Halifax Bank Charges - Useless Customer Services!

nattycat

Hello all!
Hope it is okay to post here as this is my first time.

Basically I am having a tough time with Halifax.

Having previously used them for my student overdraft/savings/wages etc they were brill, one bank charge which turned out to be their error and reversed immediately.

To give you an idea of what problem i'm having - I became unemployed in Jan 2012 - claimed jobseekers while looking for work - no problems there
May 2012 - started a new job - came off jobseekers, changed DD's dates to co incide with new pay date.

After working for 6 weeks (started the middle of month and was told i would get 6 weeks pay) I found out I had been working for a con man so you can probably guess what i'm going to say - no wages! :mad:

Had to call all my dd's and explain etc - my account however became overdrawn from basic living costs. My partner was only earning £400 a month and we were only eligible for 1 room housing allowance and £18 a month council tax benefit.

I rang the bank to ask for an extended overdraft - no.

Bank charges kept being applied until we have the figure to date which is (off the top of my head) £788 -

I wrote to them a few months ago citing financial hardship (we had to get a crisis loan to afford food) they said they would freeze the charges for 3 months but no change on the fees. The guy basically said tough squit.

Having recently (february) got a new job, the tables have turned, my partner was made redundant (with no pay - he's not eligible for any jsa either because they say he has 'no contributions' but thats a whole other issue!) So we are stuck again, on one wage - there is no way i can pay this debt off for money i have not spent!!


I wrote to them last month with a copy of my expenditure report and a copy of my wage slip for proof of earnings - i have heard nothing from them until last night when i got home - there was a letter from a debt collectors stating that i needed to pay the full amount back because after 'numerous' attempts at contacting me the amount is unpaid.

Theres not an ice cubes chance in hell i'm paying anything back for money i have not spent. They were made aware of the situation.

Should i be sending the ombudsman a letter now?

Please help!

Wywth

nattycat wrote: »

Hello all!
Hope it is okay to post here as this is my first time.

Basically I am having a tough time with Halifax.

Having previously used them for my student overdraft/savings/wages etc they were brill, one bank charge which turned out to be their error and reversed immediately.

To give you an idea of what problem i'm having - I became unemployed in Jan 2012 - claimed jobseekers while looking for work - no problems there
May 2012 - started a new job - came off jobseekers, changed DD's dates to co incide with new pay date.

After working for 6 weeks (started the middle of month and was told i would get 6 weeks pay) I found out I had been working for a con man so you can probably guess what i'm going to say - no wages! :mad:

Had to call all my dd's and explain etc - my account however became overdrawn from basic living costs. My partner was only earning £400 a month and we were only eligible for 1 room housing allowance and £18 a month council tax benefit.

I rang the bank to ask for an extended overdraft - no.

Bank charges kept being applied until we have the figure to date which is (off the top of my head) £788 -

I wrote to them a few months ago citing financial hardship (we had to get a crisis loan to afford food) they said they would freeze the charges for 3 months but no change on the fees. The guy basically said tough squit.

Having recently (february) got a new job, the tables have turned, my partner was made redundant (with no pay - he's not eligible for any jsa either because they say he has 'no contributions' but thats a whole other issue!) So we are stuck again, on one wage - there is no way i can pay this debt off for money i have not spent!!


I wrote to them last month with a copy of my expenditure report and a copy of my wage slip for proof of earnings - i have heard nothing from them until last night when i got home - there was a letter from a debt collectors stating that i needed to pay the full amount back because after 'numerous' attempts at contacting me the amount is unpaid.

Theres not an ice cubes chance in hell i'm paying anything back for money i have not spent. They were made aware of the situation.

Should i be sending the ombudsman a letter now?

Please help!

Banks are not obligated to refund any fees, even if you are in financial hardship.
In your instance, they decided an offer to waive your fees for the next 3 months would be appropriate.

The ombudsman cannot force the bank to refund your fees either, under financial hardship. All they can do is request the bank review your claim again.

So you could escalate your complaint to the ombudsman, but still "plan your finances on the fact you WON'T get a payout, but cross your fingers in the hope you will".

nattycat

Thank you for your post -
I wouldn't mind if i had spent all the money they have charged me. But i think i accidentally went over my account by £50 with a bill - which by the time i had noticed/paid they slapped a load of charges on, which rolled on month per month!

I did also tell them guy on the phone, you can freeze them for 3 months but i have zero money to pay after those 3 months!

I now have a letter for a collections agency saying i owe them the full amount.
Urgh.

Wywth

nattycat wrote: »

Thank you for your post -
I wouldn't mind if i had spent all the money they have charged me. But i think i accidentally went over my account by £50 with a bill - which by the time i had noticed/paid they slapped a load of charges on, which rolled on month per month!

I did also tell them guy on the phone, you can freeze them for 3 months but i have zero money to pay after those 3 months!

I now have a letter for a collections agency saying i owe them the full amount.
Urgh.

Debts don't just disappear, even if you do plead poverty.

I suggest you pop yourself over to the Debt Free Wannabe board, post your SoA over there (details of how do do that in a sticky thread there) and I'm sure someone will help you on the appropriate route to becoming truly debt free