Rosie

RHeighton

I went over my overdraft limit for the first time. I called my bank and they agreed to reverse the charges as a one-off as it hadn't happened before. During the same call I transferred some money to rectify the situation. When my statement came I saw that they had reversed the charges, but had added a second lot of charges. When I called them they said that it was because I was overdrawn over two statement periods. I was overdrawn on 21st of month and called them on 24th to transfer the money and ask for the reversal of charges. My statements run from 23rd to 22nd of the month, which apparently relates to the date I opened the account. I called them to complain but they said the second lot of charges would stand due to the overdraft covering two statements. Is there anythng I can do?

Premier_2

RHeighton wrote: »

I went over my overdraft limit for the first time. I called my bank and they agreed to reverse the charges as a one-off as it hadn't happened before. During the same call I transferred some money to rectify the situation. When my statement came I saw that they had reversed the charges, but had added a second lot of charges. When I called them they said that it was because I was overdrawn over two statement periods. I was overdrawn on 21st of month and called them on 24th to transfer the money and ask for the reversal of charges. My statements run from 23rd to 22nd of the month, which apparently relates to the date I opened the account. I called them to complain but they said the second lot of charges would stand due to the overdraft covering two statements. Is there anythng I can do?

Not a lot.

Banks are under no obligation to refund any bank charges, but often do on request for a first occurrence on a goodwill basis, as they offered you in this instance. Very unlikley to have a refund for the second occurrence, as you have found from your bank's refusal to entertain your second request.

RHeighton

Thank you for your reply. However, I am not sure that I made it clear what happened. I was not overdrawn for two months running. I was only overdrawn for a few days, but the days I was overdrawn covered two statement periods, ie the end of one bank statement and the start of another. As a consequence they charged me twice. It just seems unfair that I went overdrawn once, something I don't usually do, and was charged twice for it just because of where it fell in the month! How can they do that?
Rosie.

Premier_2

RHeighton wrote: »

Thank you for your reply. However, I am not sure that I made it clear what happened. I was not overdrawn for two months running. I was only overdrawn for a few days, but the days I was overdrawn covered two statement periods, ie the end of one bank statement and the start of another. As a consequence they charged me twice. It just seems unfair that I went overdrawn once, something I don't usually do, and was charged twice for it just because of where it fell in the month! How can they do that?
Rosie.

Yes I understood what you initially wrote.

You were overdrawn for a number of days, and unfortunately for you, that period spanned two monthly billing periods.
You therefore incurred two lots of monthly charges.

Yes the bank can do that if that is the way they say they will charge in their terms and conditions/tariff of charges.

The bank did give you a goodwill gesture of waiving the initial charge for the first month, but the fact your overdraft extended into a second monthly billing period, they decided didn't warrant any further goodwill regarding the later charges.

RHeighton

Sorry for thinking that you misunderstood me first time around, and thank you for explaining and also confirming what I feared would be the case. It's scandalous. Oh well, lesson learnt, it was all down to me not paying attention to things. It won't be happening again!!

Thanks again.