstuff

Paulos77 wrote: »

Im with A & L and my water bill direct debit always comes out on the same day as I get paid, unless it falls on a weekend. I too use up most of my overdraft every month, which Im slowly trying to get out of. Anyway my account on payday always shows that I have gone over my overdraft limit because I withdraw cash to buy petrol etc and pay the water bill direct debit on payday, even though it shows that my wages are in my account. But this corrects itself by close of play that day. I have never been charged for going over my overdraft limit because of this, I always thought that if you have at least got money going in by close of play that day it would be ok.

This is exactly the same with me - I have about £1200 going in each pay day which is the 20th (or the Friday before if the 20th falls on a weekend). I also have about £900 of standing orders which leave the account on the 20th. If payday falls on the 20th, my online balance shows I've gone massively over my overdraft limit, but I've never been charged for anything......yet.

Going to change my standing orders to come out a day later just to be on the safe side if A&L are clamping down though.