Reclaim Unfair Bank Charges article discussion Part II

smashedbooboo

well done everyone. Could you do us a favor anyone that has managed to get money back. Give us a date when you started and a date when you got your money. We could do with a time line to help the rest of the reclaimers. You may ahve started before the stays were granted but if they are still paying out now then it would be a boost for everyone. Thanks guys x

debtfreejames

gillt wrote: »

Hello all

I'm in a bit of a predicament. I put in a claim to NatWest in May for just over £6000. They offered me £5854 in July, which I accepted and after a bit of chasing around (detailed in other posts at the time), the money went into my account around August 12th. So far so good. Then, 2 weeks later I received through the post a hand-written cheque for the same amount! So far I haven't done anything with it - apart from look at it! The temptation to pay it in is enormous - but so far my conscience hasn't let me. They haven't written or phoned to ask for it back, so obviously don't realise what they have done.

Has this happened to anyone else and if so, what sis you do?

Yours confusedlt

Gillt

What a temptation.....!!!!!!

If you bank it though they will no doubt catch up with you eventually...

I had something similar when a suitcase of ours went missing when we returned from Australia 3 years ago. There was no sign of it for weeks so we went through the usual procedure of itemising everything and putting in an insurance claim.

A couple more weeks went by and we received a cheque for around £2000. The following day, completely out of the blue a chap arrived on our doorstep with the missing suitcase. I had not had time to bank the cheque yet !

I was tempted in the extreme to still bank the cheque anyway but my wife made me see sense and explained that they would be asking for it back.

There was also that story recently where a woman had a mystery amount deposited into her account, a mistake by the bank. I can't remeber the exact amount but it was well over £100K. She thought all her Christmas's had come at once and went on al allmighty spending spree. She had never had much money so she was like a kid in a candy shop.

It took the bank a few months I think to realise and they then obviously requested it back. By that time she had spent the majority of it. Now she is in a right predicament because she has no way of repaying it.

pete2007

atticus2006 wrote: »

Hi,
My court date is for today :eek: and am taking to Barclays to court for £400.
Will Barclays turn up in court, Do i have to say anything,
If barclays don't turn up, will I win by default?
They have entered a defence,

Any help appreciated before 1pm today! EEK!

yes can you please let us know the outcome my case is similar to yours with 300+ of charges so please please reply and tell us what happened as were just about ready to send the letter demanding our money back.

they did rite to us stating that there will be charges starting on such and such a date these charges will go up obviously meant to put us off.

there making out there's no point trying to claim and have recently charged us another £90 for going over on two direct debits.

it is a bit confusing how they still think that they can get away not only not giving the money back for previous charges but by keeping on charging us.

can they do this i wonder or not?

ronnie3108

gillt wrote: »

Hello all

I'm in a bit of a predicament. I put in a claim to NatWest in May for just over £6000. They offered me £5854 in July, which I accepted and after a bit of chasing around (detailed in other posts at the time), the money went into my account around August 12th. So far so good. Then, 2 weeks later I received through the post a hand-written cheque for the same amount! So far I haven't done anything with it - apart from look at it! The temptation to pay it in is enormous - but so far my conscience hasn't let me. They haven't written or phoned to ask for it back, so obviously don't realise what they have done.

Has this happened to anyone else and if so, what sis you do?

Yours confusedlt

Gillt

I think that you definitely need to hand it back to them, as i agreee that they will relaise at some point and request it back. It is however possible that you would only be expected to pay it back in installments. However I am sure your conscience won't allow you to cash it - and it is possible that the cheques may have been stopped already anyway.
HOWEVER - in saying this. I WOULD ask for a small reqard for your honesty, and mention that you have returned the cheque to them with the minimal of fuss - and it is a shame that they could not have dealt with your charges reclaimin such an honest & timely manner (presuming that yours was indeed the same long drawn out, litigation process that the rest of us have experienced). Therefore in view of your honesty you would welcome a £200 reward.
See how you get on. I have heard of banks rewarding people for their honesty in the past. Don't cash it and lower yourself to their standards.

mozziesaves

Hi My Bank HSBC have just refunded me £ 1800 . It took 4 months and persistence! BUT they still keep charging me £ 25 per day if I go over. I thought this was unlawful. I think I read somewhere that £ 12 was max? Anybody got any ideas?

ronnie3108

mozziesaves wrote: »

Hi My Bank HSBC have just refunded me £ 1800 . It took 4 months and persistence! BUT they still keep charging me £ 25 per day if I go over. I thought this was unlawful. I think I read somewhere that £ 12 was max? Anybody got any ideas?

No Mozziesaves. Not exactly. The charges haven't been decided on as either lawful or unlawful yet. This is what the test case initiated by the office of Fair trading, Financial Services Authority & Financial ombudsman Service is all about. Most peoples court claims are stayed at the moment pending the outcome of that case - which is expected possibly at the end of the year.
However - this is what the second phase of the Consumer revolt is about. Whilst those 3 banking bodies have told banks that they don't have to pay out any more cliams whilst this test case is heard, they haven't stopped the banks from levying these charges against us in the meantime. This is wholly unfair and is very baised toward the banks - when these bodies are meant to provide fair play to the consumer. It is unfair because people have had to pay to take the banks to court and can't get their money back currently because of the stay against claims, and yet they can whack us for £35 still.
Some banks have started to lower their charges even prior to the outcome of the test case - and if this is evidence enough that they know that they have been ripping us off for years, then I don't know what is.

robin_pianoman1

I can't see why this case has gone to court. It seems well documented that to be lawful, such charges need to be proportional to the work involved, and with the computers churning out these letters automatically and making the decisions for the managers, this should more like 35pence rather than £35.

I have little faith of a successful outcome. Governments are more interested in passing laws that benefit big business and such corporations than the general population. How much do they stand to lose in tax paid by banks if untold millions has to be refunded by the banks? That is why the current state of play is at it is; not only have banks been told that claims are put on hold whilst the case is ongoing, but they are also being allowed to continue making these unfair charges during this period. If it is under review owing to the court case, the banks right to make these charges should also be suspended - it works both ways. Once again Big Business wins over us 'little people'.

If we could go back in time to being a 'cash society', that would give them all something to think about. If the banks had no money paid into accounts, they would have significantly less cash to play with and invest for their own good (hey - some of them may even go out of business!), and the government would lose tons through cash payments not being declared. Unfortunately, the plastic society we live in now is too well established for people to give up the convenience.

newcook

morning!!!!

I know that when we send the letter threatening court we have to give 14 days notice but is it the same the other way round??

I missed one of my re-payments and their solicitor sent a letter saying I had 7 days from the date of the letter (so really I only had 5 days including the weekend). is this right????

thanks in advance!

joejude1

hi im a newbie but could anyone tell me if it is worth carrying on at the moment or wait till after the test case aas my circumstances are rather limited
me and my hubby get benefits and are in debt to the tune of about 2k
we have recieved the last 6 years statments and when added up with intrest the halifax owe us £3900 we have just got the letter saying that all claims are on hold untill after the test case and they said that could take some time
so i was just looking on here and some cases are still being dealt with by the courts and waiving the stays so should i continue and proceed through the courts
thanx in advance for advice
joe

superbgardens

hi all,
I wrote my bank a letter before action letter saying I want my money within 14 days or I'll go to court. their response was a rubbish offer or 125 out the 490 im claiming, unfortunately I didnt do anything else untill I found the letters and my files today. they say in the offer letter that if they do not hear from me within 8 weeks they will assume that I am happy..... Im not happy but that letter was sent on 27th september 2006. can I still just take them to court now even though its months after? or should I send another letter before action note rejecting their offer and setting a new deadline for them?