NatWest (merged)

Hotdog_2

Hi
I have just recieved my last six years statements and have plowed through them noting all the charges (388 pages!) I know my account has a service fee which has increased over the years from £6 a month to now £12 a month but the statements first of all don't say when the fees were incresed and also don't distinguish the services from the charges so all I get on my statement is the "Charges" for the month which includes the services fee. I have been able to work out a pattern of service fees using the months I didn't get any extra charges but is there an easier way of eleminating the service fees from the actual charges? I don't want to give the bank any ammunition against me for a wrong claim!
Thanks

deborahj26

Thanks for that info Pam. I will go ahead and make that complaint. At the moment my account is wildly out of control. I'm just ignoring it praying that I'll soon see the light at the end of the tunnel, carefully making notes of all the extra charges I'm incurring on a daily basis. I'm sending updated claim letters every couple of weeks, asking that they address the new total. I am being totally ignored and helped by no-one. Normal customer service from nat west-at it's best!

SickOfBankCharges_2

hi,

what type of account was it, i have not seen any "service charges" on any of my bank statements from natwest (althought that acc has been inactive for a few years now)

i ask cos it can affect your position, my understanding is that we can only back penalty charges. i.e. late payment charge, over limit charge, bouced cheques, ect plus 8% interest should it go to court? pls correct me if i am wrong there?

are the "service charges" due to it being a particular type of account as opposed to a standard current account?

frugalpam

deborahj26 wrote: »

Thanks for that info Pam. I will go ahead and make that complaint. At the moment my account is wildly out of control. I'm just ignoring it praying that I'll soon see the light at the end of the tunnel, carefully making notes of all the extra charges I'm incurring on a daily basis. I'm sending updated claim letters every couple of weeks, asking that they address the new total. I am being totally ignored and helped by no-one. Normal customer service from nat west-at it's best!

Good, glad to hear it. Once you put a complaint in writing, they are obliged to investigate your complaint and reply within certain time constraints. If they fell down on that and you subsequently took it to the Financial Ombudsman, their knuckles would be severely rapped - so you'll find that they will take written complaints very seriously. Good luck with it!

Pam

Hotdog_2

Yeah, it was an Advantage Gold account so I pay for the "privilege" of having it. It started off as just £6 a month fee which went up at some point to £9, then again to £10 and is now £12. I'm not sure of when these increments occured. I know I can't claim these fees but on my statements they are classed as "charges" in with my real "charges." Confusing eh?

natweststaffmember

I have posted on your other thread that i have a post on here in relation to charges and advantage gold which clearly explains how to work it all out.
The other point i wanted to bring accross to all that are claiming from natwest is that prior to court action letter, i believe you guys have Letter Before Action, you can now contact anyone who works for NatWest who can confirm if a claim has been validated and an amount. This will include the words "letter to be sent out within 21 days".

I would also say that if you have had an account converted without your knowledge to make a complaint. There are some staff who may have done this in the past or even present time and it would form part of disciplinary proceedings if bank processes had not been followed.

frugalpam

natweststaffmember wrote: »

I would also say that if you have had an account converted without your knowledge to make a complaint. There are some staff who may have done this in the past or even present time and it would form part of disciplinary proceedings if bank processes had not been followed.

This happened to me, as I posted - I was livid. The bank are taking my complaint very seriously. I know bank staff are put under huge pressure to meet unreachable targets, but that doesn't excuse deceiving their customers. We'll see how it all pans out....

Pam

SickOfBankCharges_2

hi there,

good old natwest eh?

ok a few things to do asap: your son needs to open whats known as a "parachute" account right away, go to any bank you do not have debts with and open a basic current account and have his company pay his wages into this new account. he should also transfer any direct debits / standing orders too.

He will then be left with, I presume a vastly overdrawn natwest account?

Good,

Then, if you have not yet done so, send £10 to natwest asking for the entire history of statements going back 6 years. copy in the financial ombudsman with everything to and from bank and dont accept partial offers either.

they have 40days to send you the statements, when you get them add up all the charges and add the £10 spent on the statements and send one of the letters to be found on this site or the BBC website to the bank to claim the total, they will have no problem paying it as they will see the account is overdrawn. a bit cheeky i know but it works - they are more likely to repay you quickly when part of the money they refund you is going to repay your debt to them!

important your son changes banks in order to force the issue!

good luck

Edinburghlass_2

SickOfBankCharges, I'm not sure who you are replying to but I certainly wouldn't suggest to anyone that they use the letters from the BBC website nor to copy in all letter to the FO unless you are asking the FO to do your reclaim for you.

Also its quite in order to accept a partial payment provided it is accepted without prejudice and you inform the bank of this.

Please read through Martin's article and the Reclaim Help Thread.

Step-by-step Guides: Bank Charges: Reclaim Your Cash | Bank Charges Video Guide | Top New Bank Account Calculator: Charge them interest Template Letters: (right click and save) Ask for charge details |Initial letter | Second letter | Small claims note Get Updates On Important Changes: Free Weekly Money Tip

jrity31

hi everyone im a bit confused after reading natweststaffmember post, i wrote to bank asking for charges back along with marriage certificate as im seperated and claiming on joint account, also back in maiden name, yesterday i recieved my marriage certificate back with a note saying " your claim is being processed and an offer letter will be sent shortly", im due to send threatening court action letter on monday shall i still do this or wait? as they didnt mention anything about 21 days, also if i send next letter is then 7 days and then go on moneyclaim? can anyone help please
thanx