Bank want to "Talk" 4 August 2020 at 4:53PM in Reclaim bank & credit card charges 7 replies 174 views

JCswans

Hi all, 
Haven't posted here for a long time, I'll keep it short.
I used the template to lodge a complaint to Halifax to try to reclaim monthly bank fees, been with them 7 years with the URCA and been paying (I feel) uneccessarily.
They've emailed back today, asking for a phone number to talk to me. On the application, they don't offer a phone number section, which is assume is to stop people like me answering the phone, the bank trying to trip me up and get me to back down.

Was wondering if anyone had experience with this, especially with Halifax.

Cheers all

JC

dunstonh

They want to discuss how much in financial hardship you are.  They will also want to record the call to protect themselves.

A lot of people claim financial hardship when they are not and they need to find out if yours is real or not.   A phone call is easier than sending letters back and forth for 12 months.

he bank trying to trip me up and get me to back down.

The banks nowadays have a pretty good reputation when it comes to dealing with genuine hardship cases. 

DCFC79

Just phone them back.

JCswans

Cheers.
I wouldn't say it was a hardship, more from a miselling perspective. Nonetheless I've continued to pay a monthly fee for service I've never used, even a review with an accounts manager whilst in a bit of hardship and the idea of getting rid of a pointless account was never flouted.

Socajam

JCswans said:

Cheers.
I wouldn't say it was a hardship, more from a miselling perspective. Nonetheless I've continued to pay a monthly fee for service I've never used, even a review with an accounts manager whilst in a bit of hardship and the idea of getting rid of a pointless account was never flouted.

How is something mis-selling if you are not using it?
The onus is on you to determine wether to waste money on a service that is not doing you any good or to discontinue it, the bank is no a mind reader. It's called personal responsibility, noting to do with the bank mis-selling you something.
Everything nowadays is classified as mis-selling.

brettcta

Halifax send regular notifications and summaries of benefits so if you’re relying on that complaint point, set your expectation levels to zero and you’ll avoid disappointment when they tell you they’re rejecting your complaint. You have plenty of opportunity over the last however many years to downgrade your account. 

dunstonh

I wouldn't say it was a hardship, more from a miselling perspective. 

How can you be missold bank charges?

After the banks won the supreme court case in 2009, the reclaiming of bank charges ended except for incorrect application of charges or financial hardship.

Nonetheless I've continued to pay a monthly fee for service I've never used, even a review with an accounts manager whilst in a bit of hardship and the idea of getting rid of a pointless account was never flouted.

Are you referring to a packaged bank account fee rather than bank charges?

If so, set your expectations low.  Most of these PBA complaints get rejected nowadays with a 1 in 10 upholed rate at the FOS.   However, the fact the Halifax are willing to talk to you does hold out some hope.  So, rather than see it as a negative. See it as a positive.

JCswans

dunstonh said:

Nonetheless I've continued to pay a monthly fee for service I've never used, even a review with an accounts manager whilst in a bit of hardship and the idea of getting rid of a pointless account was never flouted.

Are you referring to a packaged bank account fee rather than bank charges?

.

Thank you for your reply. 

Correct, packaged bank account fees that I've been paying for 7 years. 

Having read some responses, they may well say "Tough, you had an opportunity to cancel". 
But I'm not expecting a "yes,a we will refund you" anyway.

It's worth a shot, considering I've had advice from the home of the reclaim (here).