Barclays

gav2000

Hi,
I have had a gambling problem over the last year and have managed to rack up £17000 worth of debt. I am currently facing up to my responsibilities and my family now have control over my finances. I have recently had to borrow a large loan from my mum to repay the 10 payday loans that I had. I am currently living at home. I have had a Barclays overdraft fro approx £4500 which I have been living in for the past year and racking up £1000 worth of charges. My monthly outgoings apart from debt are not that large. Is it worth claiming hardship and trying to claim charges back? Could Barclays cancel my overdraft and demand payment if I complain? Thanks for any advice.

Nasqueron

Barclays will accept a hardship claim, as they are supposed to, but as soon as it becomes obvious your debts/charges were due to your gambling they are less likely to give you much in the way of charges - perhaps they will freeze charges going forward for a period

dunstonh

When you explain to the bank that your debts were built through gambling, they are unlikely to help you charges made prior to you notifying them that you have a gambling problem. However, going forward, they are more likely to help you. They won't cancel the overdraft but they will restrict future borrowing and manage you back into credit. They may suspend charges for a period and help you going forward.

FOS decisions appear to indicate that the bank should support the person once they are aware of the gambling issue. However, they are not responsible if they were not aware.