Watchdog BBC1 7pm tonight

nickmack

Interesting program, but didn't really tell us anything we didn't know.

The banks are trying to string out the claims as long as possible and not even paying up when directed by the courts. It shows their extreme arrogance over unlawful charges. More magistrates should start taking a hard line, as happened recently and strike out the banks defence, as they currently have no intention of actually going through with the case.

Beate

Allison3829 wrote:

Im not sure if this is in the right thread... I wrote to my bank 2 weeks ago asking for the last 6 years of statments. A guy from Northern Rock called me today and said that instead of the last 6 years statements they are sending out the last 6years of bank charges in writing at no charge. Have I done the right thing by saying this is ok??

Cool - they are even doing the work for you!

electriclady

deedee2665 wrote:

I am one the wronged by the bank people too . I am disabled i have me/cfs and struggle on a daily basis to just get out of bed , and i use the internet to chat to freinds shopping and all sorts really . But last year i was very much put off , because someone had found out my bank details and started to take 10p 20p 30p 40p 50p out of my bank account and there was at least 40 of these withdrawals on my account i to this day do not know who did them . My bank account was empty when these trasnactions happened so as you can imagine i was charged a heck of a lot of money by the bank for someone taking all this money out of my bank account . To cut a long story short i went to the police phoned the bank got details of the transactions canceled the card and all the right things , but natwest being natwest they didnt take it very far and said because of my family (ie husband) knowing my bank details they were not able to refund any of the charges or continue with the investigation . I am now over £1000 in the red and its all because someone was using my bank details by defraud .

The good news is i am claiming all the charges back now and asking for the default notice to be removed . So it just goes to show that some people no matter how well the use their money the banks are just money grabbers and its time they stood and told us all what the overdrawnness of an account really do cost them .

We have to live on benefits because of my illness and my husband is my carer so all these charges really upset our lives even more than it already is .
So please think before you go saying that other people are paying for someone not using money wiseley because we have to .

Hi deedee,

My mum has recently split up with my step dad after 16 years and she is in a simular situation...........she is physically disabled and is unable to work, but I have just bought her a computer and am encouraging her to start learning to use it and the internet etc. Maybe she could do something form home.

She receives benefits weekly and Lloyds TSB took all of her benefits off her in charges last week, she is trying to find her feet with money after the break up and they took all her money off her and she lives alone.........how cruel!

I am in the process of claiming all her charges back for her, I sent the letter beginning of last week, I still haven't heard anything but I am going to take them for every penny they have charged her!

Good luck to you xx

housebug

Its not the charges per se that I take issue with, its the size of them. £30 penalty for a dishonoured cheque that in fact, only costs the bank what? £4.50 to handle? And the same cheque can be presented for payment repeatedly, making £££s in fees for the banks. I'm from Canada and once a cheque has been refused for payment, IT CANNOT BE SUBMITTED AGAIN! Its returned to the signatory. I was astounded when I found this out.

And DDs that don't necessarily come out on the day you've designated, but as much as five days early! You try telling a business you only authorise Standing Orders, which can only be called on the day designated. They don't like that. And the banks again can make £££s in penalty fees if the DD bounces. Its impossible to budget properly when you have no idea when the hell charges are going to be taken. You feel like you have little control and need to constantly be checking and double checking. As a result, we dumped services/businesses and have reduced our DD and chequing use to absolute minimum. Its the only way to save money and keep on top of things.

The entire industry needs a major overhaul. They're violating their own Banking Code and whats more, can do it with impunity so whats the point of having a Code at all? This latest tactic of closing your account and calling in all outstanding debt is just plain childish.

If you've any problems or doubts about this, call the Financial Ombudsman as shown on the program.

Edinburghlass_2

electriclady wrote:

She receives benefits weekly and Lloyds TSB took all of her benefits off her in charges last week, she is trying to find her feet with money after the break up and they took all her money off her and she lives alone.........how cruel!

Good luck to you xx

You need to check out the Benefits Board, its also here somewhere and I'll look for it, but there is a letter you can send which disallows the banks from touching benefits which might help until you can get your claim made.

poochel

impy78 wrote:

Oh, I'm quite disappointed, i wanted to see footage of the baliffs removing potted palms and oak desks!!!

I was also dead disappointed that there was no footage. Would have liked to have seem them get their comeuppance!

Edinburghlass_2

Have a read of this thread from the Benefits Board regarding bank charges being taken from benefits.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=269424

deedee2665

Hi deedee,

My mum has recently split up with my step dad after 16 years and she is in a simular situation...........she is physically disabled and is unable to work, but I have just bought her a computer and am encouraging her to start learning to use it and the internet etc. Maybe she could do something form home.

She receives benefits weekly and Lloyds TSB took all of her benefits off her in charges last week, she is trying to find her feet with money after the break up and they took all her money off her and she lives alone.........how cruel!

I am in the process of claiming all her charges back for her, I sent the letter beginning of last week, I still haven't heard anything but I am going to take them for every penny they have charged her!

Good luck to you xx




Hiya electriclady

The exact same thing happened to us last year after the bank started to take all these charges out of our bank . But while i was talking to the bank someone who works there slipped up and told me that they cannot offset any charges from benefits . The bugbare was that we had to go to a branch to get our benefits out every week for quite a long time . So if was you i would phone the bank and tell them you know the law says they can not take charges out of your mums benefit and she needs that money to live on today .

Hope you get a speady recovery of the charges .

Good luck

johncolin78

I dearly want to send bailiffs in to my local Natwest. Hope they don't pay up. (for a while at least!)

earwig

i dont mind the bank charging me for bounced direct debit but i do mind them charging me 30 pounds when it only cost them 5 pounds to do it
as for the point about the credit worthey people having to pay for our mistakes where do you think your high intressed comes from it from us having to pay over the odds when we make a mistake and the 25 pound pure profit they are making from us with each charge
its more money for the banks to invest and in turn enables them to offer higher intresst to the people with saving acounts