NatWest

Mrsbuttercup

About 4 weeks ago my local branch of Natwest askeed me if i would like to upgrade my account. I had a step account but wanted to upgrade to a current account so that i had a better card and cheque book. I use postal orders alot so this would cut out the post office fee's. At the appointment i was told she would apply for the top account (gold something or other)and then if i didnt want this she would downgrade it for me. The application for this was accepted and she gave me some stuff to read. The next day i told her that i didnt want this account and i wanted to downgrade to the current plus. She sent me away, telling me to wait for the welcome pack and to reconsider. Another week went by with no welcome pack so i called Natwest and told them i wanted to downgrade which they did before putting the phone down on me! When i checked online i realised that instead of upgrading my account i have had for 6 years, they had opened a whole new account. So since then i have been juggling monies between the 2 to try and avoid bank charges, but this week the inevitable happened. A DD for my internet came out which i had forgotten about. I knew they would charge me but put this down to my error and put the money into my account that my internet had taken out. I didn't put enough in to cover my bank charges as i usually get a letter telling me what date they will take them. That week i transferred £150 into my old account for my rent (SO) but i had a call from my landlord telling me it was unpaid. I checked online to find that Natwest had taken it! They tried to take the charges fees out of my bank and becuase i was £2.01 short they charged me again! So when my rent was unpaid due to Natwest taking 2 sets of charges they charged me again resulting in Natwest taking £112 out of my £150 rent money. I am so upset as now my landlord is getting cross and wanting double next week. My husband works all the hours he can to support us and our 4 children.

How do i get this back if at all?

P.S. Its not ther 1st time either, they charged me like this 2 years ago (approx £140) after i was 21p short on a DD. I never claimed it back

Thanks
Emma:(

kylieM_2

Hi

I also had a solo card, I wanted to upgrade, and was exepted for an advantage Gold, They gave me the inpression, I was going to be getting a maestro card, when another solo card came through the door I was not happy. I went in to cancel it and they said I couldn't because it was a saturday. Because I didn't have any money in there to cover the £12 charge. I got a charge for bounced direct debit and another for going over allowance.

I went in my branch, explained what had happenend and they refunded the charges. Try going in and explaining your situation (Calmly but firmly) and they should refund it for you, if that doesnt work call the head office and tell then you will go to press with it.

Good Luck

natweststaffmember

A step account cannot be upgraded with the same account number apart from Advantage Blue which does not entitle the account holder to a maestro card. I would suggest downgrading the account because from the information you have written, the account was missold. I am not sure what exactly has happened between the two accounts as the post is slightly unclear. Advantage Gold is a current account and a new account number would have been generated and the step account would have remained opened. If the account is not what you wanted then you can downgrade to a current account and provided no benefits of the account ie advantage gold, have been used then a full refund of those charges should happen.
Can you clarify if the Advantage gold account has caused the charges? Did the rent come out of the step account? Is wages paid into the step account or Advantage gold account?
As I said the post was not clear as to what had happened to cause there to be a shortfall in the rent money going out.

natweststaffmember

Yes you should chase it up and explain that you sent a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act and that the payment was used as a payment for the card. If it is 40 days then complain to the Information Commissioners Office that NatWest have failed to comply with a SAR and used it instead for a payment.

Mrsbuttercup

yes sorry. I thought that my step account would be upgraded but a new account was opened instead. I downgraded it to the current plus and started having my wages paid into that account but before i could get all my DD and SO moved over from my step account to my new account a DD came out and i was charged. Today they put £38 back and told me i wont be getting anymore

natweststaffmember

sounds like a one off Gesture of Goodwill Refund. Did they mention about transferring direct debits and standing Orders over to the new account?
I would suggest you start the process as per Martin's guide to reclaiming charges to get back all charges. If you converted it back prior to the three months did you get the charges for advantage gold back? If not, then you need to have another visit re those charges as the terms and conditions state a full refund of those charges if you have not used the account in the inital 90 day period.

billytruffin

Ok, I have received a letter from Nat West now explaining about the test case etc etc, they can't deal with claims until this is all settled. Do I need to send a further letter or take it to court, or do I just wait until after the test case?

natweststaffmember

If you want to you can take it to court but the likelyhood is that it will be stayed until after the test case.

imapoorstudent

Hello! Thanks to Martin and co. I won a nice sum from Capital One. BUT - NatWest and Barclays didn't come so quietly.

As a consequence I still have two court cases pending and stayed until the test case yada yada yada. This was months ago.

I pretty much gave up but, due to a change in circumstances where I now absolutely need the £2,000+ owed to me due to hardship, I need to get back in there!!!

Can somebody please advise on my next move? Yes I am in hardship and I can provide proof in the form of bank statements that I don't earn enough to cover my bills and I cannot work anymore than I do because I am a full-time student already working 30 hours a week!

And yes, both cases have been stayed.

What now?!

natweststaffmember

Because the case has been stayed you would have to prove hardship, ie that the charges NOW are causing the hardship. You would then have to apply to have the stay lifted and even then it could be contested by the bank themselves.