Reclaim package charges on French HBSC account
EnoughisEnough_2
Forumite 6 Posts
Hi everyone!
(This is my first ever 'post' or 'thread' so be gentle!)
I'm looking for help and advice.
I opened an account with CCF, Calais in 1991. This became an HSBC account after they bought CCF. I had been given a Premiere account (I think from the account opening, but certainly when HSBC 'took-over' in 2000).
A Premiere account incurred a monthly charge of 15-20 euros plus an annual charge.
I had been told having French account was much more costly than a UK bank account so accepted it was a necessary cost,
Can I reclaim these monies as it was never explained that I couldn't use the benefits that came with the Premiere account. The total paid is probably in the order of over 5000 Euros.
I opened a UK account with HSBC about two years ago,and they automatically made it a Premier account because I was already a Premier customer with my French account.
The UK account doesn't charge me and does have a few benefits - although apart from travel insurance (which no longer applies to me) I haven't checked out what they are.
Thanks
EnoughisEnough!
I'm looking forward to your replies.
(This is my first ever 'post' or 'thread' so be gentle!)
I'm looking for help and advice.
I opened an account with CCF, Calais in 1991. This became an HSBC account after they bought CCF. I had been given a Premiere account (I think from the account opening, but certainly when HSBC 'took-over' in 2000).
A Premiere account incurred a monthly charge of 15-20 euros plus an annual charge.
I had been told having French account was much more costly than a UK bank account so accepted it was a necessary cost,
Can I reclaim these monies as it was never explained that I couldn't use the benefits that came with the Premiere account. The total paid is probably in the order of over 5000 Euros.
I opened a UK account with HSBC about two years ago,and they automatically made it a Premier account because I was already a Premier customer with my French account.
The UK account doesn't charge me and does have a few benefits - although apart from travel insurance (which no longer applies to me) I haven't checked out what they are.
Thanks
EnoughisEnough!
I'm looking forward to your replies.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Latest MSE News and Guides
Replies
This account was held at a French branch - Champs Elysees, Paris - but the Premiere package I was charged for is applied throughout Europe, the benefits vary in detail tweaked to local preferences. It is reciprocal in that as I have a UK Premier account and a French Premiere account I am only charged for the package in France. (Most important, I have only had the UK account for about two years, whereas I have had the French account for over 25 years. The advantage was I could trade in Euros when providing French services - Eurostar/SNCF etc or Disneyland without any currency obstacles. I am and was throughout a UK resident and citizen, but had a French mailing address for this account.
Your help is much appreciated as I believe the regulations have been breached in that I was mis-sold this package as the benefits were unusable and it was sold as the only/most suitable bank account to have in my circumstances.
Thanks again - all help gratefully received.
If it was the only option available, then it won't have been mis sold.
HSBC have a French subsidiary HSBC SA. If your French Premiere account is with HSBC SA, then any complaint you make will have to be directed to them.
The fact that HSBC SA is owned by HSBC is not relevant.
(There is a village of the same name just 30 mins from me!)
Thank you for your answer, very helpful. It does look as though my account was with HSBC SA.
I now need to find out if the ruling regarding repaying bank charges was an EU dictat or UK gov't policy.
Thanks again,
Regards
EnoughisEnough (Ray)
I wasn't clear enough, sorry. It was sold as the only suitable or most suitable account in their opinion, although there were numerous accounts available.It was the most expensive in terms of fees but it meant I could transfer funds in minutes (that was then not now!). It appears a number of their accounts also offered this, but leaflets were in French, my business was growing rapidly and I needed a speedy way of transferring monies to French hotels etc.
Thank you for your help, i agree with your point, I apologise for my ambiguity
Regards
UK banks adhere to the UK regulatory body. French banks have their own version.
The only "ruling" on Bank Charges is the court case which the Bank's won in 2009. Actual Bank Charges are not reclaimable as a result. It's irrelevant to your case.
You actually want a refund of Account Charges and in order to do so, you'd have to convince your Bank that the account was mis-sold to you. This is a local issue between you and the Bank and has nothing to do with EU law.
I don't think you'll get any mileage from complaining that you didn't know other accounts were available because the leaflets were in French!