Reclaim Unfair Bank Charges Discussion Area

bizarro15

ange_g wrote:

I'm in the middle of claiming back bank charges and have already had a full refund from Barclaycard, however I have recently got married and all the charges I am claiming for are in my maiden name, as my bank accounts are now in my married name they won't accept any cheques made out in my previous name.

Is it going to confuse matters if I claim them in my maiden name but then maybe put a footnote at the bottom requesting they make payment payable in my married name?

I don't see why you shouldn't be able to ask for the cheque to be made payable to whatever name you choose. I made a claim on an account which was previously a joint account, but now in my wife's name alone.I put my name on all correspondence and we had no pproblem. The cheque was paid directly into the account. The dispute involves a specific account so (assuming you have changed the name on the account since you married) it shouldn't be a problem. Just add a note to that effect on one of your letters, but it certainly wouldn't be a reason for the bank to weasel out of paying.

Richiefitz3007

Got moneyclaim all typed up and ready to send. Today was the deadline for both to get back to me. Lloyds refused point blank to pay back £2600, saying they do not hide there charge information, should control account better blah blah blah!!!

Barclaycard only offered £144, so they won't pay anymore. They will be taken to small claims for £216

Wish me luck!!!

bizarro15

beez wrote:

ok evryone,I've just totalled my charges over 6 years and it's come to 12k! how do you take action for this amount and could you slit into say 3 amounts? ta very much

I believe it is possible to make seperate claims all under 5K in order to stay in the small claims track, but I would seek advice as to whether this was advisable in your case. Maybe PM one of the Mods. It is possible if you make multiple small claims concurrently the bank could ask for them to be amalgamated, tipping you back into the fast track and potentially higher costs. However fast track apparently comes with "standard disclosure" meaning that if it came to court, the bank would HAVE to disclose its actual costs incurred from unpaid DDs etc. Something no bank will do, which should mean faster settlement. Do read more on thes issues on here and on Consumer action group, before deciding. You MUST do your research before going through with this. No-one else can make these decisions for you.

bizarro15

nucscam wrote:

I am just about to send a letter to HSBC to get my last 6 years bank charges, in the main article it metions going slightly over your overdraft, however a few years ago I was very irresponsible with my account and went approx £500 over my overdraft. Can I still claim my charges back or am i just waisting my time?

Thanks in advance.

The crux of the matter with these claims is that the charges made are penalty charges- punitive charges above the costs involved to the bank in each case. The banks aren't allowed to profit from these charges. Therefore they are unlawful and can be claimed back in full. How/If you have been irresponsible with your account is "legally" irrelevant. Obviously, it would be better to manage your finances so as to avoid future charges, but since you are a member of this site, one would assume you are doing so!

The point is not whether it is your's or the banks "fault" you went overdrawn, but that they are taking advantage of people's mistakes or lack of organisation in order to make unlawful profits. Don't let 'em

spiritof62

Hi
Am i going to stumble at the first hurdle.
Im with HSBC and am wondering whether its possible to get started. As im sure being a single mum on income support , i wont be able to get another bank account to use just in case they close my HSBC for trying to get the charges back. Any other uses been in the same position im really desperate .Im really worried about even asking for all the charges to be listed etc before finding another bank account. Even though up until a few years ago i had a good credit history, its only because all the charges have ben piled on that im now struggling . HEllllllllllllllp please

bizarro15

dawnmoo wrote:

Hi

I'm from N Ireland and struggling financially.
I've decided after reading these great articles to take Ulster Bank for unfair bank charges.
I am 300 in the red with the bank as they took my 100 pound over draft off me in September and have been happily charging me 30 each month for the pleasure. Which has now resulted in me being 300 pounds in debt to them. And they're asking for that back!
I've printed off the information on charges letter but I'm unsure should I try and contact them to come to some agreement? Should I pay this 300 pound for nothing? Or should I take them for charges?

I have been in the situation with them for some time where they take a 30 pound charge for a direct debit and take it straight from my account that then puts me over my overdraft and they charge me a further 30 for the pleasure. There's been months in the past I've payed 280+ pounds to the bank for them to bounce a direct debit. It's snowballed out of control and don't know what to do.

Thanks x

Definitely go for it! Think of it this way... If you hadn't had all the charges over the last 6 years you wouldn't have this debt now right? Send in the first letter asking for your statements if you don't have them all (and open a "parachute" account too). By following Martin's steps you ARE trying to come to an agreement. But don't let them fob you off with small "gestures of goodwill" If you do your research and follow the steps you CAN get 100% of your charges back.Personally, I would advise against trying to do this via phone or in person. Keep all correspondence formal by letter (and/or email once you get a specific name).It does take time and effort but rember its YOUR money you're fighting for not theirs!

bizarro15

spiritof62 wrote:

Hi
Am i going to stumble at the first hurdle.
Im with HSBC and am wondering whether its possible to get started. As im sure being a single mum on income support , i wont be able to get another bank account to use just in case they close my HSBC for trying to get the charges back. Any other uses been in the same position im really desperate .Im really worried about even asking for all the charges to be listed etc before finding another bank account. Even though up until a few years ago i had a good credit history, its only because all the charges have ben piled on that im now struggling . HEllllllllllllllp please

Hi spiritof62.
Don't worry. It all seems very daunting at first, but take it step by step and its not so bad. First off, try opening one of the basic accounts that many banks offer. These normally don't include overdrafts or credit cards etc. and so are easier to get. The Co-op and Coventry Building society seem to get mentioned a lot. If you wanted to check your credit score before you go ahead there are ways to get free checks and/or statutory reports for only £2.

Even if you don't get a second account, HSBC may not close your account (but check to see the experiences of other HSBC claimants).

Please don't feel intimidated by the bank. You have certain rights by law, and these include being able to see any data concerning your finances. The banks are simply another business which relies on US to keep THEM going. You wouldn't feel shy about asking for a refund if you were overcharged at a supermarket would you?

The whole process took 6 months in my case (although its always possible you might get a result quicker), so you need to realise its not something thats going to happen overnight in any case. Take your time to read the forums and go at your own pace (NOT the bank's)

Remember..... "baby steps"
Best of luck

bizarro15

symesd wrote:

After reading this article I checked my online statements, ony go back 3 months online, to my horror the total for just 3 months in charges was £955.....:mad: :mad:

Boy did I read the rest of that article quickly and proceeded to address the NATWEST with the first letter straight away as I have 2 bank accounts with them, the 40 day deadline is 27/12/06 for a list of all charges.

How much it will be is scary, hopefully a lot, and I can get my own back - I have recently applied for a £2000 loan to pay off my overdraft and reduce to Nil to clear, and this was declined, wouldn't it be hilarious if they had to pay it me instead and if the 3 months is anything to go by it will be a lot more than £2000. Here's hoping.

I will keep you posted.

Hi symes,
WOW! £955 in 3 months is horrendous!
You could try opening another account which offers a 0% interest overdraft. I had a similar experience. Couldn't get a loan but then managed to open another account with a 0% overdraft.This would also give you a "parachute account" before claiming back charges from your current bank and give you time to clear the o/d with your reclaimed charges! Alliance and Leicester do a great account and matched my previous o/d at 0% for a year (certain conditions to meet tho, of course). Even better they offer a £50 referral scheme which you can find plenty of offers for on the referrals board.

If you are still getting such high levels of charges every month, I think you need to sort finances to deal with this. Although you should be able to claim back 100% of all these charges, it sounds like you also need to reconsider how you deal with your outgoings, DDs etc. Hope I don't sound patronising and I apologise if I do!

bizarro

LyndsayJ

Angie - if you take in your marriage certificate you should be able to pay in a cheque; you might also need photo id for example a driving licence or passport... Good luck!

Mummy3

My husband and I both bank with First Direct and have become increasing narked with their charges!! So, we do the right thing, I open another account and we both begin the letter sending process - we have different accounts.

How I laugh when he gets his money back and I get told to take a hike!!! Could this be anything to do with the fact that I am a housewife and have no income and he does????? Surely not, after all that would be grossly unfair and totally inappropriate wouldn't it??? :mad: :mad:

Have now sent them the 7 day warning for court action and am looking forward to the results.....:eek: :eek:

Watch this space!!!