Northern Bank trying to be smart? Advice needed

Clare11

I sent the first letter of Martins schedule to reclaim bank charges on 18th Nov. Today (19th Dec) I had about 100 duplicate copies of bank statements. The copy statements are from 23rd March 1999 to date closure with them on 12th May 2004.
Anyway I had all this information in original bank statements and I had thought that the Northern Bank would have itemised the charges in a simple statement e.g...."all referral charges in total" rather than my having to sieve through everything and add up all myself.
There were times when we were over our agreement and interest was charged but I dont know who much of the interest was at the higher rate due to us being over our agreement.

Perhaps these interest charges are legitimate and we cant claim the extra amount as being excessive?

I am afraid that if I add up the charges I wish to claim back, that they will be incorrect and the Northern Bank would be in its right to fight my case against them in court due to MY error.

Can I request clarification/breakdown of the charges ?

And is there any other information that I am entitled to know about that they have on file about us?

I get the feeling that the Northern Bank is playing "delaying tactics"

Please advise.

Kind regards
Clare

nickmack

They are entitled to provide statements if they wish to facilitate your request. They're not going to make it easy for you and tell you how much to sue them for!

You need to use the thread in this forum to see which charges you can claim. If you get stuck with any, then come back and ask.

You will need to put together a list with the date, charge name and amount, best to do it in the spreadsheet from Martin's article.

If you spend some time doing this carefully, there shouldn't be any reason to worry about getting it wrong.

Clare11

Thank you Nick.
We had several accounts with them and when we left they added interest to an account PLUS a fee for closing the account of near to £60. Is that legitmate or an excesssive bank charge?
To date I counted up near to £500 in referral fees and unpaid items.
Again its a breakdown of interest charges that concerns me.
Do you think the higher interest rate charged for being over your overdraft limit is an excessive bank charge and can be claimed back.

kind regards
Clare

nickmack

Clare11 wrote:

We had several accounts with them and when we left they added interest to an account PLUS a fee for closing the account of near to £60. Is that legitmate or an excesssive bank charge?
To date I counted up near to £500 in referral fees and unpaid items.
Again its a breakdown of interest charges that concerns me.
Do you think the higher interest rate charged for being over your overdraft limit is an excessive bank charge and can be claimed back.

I'm not sure I've come across a fee for closing an account. This sounds rather suspicious, so you may want to ask them exactly how it costs £60 to perform this action.

The interest should be added when you get to the court stage. The spreadsheet should calculate it for you, as long as you have entered the dates and amounts correctly. Some people have claimed interest from the outset and also interest on the charges, but this is more complicated to work out. You can't claim back the higher interest rate you pay for unauthorised borrowing, it's an agreed rate and not a charge.

Squeekyclean

Hi Clare11

Don't let this put you off, It a tactic to delay and even get you to forget the whole thing by your bank.

I was terrified to start this but have managed to send my first letter.

If you need any help come back and ask, there's a mountain of information and an army out there all with the same purpose and willing to help.

Go get them girl.

Clare11

I had totalled all the referral charges etc on the statements that the Northern Bank SENT me dating back to 23rd March 1999 to our closure date with them on the 12 May 2004.
It wasnt until I used Martins Bank Charges calculator that it was drawn to my attention that the Northern Bank did NOT send me the bank statements for the years 2000 and 2002!!

Its UNFORTUNATE for THEM because I have ALL the original statements and there was alot of excessive bank charges in those years.

Yet another delaying tactic?
Has anyone else experienced any similiar "tricks"?

Be warned to check the dates on the bank statements.

Dont trust them!

Kind regards
Clare

bengal-stripe

Clare11 wrote:

Northern Bank did NOT send me the bank statements for the years 2000 and 2002!!....I have ALL the original statements...

Why did you ask for copies of your statements if you have them already? People who chuck their statements into the bin (usually unread) have to ask for another set, but not those who have the necessary information available.

Yet another delaying tactic?...Has anyone else experienced any similiar "tricks"?

Aren't you the one with the delaying tactics and "tricks"?

“Curioser and curioser!”, said Alice.

Clare11

Actually.....naive as I am.....I thought they would have had all the bank charges itemised per year and not sent me all that nonsense paper. I asked for the LIST of the charges and NOT the statements.
I just wanted to check their "honesty" with regards the amounts

Regards
Clare

bengal-stripe

Clare11 wrote:

I sent the first letter...on 18th Nov. Today (19th Dec) I had about 100 duplicate copies of bank statements.

I just wanted to check their "honesty" with regards the amounts

Without the "honesty check", you would have been a whole month further down the road.

Clare11

We had a small BUSINESS account and like I said before we left the Northern Bank in May 04.
Anyway yesterday I sent a full list of all the penalty charges and requesting a refund near to £800.
However I have since heard that PERHAPS the quarterly maintenance fee was NOT a penalty charge! Can anyone tell me?
Apparently in some institutions the maintenace fee is a penalty charge.

Anyway I would think the Northern Bank will not pay and so when I threaten them with the LBA so I amend the penalty charges list accordingly, apologise for my genuine mistake or do I say nothing.....!
I dont want the Northern Bank to "chew me up and spit me out" if we reach court..

Please advise
Kind regards
Clare

nelliebag

I worked for them for years (now happily early retired) and I am certain the account maintenance charge was a business fee rather than a penalty charge. Dont give up - just remember the NI Banks have taken (quite rightly) a lot of stick re charges - there was a Consumer Complaint lodged by Which last year and they have been repeatedly accused of operating a price cartel to keep fees high. If it were me I would certainly go for it. Hope you sent the letter to the Chief Exec - Don Price - I think he might be in the phone book as well if you fancy giving him a ring at home - I'm sure he'd like to speak to you!! Good luck.