Barclays Bank - bank charges complaint

gordthekraken

Hello

New to the Forum so please be gentle.

I foolishly went £10 over my overdraft limit in February and wasn't aware of this until my statement arrived (I don't use internet banking on this account). In early April I went into my local branch wanting to see someone to cancel the reserve limit. I was told that the financial advisor wasn't in that someone would call me in the week. Nobody did so I went back the following Saturday where I was told that I couldn't see anyone as I need an appointment - explained about the previous week and was rudely told that there are no appointments! I wrote to Barclays requesting them to cancel the reserve limit and about the service I experienced in the branch and they apologised, but did not cancel the reserve limit. It took another phone call and a further letter for them to do this. I asked for a list of charges that had been added to my account as I wanted to make sure they had not added any to my account from the date of my first visit to the branch. They refused and now these charges have now snow-balled to £292.48.

I called Barclays collections last week to arrange a payment plan and I was told that my account had been closed and passed to collections. I asked why I hadn't received any letters or anything stating that this action was going to be taken. The lady I spoke to said that my post had been returned to Barclays. I asked her what address she was sending to and it was an address that I moved out from over 6 years ago. I was rudely told that it is my responsibility to ensure that the bank has my latest address. I told her that they do as I get all my statements sent to my current home address.

I offered a monthly payment of £20 to pay off the balance. I was told that this could only be accepted for 2 months that the balance has to be paid back then. I explained that I have had to take a £7k pay cut to stay employed that what I am earning now just covers my outgoings (I am currently looking for a new job).

Is there anything I can do to get my account re-instated, after all they were sending all the letters to my wrong address. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do? Is there any chance I can get this written off? I can pay them back but at only £20 a month and they have told me that it has to be settled in full in 3 months.

I's appreciate any advice given.

Thank you.

Premier_2

You shouldn't need a financial advsior in order to remove a presonal recerve facility from your account.

However, removing it probably wasn't in your best interests, hence why they wanted you to talk over the matter with the financial advisor.

Why's is not in your best interest?
Well a personal reserve is essentially an unauthorised overdraft cleveryly wrapped up. (It also is approved in advance, which is a bit different, but it is extra to any authorised overdraft you may have)

If you remove the personal reserve, you'll end up possibly many transactions stopped if you don't have cleared funds available to meet them. That could be quite embaressing to you, may put yopu in very difficult situations, and could even cost you money if for example a DD collection fails; the supplier may charge you either for the failed collection and/or remove discounts applicable for DD.

You will still get charged the same basic fees from the bank too, i.e. £8 a pop, whether they honour the transaction or not. All you don't pay is the £22 for borrowing money.

I suspect they don't want you as a customer, so probably won't re-instate your account. However, if you do want to complain, here's the bank's complaint procedure:

http://www.barclays.co.uk/ContactUs/Howtocomplain/P1242558122337

gordthekraken

It's not an account I use daily so removing the personal reserve was viable.

Thank you.