Alliance & Leicester (merged)

melissa'smoney

My A&L reclaim is the only one outstanding.....been on a 'stay' for over a year now.....they owe me £4000!!

When will it ever be sorted????

x

MarkyMarkD

LOL. I used to work for A&L, but they made me redundant. So I don't have an axe to grind for them - but I do dislike them being criticised by people who simply don't bother to read Ts & Cs.

I have never found any problems banking with A&L ... as long as you understand how things work, and what to expect.

daisycat01

Quick question

Just adding up bank charges for A&L.

I have a premier current account

Can I claim for "overdraft usage fee", this is usually £5 per month??

TIA

djh1697

I am an A&L staff member - thoughts please I am about to send this letter

Current Account Customer Relations
Carlton Park
Narbourgh
Leicester
LE19 0AL

Dear Sir/Madam

Account number

I am writing to request that you repay all the default charges that have been applied to my account since 1st January 2009 and stop adding any further charges to my account. I do not believe these charges reflect the true cost to Alliance & Leicesterof going into an unauthorized overdraft.

I request that you deal with my case now rather than once the test case has ended as I am currently experiencing financial difficulties due to my employer’s persistence at taking CSA payments from my wages and the removal of any overtime. The FSA waiver states that you should continue to deal with hardship cases.

I enclosed a breakdown of the charges that have been made against me, it should be noted that if I had a choice account, something which was denied me by Mr. G Bridges (staff accounts), my charges would be no where near as high! Since all telephone conversations are recorded I was put through to Mr. Bridges via the number 0116 2011000 number, since I object to calling 0844 number where I have to pay rip off charges, spending most of my time in a Q, and speaking with an advisor who cannot help me. I request that you listen to my calls, especially the one where Mr. Bridges states he will close my account if I attempt any legal action, something the FOS have outlawed. I require a full transcript of this call.

I further would state as a staff member that should any management approach me regarding this, it would be a very serious breach of the data protection act. It would also constitute a case of “bullying & harassment”.

My current circumstances mean that I am asking my 64 year old parents for help, something that I should not be doing.

The charges total £355.00 I believe I have been unlawfully deprived of the money and therefore ask that you repay me the full amount. I have attached a full schedule of the charges with this document.

I request that (i) a refund of charges made and (ii) my account be switched to a choice account.


I look forward for a full response to this letter within 14 days.

Yours faithfully,

natweststaffmember

I think you need to remove some names from the letter to begin with otherwise they will identify you almost immediately ie specific names. You need to check your banks' policy on financial management. If you have a default or a CCJ to your name it could be prejudicial to your employment within the said bank.
Letter seems ok except I would use the term unfair charges, I would explain how your hardship began and the reason why you were unable to repay priority debt arrears(mortgage/rennt, council tax, utiliities, etc,etc,) and furthermore, to include an income and expenditure form.....link to one below:
http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/content.asp?ssid=38

sealine

I have had to take the steps of writing to the information commissioners as A&L refuse the accept that I have ever put a request for my charges to them in writing, despite me providing evidence that the member of staff in the bank signed for the letter etc etc. So I am now 3 months down the line and still at step 1 as I have not had much back from the info commissioners other than they have now written to A&L and will get back to me sometime.

natweststaffmember

sealine wrote: »

I have had to take the steps of writing to the information commissioners as A&L refuse the accept that I have ever put a request for my charges to them in writing, despite me providing evidence that the member of staff in the bank signed for the letter etc etc. So I am now 3 months down the line and still at step 1 as I have not had much back from the info commissioners other than they have now written to A&L and will get back to me sometime.

If you kept a copy then ask if they will accept a faxed request and they can take the money from your account directly.

qaiq

Hi everyone, I'm new here & just looking for some advice.

I have an A&L current account, it was set up to use as a food card to manage our finances as we have just had a baby.

Around 2 months ago, I went overdrawn on it by about £35. As soon as I could I paid of the £35 to bring the account out of OD. A week or so later, on payday, I went into the branch & asked what the charges were on the account. Teller told me that there were £60 in charges at £5/day. I paid £60 cash into the account to cover the charges. I asked what the balance was now & she said the current balance is £69.73, leaving £9.73 after the charges went out.

I wanted to close the account but was told I couldn't until about 2 weks later when the charges went out. Have not used the account since - not forgotten about it but have other things to do (7 month old boy...). Just received a statement (2 months on, haven't got one for previous month anywhere).

It seems there was aonther £10 charge, accrued at the same time as the £60 charge, which the teller did not tell me about. The £10 went out after the £60, leaving me 27p overdrawn for almost 2 months. The current charges are £150 in two tranches the first being £90 (which is the amount in fees mentioned on the statement, prompting me to call).

I rang them, and having an e-savings account attached to the current account with £1 in it, I transferred 27p to clear the OD. No more charges for time being but in 6 days the £90 wiull hit, and then I will be charged £5/day until I clear that, then after that the £60 charge will hit and I will be back in overdraft.

I don't get paid for 3 weeks, we're on one wage now & I can't afford to pay the £90 (not even when I get paid really, but definitely not before).

I'm annoyed because I did physically go and ask exactly what the charges on the account were, at the time I asked I had already brought the account up to date (hence the £9.73 balance) so charges were not still accumulating on it. As I was told that there was more than enough money to cover the bank charges I left it at at that.

What should I do next? I've phoned them but haven't really got anywhere.

Oh, some more info: I was putting £200/month on it for food spending. When I set it up I specifically asked for NO overdraft facility of any kind, at all. They said yes fine. I don't have internet banking on it.

natweststaffmember

qaiq wrote: »

Hi everyone, I'm new here & just looking for some advice.

I have an A&L current account, it was set up to use as a food card to manage our finances as we have just had a baby.

Around 2 months ago, I went overdrawn on it by about £35. As soon as I could I paid of the £35 to bring the account out of OD. A week or so later, on payday, I went into the branch & asked what the charges were on the account. Teller told me that there were £60 in charges at £5/day. I paid £60 cash into the account to cover the charges. I asked what the balance was now & she said the current balance is £69.73, leaving £9.73 after the charges went out.

I wanted to close the account but was told I couldn't until about 2 weks later when the charges went out. Have not used the account since - not forgotten about it but have other things to do (7 month old boy...). Just received a statement (2 months on, haven't got one for previous month anywhere).

It seems there was aonther £10 charge, accrued at the same time as the £60 charge, which the teller did not tell me about. The £10 went out after the £60, leaving me 27p overdrawn for almost 2 months. The current charges are £150 in two tranches the first being £90 (which is the amount in fees mentioned on the statement, prompting me to call).

I rang them, and having an e-savings account attached to the current account with £1 in it, I transferred 27p to clear the OD. No more charges for time being but in 6 days the £90 wiull hit, and then I will be charged £5/day until I clear that, then after that the £60 charge will hit and I will be back in overdraft.

I don't get paid for 3 weeks, we're on one wage now & I can't afford to pay the £90 (not even when I get paid really, but definitely not before).

I'm annoyed because I did physically go and ask exactly what the charges on the account were, at the time I asked I had already brought the account up to date (hence the £9.73 balance) so charges were not still accumulating on it. As I was told that there was more than enough money to cover the bank charges I left it at at that.

What should I do next? I've phoned them but haven't really got anywhere.

Oh, some more info: I was putting £200/month on it for food spending. When I set it up I specifically asked for NO overdraft facility of any kind, at all. They said yes fine. I don't have internet banking on it.

Write to them with the chronological account of what has happened and explain your circumstances. State that you want the account closed and any charges taken since you paid in the £60 refunded as you would have covered the charges if you were aware of it and you no longer want the account open any more. Do you really want their e savings account either? Why isn't the e savings attached to the current account btw?

gentleorange

Hello, I also posted this on the main board but thought I'd post here too in case it falls off the page.

This year I took up an offer with A&L; their switching team would set up a current account for you and give a cash bonus of £100, dependent on the account holder paying in a certain amount every month and allowing the expert switching team to handle the process.

To try and cut a long story short they switched over my outgoing direct debits but not my income or child benefit. They sent letters saying you have no money to pay this so it has been returned, you will not be charged on this occasion, and I thought well I'd hope not, you haven't finished setting up my account yet. When I phoned them I was advised that I could switch my wages over myself but would then forfeit the £100 switching bouns, so I left it and paid my bills with the card from the account my money was in.

Out of nowhere I got a monthly summary from A&L informing me I owed them nearly £200 in charges. I wrote back explaining the above situation but in more depth, and this week they wrote back to say the charges would be upheld, case closed as far as they are concerned but that I can take it up with the financial ombudsman.

I feel almost as if I've been scammed by Alliance and Leicester. I had the money to pay all my bills, they just never moved it over, and they haven't told me why they didn't. They did not tell me they were having problems transferring anything though they had my details, and I would have transferred it myself if I'd thought this would happen. Actually I would never have applied in the first place, but they made it all sound effortless.

For anyone who has experience of appealing against something like this, could you tell me how you think it would be best to proceed? Is the financial ombudsman the correct next step? I don't really trust any advice that A&L are offering me, and I can't afford to lose this money. As far as I'm aware charges are still accruing on the original set of charges, and I'm not sure what I should do. Thanks for any help you can offer.