Ignored Past-Transaction Request?

Bounty_Bam

Hello

I have applied, using a template letter that was kindly provided by MoneySavingExpert, for a full list of transactions from my bank, demanding my past charges under the Data Protection Act.

I posted this first class to Santander's Head Office in Bradford, in early November and have still not heard anything back from them. Yet, I have received a latest statement, with yet more bank charges, which was issued a month after my initial request. Could it be that they have turned a blind eye to my request? If so, what should, or what CAN I do?

Thanks.

Bounty_Bam

After a little research (and a large mug of coffee), I have come across another main address for Santander, this one in London. I will reprint, redate and resign my letter again, and attempt to get their attention at this address too.

dunstonh

Remember to send in your £10 with it and state it is a data subject access request.

Also, remember that banks may not hold a long history on statements (typically 6 years). Finally, Santander on hardship cases typically refund the last 6-12 months if they agree you are in hardship. If you are not in hardship then you would expect auto-rejection. Santander are also pretty good on goodwill gestures for first time errors. They will often refund first error in the year if you ask them. So, you may well be wasting £10 you dont need to spend.

Remember that the banks won the court case on bank charges. Now, only hardship cases and incorrect application along with first time errors are considered. Even the FOS wont take on complaints about "unfair" bank charges any more. Is your complaint hardship (meeting the criteria) or first time error?

Bounty_Bam

What's happened, is my mobile phone network had attempted to take funds from my Santander account for my monthly phone bill. Because there was not enough funds in this account, the payment was rejected (therefore no money was taken from my account), yet I was still charged a total of £50 (plus some daily charges, as the bank informed me of this a few weeks after it occurred). I called Santander, stating that I am currently claiming Job Seekers' Allowance as a small family with my partner and our 1 year old child, and that this £50 is a lot of money to us. They agreed to cancel the fine as a one-off kind gesture. The following month (roughly October 2012), yet again my mobile phone network attempted to take money from my account (baring in mind I have an arrangement with O2 to pay manually via "My O2" app - from my Lloyds TSB account). So now, I owed Santander £68, plus multiple £5 charges per day as I am unable to afford this fine with our current necessities - feeding a child, heating the home, food for the three of us, lack of a job - it's not as if we have a Sky TV or Virgin package - we don't even own a TV! After calling into my local Santander branch, they agreed to apply an overdraft limit to my account. I am not entirely sure what they did, but I am now charged an amount of £1 a day as oppose to £5. But still, the amount is on the constant rise and is now over £100. I am going to have to pay this on my next JSA payment, with will take more than 50% of our fortnightly income.
I then discovered about reclaiming Bank Charges, which made me realise that I have had a lot of extortionate charges from Santander ever since it was renamed from Abbey National. So decided to start the possible reclaim ball rolling - as every penny we can get back would help us immensely.

Wywth

My advice to you would be to save the price of the stamp

Nothing you have posted supports a claim under financial hardship, and you say Santander have already refunded some of the charges as a gesture of goodwill.

Instead, I suggest post your SoA over on the Debt Free Wannabe board.
(Details in a sticky thread there).

dalesrider

Why waste £10......

Simply ring them

Although to be honest. you should be chasing 02 for the charges....
As well as kicking yourself for not cancelling the DD if you had a agreement with 02.

Bounty_Bam

On the 14th of January, I paid the charge of £104.93. I transferred £105.00, leaving me with +£0.07 in the bank.

According to my online banking, there were no more fees to come out of my account after paying this sum on the 14th.

I received a letter this morning, saying I am credited with £0.07 as suspected. Along with yet another charge of £20 due to be taken out on the 5th February, for "daily arranged overdraft fee" dated the 14th January - the day I amended all differences and paid them what they were asking for.

Why do they want yet another £20 the day I paid them into credit?
Of the £20.66 pw Child Benefit, I'll be left with 66p for that week.