reclaim bank charge question

reason2

Howdy all,

i have a question about bank charges

i went through a bad patch (mental health wise) 5 yrs ago.. something that still effects me when it comes to finance..although years ago the problem created debt now it stops me dealing with it.

im trying really hard to fix things again.

anyway, i had a natwest account which i basically ran away from and pretended it never existed.

i have approx £1600 in overdrawn charges on it and £1600 in bounced cheque fees on it.. ive never spoke to them about it at all.. charges are between £35-40 each.

its all completely my fault.. i knew cheques would bounce and so on and of course natwest have had to honour some..

can i still try to reclaim these charges to help clear down debt or will they laugh in my face and then demand a lot of cash that i wont have...

reason2

anyone????

Emma_Drewberry

Hi Reason2
It might be an idea to consult a free debt advice service such as the citizens advice bureau.

They can help you to write to the bank and explain the situation. If you want them to clear the charges and are willing to repay the original debt/ overdraft then you should explain that in the letter and also explain your situation. If you have some of the original debt outstanding but are willing/ able to pay a certain amount each month then you should say this too.

I worked for a bank complaints department a while ago and I know that there are lots of people in the same position as you and they have procedures in place for vulnerable customers but the citizens advice would also have information about this which would be more up to date than mine.

If you write to the bank and are not happy with the response you have the option of going to the Financial Ombudsman Service to appeal.

Hope this is some help and good luck.