Mortgage Exit Fees successes and failures

murdyboy

Standard Life initially refused to refund £150 exit fee paid in Janaury 2008 (on an outstanding balance of £1.01) as mortgage had been amended in 2003. I challenged them to provide evidence of the change to the exit fee whereupon they sent me a copy of the paperwork and a cheque for the total amount!! Excellent, thanks.
:beer:

erinkatesdad

I Phoned the Halifax on their dedicated line as per Martins suggestion and they have agreed to send me a cheque for £100.00, which was the difference in the original fee and the one I paid them. Only took 2 minutes!:T Thanks

cstone

Help!!
I have just re-mortgaged from Leeds BS to First Direct. I was on a three year with Leeds BS that run its full course. Included on my redemption statement was £165, of which £110 was the exit fee and £55 the release of the deeds.

I have sent a letter and queried the exit fee as in Oct 2004 I was not given any documentation to advise me of this charge. Leeds BS state that I received a list of the tariff charges for the mortgage with my offer. I am one of those people that keeps everythings so checked this and found I had my copy of the offer and on it it only refered to the enclosed Leeds BS Mortgage Conditions 2003. I read through the booklet and found no mention of this charge. Can I argue with Leeds BS that the fee was hidden and therefore they broke the law?.

Problem is I got my offer through in the old format before the new format was introduced by law after 31-10-04, the new format was introduced to all banks and Building Societies to make sure things like these fees were clearer. I accepted the pre 31-10-04 offer after the new law kicked in using the old format offer and documentation.

As anyone got any advise please?

Jacqueline1949

Hi

Read your e-mail many times but did not think I would have much success.

Phoned Alliance and Leicester last Wednesday and yesterday received a cheque for £220 for an overcharge in August 2005 when we cleared our Mortgage

Thanks Martin :j:j:j

Liz_Shephard

Thanks to Martin we challenged Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society and won back £180 closing fees and £20 interest from 2004. They declined in 2 letters but caved in after the 3rd.
Many thanks

miss_elle

Saw the article on Mortgage exit fees last week and called RBOS straight away, had no paperwork or account details to hand. Quoted questions as per Martins guide and the lady found my account said i was charged £225.00 and not £75.00 as per my contract so she would raise a refund request. Two days later got a call from RBOS to say the £150.00 was going into my account the next day.

£150.00 for a 5 minute call - thanks Martin!

The_Chemist_2

Thanks Martin for the info about MEAFs. I wrote to Northern Rock using the basic format you recommended and this morning (reply in under a week) I received confirmation they will refund me £75 from fees I paid 7 years ago !

I have written to another lender to whom I complained bitterly at time of redemption over their excessive MEAF. Fortunately, I've got copies of faxes and letters so I've asked for £245 inc. interest. I expect this one to be a struggle but I don't give-in easily.

nkemp

Read the MEAF article with interest a week or so back. After checking through some old paperwork I discovered I'd been charged £250 in 2005, whilst a leaflet from Northern Rock I'd kept from the time of my application, stated £85. Northern rock came back with an offer of £90 as they claimed the fee was £160 they also weren't prepared to pay interest.

I stuck it out, sent another letter this time including a photocopy of the leaflet. Got a reply offerring £165 and a goodwill gesture of £40 (equivalent to the interest I wanted). Not bad for the cost of a stamp and about 15 minutes.

kirstint

Thankyou very much!

Sold my last house in 2003, just read your article, not holding out much hope of sucess but rang HBOS, cheque for £35.00 on its way! Then sent off my voucher for a free haircut from Herbal Essences Shampoo and then switched Gas and Electric SUpplied saving another £149.00 per annum and £30.00 Cashback, if only every day was this successful!!


Many Many Thanks!!:j

mickelaine1

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phoned my old lender, Halifax.
Contract fee was £115 actually charged £175.
Spent 5 minutes on phone and a cheque is on its way for £60.

Many thanks Martin.