Halifax - £30 bank charges for not paying a Standing Order to myself- Help!

d-d-d-d-d-d-card

Hi all,

Basically a few weeks ago I was getting quite into my spreadsheets/ forecasting, and I thought that it would be a good idea for me to set up a few standing orders from my main Halifax account, to which I receive my wages, to a few of my other Halifax accounts, which I hold for student loans, holiday savings etc.

So, If you can imagine, these are my Halifax accounts:

Account #1- WAGES

Account #2 - Rent

Account # 3 - Holidays

Account # 4 - Loan

I set up three standing orders for £50 each to go from the WAGES account, to each of the other accounts, each Friday.

But, on that fantastic weekend where we had the Royal Wedding, and about two other bank holidays, my wages got paid in on a different day than expected, and I spent a little more than expected.

When Friday rolled around, there was no money to send from WAGES to Accounts #2, #3, or #4. As you would assume, nothing happened in the standing order department.

A few days later, a letter arrives from Halifax saying that I would have to pay £10 for every standing order that wasn't able to complete (3 of them, £30!)

Now, I would understand these charges if I was paying say, my Credit Card, or a loan, but the thing is I was only trying to send this money, via standing order, from one of my Halifax accounts to the other. Noone was losing out from this apart from me. It's not as if Halifax lent me the money to send from one account to another, they just simply charged me for trying, and failing.

I know that this was probably computer automated, and that it probably did not distinguish between me having a standing order with a company and me having a standing order with myself, but what I would like to know is what people think the odds of me getting my money back if I go down to Halifax on Monday and explain this to them? I'm on minimum wage, 21 years old, and these fees equate to about a sixth of my wages. Not to mention that no harm was done to anybody apart from me!

Looking forward to your input!

purplephoenix85

Oh tell me about it! I'm having the same problem with them, but I've now discontinued my standing orders. The same process is pushing me into my overdraft each month and then being charged £2.50/day for using my overdraft - and these charges are accrued and taken out of my account the following month and will then send me over my overdraft limit (£100) - with another £5/day charge for going over my overdraft limit...

It's an endless cycle, costing me roughly £85/month. Not to mention I'm unemployed and is eating 1/3 of my JSA per month Customer services are useless too...

I suggest that you do go and see them in person but I suspect they may go down the "you'll need to make an appointment to see someone about it" route.. who will then try to fob you off with "those are the terms and conditions of your accounts".

I've heard that if you keep on at them long enough, they may crack and offer a 'goodwill gesture' and cancel/refund the charges. But I'm having no such luck

dunstonh

But, on that fantastic weekend where we had the Royal Wedding, and about two other bank holidays, my wages got paid in on a different day than expected, and I spent a little more than expected.

So, just to emphasis the point that the bank was not at any fault at all. The employer may have some fault for late payment of wages but its unlikely. Obviously you control your spending. So, that is all clear.

I know that this was probably computer automated, and that it probably did not distinguish between me having a standing order with a company and me having a standing order with myself,

Correct. A standing order is a standing order.

what I would like to know is what people think the odds of me getting my money back if I go down to Halifax on Monday and explain this to them?

Most banks will refund if its your first error or a long time since your last error. If you are a frequent offender then its less likely.

roonaldo

im not sure how the bank is at fault here, you set up standing orders and didnt have enough money in your account.

purplephoenix85

dunstonh wrote: »

So, just to emphasis the point that the bank was not at any fault at all. The employer may have some fault for late payment of wages but its unlikely. Obviously you control your spending. So, that is all clear.

I do agree with this. In fairness, good employers normally memo staff with the date changes. I know there's a few bank holidays per year, but with this being more of a one-off, I think employers still should have informed staff. To put a spin on it, instead it might have been wise asking the payroll dept before the bank holidays started.

d-d-d-d-d-d-card

Just to clarify, I am not blaming the bank for sending the charges, or suggesting that they are completely "wrong". I understand the process was automated and that the fact I was paying myself was not taken into account.

I am more asking whether people think I have a chance of getting these charges back.

I am looking at things like this- these charges are a result of me failing to pay myself money into an account with the same bank, with my own money. Yes, I know there are terms and conditions which were probably breached, but I didn't go into any unauthorised overdraft, and no money was lent to me to cover the standing order. I did not charge myself any fees for not paying myself, so essentially the bank is making £30 out of nothing, literally out of thin air, wheras my entire net wages for a days work go to cover the "costs", which in reality don't actually exist. Money is being made out of nothing, at a considerable expense to me, and profit to them, for services, which never took place. That is all I'm suggesting is wrong.

If I explain this to the bank, in a less confident and less new-world-order-banks-are-the-enemy-money-is-an-illusion way, does anybody think they might give me it back?

roonaldo

d-d-d-d-d-d-card wrote: »

I understand the process was automated and that the fact I was paying myself was not taken into account.

The fact that you were paying money to yourself is irrelevant. When the standing orders were due to pay you didnt have enough money in your account.

I am more asking whether people think I have a chance of getting these charges back.

You probably will, write a polite complaint letter to the bank explaining that the situation was not your fault. They may refund the charge as a gestute of goodwill.

dunstonh

If I explain this to the bank, in a less confident and less new-world-order-banks-are-the-enemy-money-is-an-illusion way, does anybody think they might give me it back?

Already answered. If its your first error then they will usually refund. If it is one of many errorrs they are unlikely to.

tescomilk

You should definitely appeal if you have not done so already. I did (sent a letter) and they cancelled the charge. note: threatening to change banks helps.

Like you I honestly didn't know internal account standing orders have penalties and in my case it wasn't even me who setup the standing order up in the first place. A branch staff member offered to do this but didn't tell me there would be a charge and I forgot about it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on. :money:

dunstonh

note: threatening to change banks helps.

Not if you are a frequent offender and they will be pleased to see the back of you