Wording of 1st letter

jjbtnc

hello all

On this site there are links to other similar sites also offering the same information. One such site is https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk I happened to have a look at their template for the 1st letter, the one to get a copy of charges that have been applied to your account. While the overall reclaim back charges process is detailed pretty much the same their 1st letter has a slight difference.

Their 1st letter follows similar lines to the template posted here but includes the following

"Additionally, where there has been any event in my account history over this period which has required manual intervention by any member of your staff, or any other person, I require disclosure of any indication or notes which have either caused or resulted in that manual intervention, or other evidence of that manual intervention in relation to my banking business with you.

If you are unable to supply this data because there has been no such manual intervention, then please be so kind as to confirm this in your response."


this isn't in the template for the 1st letter given on this site.


Do you think it makes any difference? Would it be important to use a template with the above paragraphs included?

Slightly confused as to which template i should use?


Thanks for any help


EDIT - while i'm here i also wanted to check the address to which to send the letter to Natwest

here it is given as

Natwest
Retail Regulatory Risk
2nd Floor
Cornerstone
60 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9WF

while on the consumeractiongroup site the state

"Send this request including the £10 fee to the address which your bank has registered with the Data Protection Commissioner as the address of the Data Controller:-
Information Commissioners - Data Protection Public Register" giving a link to the register.

Checking the register i can't see any mention of the address for Natwest being the same as given here.
I just wanted to make sure i have the correct address to send to - hers the link form the register

http://www.esd.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/esd/DoSearch.asp?reg=3209496


Thanks again

MimiJane

Some people are using this site only for their info./templates, etc. and others (like me) are using both this site and the CAG. I've used templates from both websites and also mixed and matched, depending on what I'm happy with.

It's up to you which info. you use. The CAG tends to be more legally orientated and has lots of useful info., especially about the later stages of claiming (court bundles, etc.) but, in most instances, there are no rights or wrongs ... just go with whatever you feel happy doing and tailor all the info. you gather to meet your own needs.

As for your query about the Nat West address, a lot of people I'm sure have used both addresses without a problem ... it will all be channelled to the relevant office or their solicitors in the end (if it gets that far:rolleyes:), so I really wouldn't worry about it.

jjbtnc

Thanks for the reply

Think it would be best to go for the CAG letter - seems to say the same except for that paragraph i mentioned. Just the paragraph seems to include an important point and i wondered why it wasn't in the letter template on this site.

Thanks again

Kurt_Hamster

jjbtnc wrote: »

Thanks for the reply

Think it would be best to go for the CAG letter - seems to say the same except for that paragraph i mentioned. Just the paragraph seems to include an important point and i wondered why it wasn't in the letter template on this site.

Thanks again

I'm not totally sure that the wording of the CAG template is all that good. One of the best ones around is the one from http://www.penaltycharges.co.uk but even that needs a little work.

As has been suggested a little bit from here and a little bit from there could prevent some officious defendant's solicitor asking things that haven't already been stated just to waste some time (and justify his charges to the bank).

jjbtnc

Thanks again for the replies

That's kind of what i was worried about, not including a piece of info or request, or not asking for something in the correct way, might lead to time wasting or being sent the incomplete data.

You mention the penaltycharges one may need a little work - any suggestions?

If i do go the route of a little bit from here and a bit from there i want to make sure i get the right bits!! LOL

Obviously i don't want somebody else to all the work and to have to go through the trouble of getting 'my' letter correct but any advice as to alterations or bits to add would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

Kurt_Hamster

jjbtnc wrote: »

Thanks again for the replies

That's kind of what i was worried about, not including a piece of info or request, or not asking for something in the correct way, might lead to time wasting or being sent the incomplete data.

You mention the penaltycharges one may need a little work - any suggestions?

If i do go the route of a little bit from here and a bit from there i want to make sure i get the right bits!! LOL

Obviously i don't want somebody else to all the work and to have to go through the trouble of getting 'my' letter correct but any advice as to alterations or bits to add would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

Personally I'd stick to plain and simple English (but make sure you use words that have a specific meaning and can't be taken out of context).

By using legalese you can be pretty much assured that's what you will get back, so don't use legal terms if you can help it, especially if you aren't 100% sure what they mean from a legal point of view. For example I see the expression "without prejudice" being bandied around the forum. Personally I think it's dangerous for layman to use terms like that when they can say the same thing in everyday English.

We aren't lawyers and we shouldn't try to pretend we are. Remember we don't have to impress either the bank or the solicitors we use. The Judges are the people making the decisions and they know we are layman and as such will give us a certain amount of leeway, but if you start using legal terms, maybe in the wrong place, then that leeway will reduce.

An analogy could be when you know a few words of a foreign language, say German, and you use them to impress a German tourist who asks you for directions... he then perceives you as someone who knows German and accordingly rattles on in his own language leaving you wondering what the hell he said.

I think K.I.S.S. is the way to go here. By all means use the quoted case precedent examples as these will be required, but keep the legalese to a minimum.