Packaged bank account claim query

Yolanda86

Hey I was just looking for some advice as a family member just told me you can claim packaged account fees...

I opened my first current account back in 2007 with Ulster bank. When I went into the branch to open the account the girl basically put my name in for everything. Ufirst gold account, credit card, overdraft and life insurance.

I felt like i was coerced into doing it at the time and she didn't go into great detail about all these things I was being put down for. I didn't even have a clue what life insurance was, I was 21 and had my son with me so she convinced me I needed it for my son as i would want him to have a good life if I died.

The ufirst gold wasn't really explained to me either, I was told I could get phone insurance on it (which I already had with orange) and that it was great for discount for going out to shows/eating out

I told the girl at the time that I had terrible credit and she told me to apply anyway as overdrafts are great in an emergency.

I cancelled the life insurance the next week as it was simple enough to do
I was refused the overdraft and credit card due to my credit rating

I reapplied for an overdraft about 6 months later and asked for one for £200 but for some reason they gave me £250

In all the years I've had this account I've never used the ufirstgold benefits (bar overdraft) When I applied I already had phone insurance, (she told me i could use it to insure a family members phone?) I didn't drive and I had no money to go out for meals/concerts and certainly not to go on holiday. These things still apply to this day. I do drive now but it's my partners car so he deals with the mechanic and all that stuff.

My question is because I have an overdraft does that mean I can't claim the fees back. I believe one of the 'perks' of ufirstgold is 0% interest on an overdraft up to £500. So would this disqualify me even tho I haven't used any of the other benefits? I did try and cancel it a few years ago but they told me no I had to come into the branch to do it but I don't live in that town anymore so I just left it.

Sorry, typing this on my phone so it's probably all over the place!

Nasqueron

You don't "claim back" the fees, you put in a complaint detailing why you feel it was miss-sold.

Note though it is the sale that is the issue, not events after so if you were sold a packaged account that you didn't need (on the grounds you cancelled the life insurance and never used the benefits of the account) and that the OD and CC were not given at point of sale then sounds like you have paid for something you didn't need.

As the OD was not given until 6 months later the "sale" didn't include an OD

You can complain to the bank direct about the account, just explain the above and see what they say

Yolanda86

Ok I'll give it a shot, worst they can say is no!
Thanks for your help!!

Yolanda86

Just an update...

Got my response from the bank. They admitted I haven't used any of the services but stand by the decision the packaged bank account was not mis-sold.

I'd mentioned in the complaint that I wasn't offered any other account at the time of sale and the reason why I was opening a new account as I kept getting charges on my abbey account when money was disapeering then reappearing a few days later (not a clue how it happened but abbey wouldn't remove the charges it incurred saying it was my fault so I just decided to get a new account). Ulster bank stated that because I had a bank account before I knew you could get a fee free bank account and I should have asked for one. My bank account with abbey was one I opened at 16 (pretty sure I had my mum with me although cant remember if she needed to do anything it was 12 years ago), it was a bank account I didn't have a clue what type it was I just needed a bank to pay wages into. A bank was a bank.

Going to send it off to the ombudsman to take a look at on the basis that they have admitted I haven't used any of the services and that the bank provided a full detailed account of the services they offered, which they didn't as I was not offered a basic account, the only account they offered me was the gold

Nasqueron

At this point one of three things will happen:

Bank will roll-over at the FOS and pay out
FOS will agree with you and ask bank to pay
FOS will agree with bank and not agree a payout

If second - bank may appeal it to the top level
If third - you can appeal it to the top level

Expect a long wait there with all the other PPI related work but who knows

Yolanda86

The ombudsman got back to me last week and they are in my favour. They have asked the bank to pay me back all fees paid along with 8% interest per year. The bank has by the 30th to reply if they think the ombudsman have got it wrong. Hopefully not! Thank you for your help!