Bank Charges pushed me into Debit behind my Back
JamieStanton
Forumite 2 Posts
Hi
I moved to Ireland three years ago and left behind an old business account with the humble credit of 23 pounds, gradually accruing about 10p a month in interest. It was long dead even before I left the country. After starting a new life, I forgot about it.
Now I learn they are hassling my parents and say I owe them £150. After picking up the old statement is seems they changed the t&c's some time in 2008 to charge me a fiver a month for the privilege of having an account. That soon pushed me into debit and they continued to rob me. My own fault for not keeping an eye on it.
First question: is it legal to do this?
Secondly: what recourse do I have?
I moved to Ireland three years ago and left behind an old business account with the humble credit of 23 pounds, gradually accruing about 10p a month in interest. It was long dead even before I left the country. After starting a new life, I forgot about it.
Now I learn they are hassling my parents and say I owe them £150. After picking up the old statement is seems they changed the t&c's some time in 2008 to charge me a fiver a month for the privilege of having an account. That soon pushed me into debit and they continued to rob me. My own fault for not keeping an eye on it.
First question: is it legal to do this?
Secondly: what recourse do I have?
0
This discussion has been closed.
Latest MSE News and Guides
Replies
Yes.
You need to speak with them, explain your error and your circumstances, to see if they will reduce the charges. It is doubtful they will remove all of the fees.
zppp
Disgusting.
but unfortunately it is legal. They changed the terms and Conditions, I assume they wrote to you and informed you of this. herefore they have fulfilled their obligations to give you advance notice of the change - it's not their fault that you did not read their letters.
as Zppp said - call them and explain the situation - they may reduce some of the charges.
It may be legal but to say ''it's not their fault'' wouldn't be entirely reasonable in my view.
The fact is that banks design contracts in such a way that they can at any stage unilaterally alter the terms that takes someone from credit to debit without the customer truly consenting to the new terms or actually being aware of them. It is a practice that is in need of change.
Probably not the only one
zppp
The fact that the customer didn't update the bank of their change of address is the reason that they weren't aware of the change in the terms. That's not the bank's fault.
But OP, I would contact them and explain the situation. You may find that they will make you an offer as a one off good will payment.
Wins for the wedding: membership for a 'wedsite' and app, £35 gift voucher for party supplies shop, £50 worth of hand painted signs, 1kg of heart shaped marshmallows :money: