Alliance & Leicester (merged)

dj9928

Amethyst30 wrote: »

Hi

I've not read all the posts on here but this is my story. A&L bounced a card payment and the company gave me two weeks to pay. I couldn't but a further 10 days after the deadline they claimed the money again and this time A&L let them have the money even though there were still "insufficient funds" and which put me over my overdraft limit, I argued that it was an unauthorised transaction as I did not know they would use my details again but A&L said that as I had authorised it the first time there was nothing they could do - so why didn't they just pay it the first time. Does that mean that it could have been months later - don't they have to revalidate??The company paid me back but it was too late by then and after that everything was bouncing and I incurred charge after charge after charge. I am a single parent with two children, I explained there was no way I could recover seeing as I budget down to the last penny anyway. I wrote to them a few times, but all I got was their standard letters saying the knew I would be "disappointed" with their decision. I would use the word desperate and that's when I came upon this site.

It was March and I only researched back to december last year where I discovered I had incurred charges of £1300, that the equivalent of a months salary to me!!! I followed the process on this site and but they just kept replying that there was nothing they could do, so I filed my claim with the court on-line. Almost immediately I had a letter from them, waffling on about OFT and that they had refunded me the difference between the allowance of an £11 charge. I had a cheque for £902. Plus in my claim I had asked the court to ensure that they did not close my account as a result of my action and although they said the stories were untrue, they said as long as I settled they would be more than happy to continue running my account. I can't open another due to my credit history. When I banked the cheque because of all the continuing charges the refund in real terms only amounted to £600.

A couple of days later I was confused to recieve an acknowlegement of service from their solicitor saying they were going to defend the whole claim, and demanded that I provide a list of all charges, which I had already done, but I had to give an explanation of each one and for each one a reason why I deemed it unfair. They claim that the law I quoted - the one in the template letters on this site - did not apply in any instance as the charges were clear in the T&Cs which I had accepted as part of my contract with them.

Here is a for instance of what I have had to deal with. Recently a cheque went out of my account for £14.28. It had a strange note with it on my account so I queried it. Apparently they previously returned the cheque unpaid although it was guaranteed. I looked through my account to discover that the cheque had been presented twice before so for £14.28 I had been charged £64 in admin.

It got to the point where I was writing cheques I knew I would be charged for just so I could get petrol for my car and put food on the table for my kids. I feel I want to go ahead and take them to court anyway as I am so incensed and their total lack of consideration for their customers. But what solicitor is going to want to take my case on?, and I have no idea how to defend myself as I can't understand fully all the terms in their case document.

If anyone has had to go so far as actual court, please can you give me some good advise and preferably the name of a sympathetic solicitor.

Good luck to all who are unfortunate to be dealing with this unprofessional company.

If you read through this post its waffle. They will send you that letter from the solicitor but will pay up soon, they won't take it to court because they can't defend it costing them £25 to send out a letter

Money_Mad_3

I have an A & L account and just going through my statements from 04 to day I have been charged £489.71. But I have also been charged £25.00 plus interest of a few pence as well as my account went overdrawn within the month so I have been charged twice. Also if they paid any item they have charged with £25.00 daren't look at the previous three years.

Would the A & L just close my account have they any legal right to do that or would they just make it uncomfortable for me.

I don't want to have to close my account but looking at the charges they are unfair. Does the item have to be over the £29.50 charges say if the item was £46.40 and they charged me £29.50 can I still reclaim this figure back or is it only if the item is under the amount of bank charge.

Has the A & L just automatically closed any persons account or can you fight to keep it open. Any help greatly appreciated.

eyeball0001

Good work posting those!

How far did you take it with A&L, was that after they stated to defend?

BAILIFFCHASER

eyeball0001 wrote: »

Good work posting those!

How far did you take it with A&L, was that after they stated to defend?

they put the defence in and then coughed. Waiting for the interest payment though.

eyeball0001

How long between the defence to the coughing?

lil-bit-skint

MimiJane wrote: »

You need to send them another letter before you can start court proceedings, using the template letter on this site (see template for third letter). Within this letter you should again request a refund, or state you will commence court proceedings. Have you sent them a schedule of charges, reasons for charges and dates in spreadsheet format? If not, you need to send them this with your next letter and give them 14 days to reply. For the template letter, see Martin's bank reclaiming info. found on the home page.

It would be a good idea to read all Martin's info., so you're aware of the various stages you need to go through.

Thanks for the response - It was the third letter from this site that I sent, along with a list of all the charges, what they were for, amounts, dates etc, so they knew I knew what I was talking about!

Basically they have said that the OFT ruling only applies to Credit Cards (yes we know that...) that there are ongoing discussions with the OFT and once they are done A & L will review it's position as appropriate. And as they make customers aware of their fees in a number of ways in view of this they "do not feel that you have been unfairly charged and regret that I cannot agree to refund your fees".

so....

Think I'll send another letter saying - court action forthcoming!

lil x

davethealligator

Hi everybody,

Firstly, the usual apologies if this subject has come up before, but I am new to the site.

I have claimed back around £700 from the A & L, sending the template letters from the site. They have written offering £493, this being the difference between the actual amount of each charge, and the £12.00 expected to be recommended by the OFT on conclusion of their report.

I am tempted to accept, but would like to know if anyone else has had this response, and what degree of success they have had in challenging it?

Many thanks.

p.s For those who asked the question in other threads, A & L have promised me that they will NOT close my account over this...

Nadirish

Hi everyone,

Reading this post with baited breath as i wait for the next repsonse from alliance and leicester, i think i'm a few days ahead of you eyeball0001, i've sent the letters which didn't get me anywhere so set up a claim against them with moneygov. Alliance and Leicester then sent me a measley cheque for £234 when i'm claiming back £3400. I got notification wk before last from wragge and co solicitors stating that alliance and leicester are going to defend and a letter from Northampton court stating this as well, just waiting to see what happens next.

Has anyone else been in this situation?? is there any light at the end of this never ending tunnel

xx

MimiJane

Had defence from A&L this morning (6 pages) ... now awaiting court date confirmation. Hoping that, like a lot of others, a cheque will drop on the doormat in a few days.

eyeball0001

Nadirish wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Reading this post with baited breath as i wait for the next repsonse from alliance and leicester, i think i'm a few days ahead of you eyeball0001, i've sent the letters which didn't get me anywhere so set up a claim against them with moneygov. Alliance and Leicester then sent me a measley cheque for £234 when i'm claiming back £3400. I got notification wk before last from wragge and co solicitors stating that alliance and leicester are going to defend and a letter from Northampton court stating this as well, just waiting to see what happens next.

Has anyone else been in this situation?? is there any light at the end of this never ending tunnel

xx

Keep an eye on Me, MimiJane and others, we are all at roughly the same stage as you, receiving a defence and hopefully we'll get a cheque sometime between now and the 28 days!