SO cross with First Direct

Keeley_p_2

Hi all, I hope you can help me!

I've just had my annual overdraft review letter through from FD and my overdraft is staying the same, all well and good.

However, they are charging me £25 "arrangement fee" for this, even though nothing has changed.

I called them said I was really unhappy about this, and the woman on the phone said that they couldn't waive or refund this charge, and you were only charged the arrangement fee if you have previously gone over your overdraft limit.

Now, I did go over my overdraft limit in April (I know, its bad and I shouldn't have done it) but the point is I already paid them a £50 bank charge and now I've incurred another £25 3 months later?!

It just seems to me to be a really sneaky, underhand way of charging people more. The customer advisor said the only way to avoid the arrangement fee is to cancel my overdraft, which I'm just not in a position to do right now.

Is this allowed? I think it's decidedly dodgy, but that could just be because I'm very annoyed!

Thanks,

Keeley

KingElvis

I would imagine that the charge is due to the fact that your overdraft had gone over its limit on occasion and has had to be manually reviewed or some such nonsense.

The systems there are probably setup to flag this and make a cheap shot "charge" again to those who can least afford it.

!!!!!!.

Keeley_p_2

KingElvis wrote: »

I would imagine that the charge is due to the fact that your overdraft had gone over its limit on occasion and has had to be manually reviewed or some such nonsense.

The systems there are probably setup to flag this and make a cheap shot "charge" again to those who can least afford it.

!!!!!!.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking. Seems very unfair though. Oh well.... :mad:

Lokolo

Well if either of you 2 read the T&Cs of the account you'd know what the charge is for.......

However. The review fee is charged if you have made a change to your overdraft, formally or informally in the last 6 months. If no changes have been made you will not be charged, and if you are, you can ask for a refund.

Keeley_p_2

i'm not debating that it's in the terms and conditions, I just think its verging on unethical to essentially charge a person twice, amounting to £75 for exceeding an overdraft.

zppp

Keeley_p wrote: »

i'm not debating that it's in the terms and conditions, I just think its verging on unethical to essentially charge a person twice, amounting to £75 for exceeding an overdraft.

Did you know that if you go overdrawn in France it is a criminal offence, and you can be banned from holding a bank account? You could argue that that is more unethical.

At the end of the day, you don't get charged if you don't go overdrawn, whether you read the terms and conditions or not, that should be obvious.

apt

With First Direct you don't even get charged if you do go overdrawn, providing you keep the overdraft at £250 or less.

Keeley_p_2

zppp wrote: »

Did you know that if you go overdrawn in France it is a criminal offence, and you can be banned from holding a bank account? You could argue that that is more unethical.

At the end of the day, you don't get charged if you don't go overdrawn, whether you read the terms and conditions or not, that should be obvious.

Well yes thank you for that. If I could afford to stay out of my overdraft, I would

rh41

Keeley_p wrote: »

Well yes thank you for that. If I could afford to stay out of my overdraft, I would

How about reduce/control your spending? oh and read your terms and conditions...
Just an idea

BlueAngelCV

rh41 wrote: »

How about reduce/control your spending? oh and read your terms and conditions...
Just an idea

Well that's really helpful, thanks so much for your contribution.

byebyedebt

Tried the same with me. I got the overdraft fee back but not the arrangement fee. There was no way that i was going to get off the line until I got my money back.