How will reclaiming bank charges impact banking discussion

DTarry_2

to m.colak - I'm sure you did a great job with the Navy and thank you for that, but while you were away did you not even think about what you were getting paid, deduct your 'fixed' expenses, and spend what you had left?

Please don't take this personally, as I'm sure that there could be any number of alernative reasons why you faced the situation you have and I respect the fact that you were away on our nation's behalf, but there are also an increasing number of people who simply want to pass the blame onto other people, or reasons, or something else that quite frankly is just not taking responsibility for what they've done! Again, this is not aimed directly at you, but do you take the point?

DTarry_2

And I quote......

But more hearings are expected which may delay the cases of claimants, who should not expect an automatic pay-out.
<!-- E SF -->Mr Justice Andrew Smith said: "This does not necessarily mean they [the charges] are unfair."

cragdoo

The UK's biggest banks have lost a test case about overdraft charges.
A judge has decided that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) can apply consumer contract regulations to decide if bank overdraft charges are fair or not.
Since the beginning of 2006 hundreds of thousands of bank customers have tried to reclaim their charges on the grounds that they were too high and unfair. But more hearings are expected which may delay the cases of claimants, who should not expect an automatic pay-out. Mr Justice Andrew Smith said: "This does not necessarily mean they [the charges] are unfair."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7364422.stm

preid

I have read the last few posts and I'm shocked that some people can judge others so much. unless you know that person you should not make assumptions about them, i occurred my first bank charge over 3 years while at university studying nursing. then because i got charged £20 i then got charged another £28 at the end of the same month. So i got charged £48 for going slightly over my overdraft, some would find that a bit extreme!!!! Then it impacts on the following month, thus starts a vicious cycle. I am sure this story is repeated many times over for many others, and if they are - like myself they would rather not be in that situation.

wornoutmumoftwo

I received an extortionate amount of bank charges a few years ago, not through mis-management but circumstance.

My husband was laid off and at the same time the child tax credit system decided we had been overpaid and stopped ALL money to us.(even though they were at fault and I got the money sorted after about 3 months of daily phone calls).

We were a family of four living on £88 dole money for two weeks and £28 child benefit weekly.(The boys were 1 and 2 then).

I contacted the bank for help as I had written three small cheques out, for which I put the money in but a charge was going to swallow this up prior to the cheques being presented - I asked them for an increased overdraft for seven days, just to cover the charge of £39 - they said NO - and then bounced my cheques and charged me £90 for the pleasure!

At this point I gave up, as soon as my money was going in it was being swallowed up by charges, some weeks I had as little as £30 to live on.

I have worked for 17 years solid - taken 6 years off to raise my children
My husband has worked for 23 years of his life and is now in permanent employment.

I have always managed our money well but in the one year that we had problems we racked up a tremendous amount of charges, so it isn't always down to bad management - sometimes circumstances take control!

The_Affs

wornoutmumoftwo, I fully appreciate that sometimes circumstances take over, however in cases such as this it is unreasonable to ask for charges back as through no-one's fault you did unfortunately incur charges as outlined in T's & C's.

Sometimes life just isn't fair!

wornoutmumoftwo

I got all my charges back prior to the oft court case and since this time have not incurred charges.

Slowly clearing off the debt that mounted through this time, just would have been nice for a little help at that time considering I'd had no problems during the 17 years of working.

Knackered

This forum is for people who have, according to Martin and the OFT, been overcharged for trifling matters by the banks.

This forum surely is not for people like DTarry and The Affs to look down from their ivory towers and cast aspersions on all and sundry because they don't agree with it. Go and bother somebody else.

The_Affs

Surely just as much as you are entitled to have your opinion on me and my views, I am entitled to input into a discussion around these "unfair" charges?

Whatever happened to free speech?

jubaxt

to those people in their ivory towers-

i just hope your financial position stays with you for your life-time.we were very comfortable until my mum had a cerebral aneurysm and i lost money from night enhancements to look after her.i lost a third of my salary and ended up with extortionate bank charges but i knew my family was my priority at that time.

just thank your lucky stars that life is so good for you and just hope you dont trip and have a nasty fall round that next corner like some of us have.you just may fall from your ivory towers one day!!!