Banks charges and benefits (merged)

Edinburghlass_2

These are Money Laundering requirements that any bank will ask for. You need proof of identity and proof of address hence a bank statement or utility bill.

princessfayebaley

Hi, I am sorry if this has been asked before but I can't find it on any other thread, and thanks in advance for your reply!
I have just started to reclaim my bank charges and already thinking of reasonings for my defence (maybe jumping ahead of myself!)
Basically I would like to know if it is legal for a bank to take a bank charge out of benefit money (child benefit) therefore taken you overdrawn and the funds not been accessable?
I have an account that I have my Child benfit paid into weekly and one direct debit goes out once a month. Last month I had miscalculated my balance and I was £1.13 short of paying my DD therefore incurred a £39 charge and the week after when my benfit was paid I obviously couldn't access it?
Sorry going on a bit here but just wanted to know if they are allowed to do this.
Again many thanks xx

Edinburghlass_2

check out the above posts

oldwiring

mouseymousey99 wrote:

I went to open the parachute account today...mmmm... I read the internet instructions & it just said take d.licence as form of identity. However, when I got there they (Natwest) insisted they needed to see my last bank statement, I explained I was re-claiming from N.wide etc, it says nothing in on the site about bank statements - how does that stand re data protection I wonder? Anyway, the general idea seemed to be 'go away' ...so I did....anyone else had this problem? It seems another idea to put the frightners on you - didn't work, I stopped at the court & got the forms.

Sorry I cannot see how DP comes in to it. The bank is not acquiring info illegally. It is making a request, that you either accede to or reject and then accept the consequences of your decision.

tark

Hello all,

I apologise for the lengthy post but i wanted to get as much info in so that you can best understand the situation.

I need some advice fairly quickly regarding an issue that a friend has with Nationwide currently. Back in december, Nationwide refused a direct debit on their account because it would have taken them 41 pence overdrawn. When they realised, they called nationwide and asked for the charge to be stopped (because of all the advice on these forums). They explained their situation to Nationwide which I'll summarise.

Three or four years ago they were in full time work, with their own house etc but after an accident sustained a serious back injury, lost their job and everything they had as a result and has since been on long term incapacity benefit ever since. They now live with their mum who is disabled and between them are looking after their grandad who is 85 and rapidly deterioting with alzheimer's. There is more but this isn't a sob story. Needless to say, life isn't easy.

This situation was explained to Nationwide who said it was now their policy not to refund these charges and refused to stop the charge from going through. They then made a formal complaint and Nationwide delayed the charge while it was reviewed. Towasrd the end of december they received a letter saying that it had been reviewed and that they wouldn't stop the charge from going through. At this point they decided that although this wasn't going to be easy, that they would just have to pay the charge and scrape through somehow. They just received just received their statement (very late!) stating that the charge is going to be taken out of their account next thursday now they don't get their benefit paid in until the Friday which means that if they try to take the charge and send them overdrawn, they will charge them again (nationwide have confirmed that this is the case over the phone). They have called nationwide and explained the situation again, and asked that the charge be delayed for a day until there is money in the account but they are refusing and putting my friend in an impossible position. One charge although not easy to deal with could be done, but two is going to be crippling. The situation has been explained to nationwide on more than one occaision but they are refusing to budge. They are saying that she agreed to all charges when she signed up for the account.

Now, although the obvious thing is to follow the advice on here to claim back charges seems the obvious route that doesn't cure the immediate problem. My friend has to eat and at least live and if the stance Nationwide are taking is allowed to continue then we know where this is headed.

So my request is does anyone have any advice on how to approach and convince nationwide to delay this charge just for 24 hours so as to avoid a second cripppling charge? Any argument as to getting it refunded can be dealt with later, the more pressing point is stopping it in the first place so that they at least have enough money to pay their bills and eat!

I am a customer of Nationwide and have been for over 15 years and am disgusted at their behaviour. I have actually had them refund a charge to me in exactly this same situation about 12 years ago. They wouldn't allow me to go overdrawn by 50 pence and charge me in the region of £20 sending me overdrawn and when i questioned why i was allowed to go overdrawn for their charge and not 50 pence on a bill they refunded it.

My initial reaction (because I am so angry!) is to call them myself, reference her dispute, request my bank statements for the last 6 years and inform them that I will be reclaiming all my charges (probably a couple of hundred pounds) then closing my account in the hope that the voice of a long serving customer will help but somehow I don't think that will make a difference. I want to go ahead anyway, even if I don't win and lose money doing it, it will have cost them money in defending the case, and at the moment, that is all I wan't to do is cost them money because of their attitude of screwing as much money out of the people who really can't do without it.

Sorry if this has turned into a rant, but I am absolutely disgusted with the way they have handled this, especially as my friend has openly offered to pay the charge but asked for it to be delayed for 24 hours when there will be money in the account to cover it.

Thank you so much if you have managed to read this far. Any advice on how to tackle this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Edinburghlass_2

Sorry I haven't had time to read your whole post but the links and answers in this thread should help your friend's situation.

tark

Many thanks Edinburghlass. Will read through the details and see how we can push it.

Thanks again.

wilf55

i wrote 2 hsbc on a number of occassions following the processes on here had sent final letter before court and had the reply our charges are fair etc etc

however i then sent them a message through the online banking regarding taking charges from benefits and within 4 days had a letter offering me the full refund of 640 had to sign a letter saying i accept and will hopefully have the money paid into my account within the next 7 - 10 working days

no mention that it was because of benefits or anything just as if it was a standard reply offering me my charges back

what have you got to lose

nothing in my opinion

good luck guys