Bank ignoring me on bank charges

bellalu

I have had many bank charges over the years. I read information in here about reclaiming charges. I’ve been in financial hardship for years, I have been unable to work since 2012 due to debilitating chronic illnesses. I’m rarely able to deal with things and feel completely overwhelmed as my cognitive function is also poor. 

I wrote to my bank as suggested in here to request a list of bank charges since 2012 (this is when I had to stop working and I thought I’d try this far back knowing they may not comply from that date). 

They haven’t responded, it’s been over two months now. I also sent an email to a customer service address I found online but they only deal with car
finance. 

I got a message in December on my banking app (which I can’t reply to) threatening to remove my overdraft as I’m always in it. Of course I’m always in it I’m struggling and the charges have been excessive - though they don’t apply charges any more for going over the overdraft. 

If I could claim the old charges back, this would help me get out of it. I don’t want to rely on it but they haven’t responded. I am hoping to avoid calling as this can be distressing for me and I’m not really well enough to hold conversations just now. Especially around finances.

Can anyone advise how to go about getting the list of charges from them? 

DullGreyGuy

Which bank? Which address did you send the request to? Paper or email?

You should follow the process for their Data Subject Access Request, some banks will push you down the route of asking for copy statements saying its faster but if you want something specific like all charges, then a DSAR is better and they have a statutory timescale to respond in. Most banks have an online form for doing a DSAR request. 

Nasqueron

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

bellalu

DullGreyGuy said:

Which bank? Which address did you send the request to? Paper or email?

You should follow the process for their Data Subject Access Request, some banks will push you down the route of asking for copy statements saying its faster but if you want something specific like all charges, then a DSAR is better and they have a statutory timescale to respond in. Most banks have an online form for doing a DSAR request. 

It’s Santander. Thank you I still can’t get notifications so I missed your reply.

bellalu

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

friolento

Please go to the Debt Free Wannabe board to work out whether there is any help you can get with your ongoing financial shortfalls. 

Nasqueron

bellalu said:

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

The MSE guide may be an old one that should be archived, the current one just mentions hardship as I said - banks must look at these cases but as I said, there is no guarantee of a refund, but a freeze in charges would give you more cash to put on debts for example rather than a cycle of debt, charges, interest and money paying that off not the capital

sheramber

bellalu said:

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

Are you referring to this MSE article of November 2024

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges/

There are details in there of what to do if the bank don't reply  within 8 weeks

Nasqueron

sheramber said:

bellalu said:

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

Are you referring to this MSE article of November 2024

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges/

There are details in there of what to do if the bank don't reply  within 8 weeks

The problem really is that the guide is written in the usual pro-consumer MSE style, just like with the DCA complaints, always indicating customer will be refunded, with token examples. In reality, nobody is entitled to reclaim bank charges, but some people will get lucky and get them back. There is so much nonsense on there like sending a DSAR and saying you have to pay £10 and to send a cheque but this was scrapped.

MSE should rewrite the whole thing as a "how to deal with financial hardship" guide not give people the impression they can send a letter and get thousands of pounds of charges back.

TheBanker

Nasqueron said:

sheramber said:

bellalu said:

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

Are you referring to this MSE article of November 2024

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges/

There are details in there of what to do if the bank don't reply  within 8 weeks

The problem really is that the guide is written in the usual pro-consumer MSE style, just like with the DCA complaints, always indicating customer will be refunded, with token examples. In reality, nobody is entitled to reclaim bank charges, but some people will get lucky and get them back. There is so much nonsense on there like sending a DSAR and saying you have to pay £10 and to send a cheque but this was scrapped.

MSE should rewrite the whole thing as a "how to deal with financial hardship" guide not give people the impression they can send a letter and get thousands of pounds of charges back.

I find the use of the word 'reclaim' difficult. In my mind, you can only 'reclaim' charges if they've been applied in error. If the bank refunds charges because the customer is in financial difficulty, I would call this a goodwill gesture.

Nasqueron

TheBanker said:

Nasqueron said:

sheramber said:

bellalu said:

Nasqueron said:

Banks won the supreme court case in 2009, you haven't been able to claim back almost any charges (especially not "unfair" ones) for 15 years. The MSE guide you are referring to is massively out of date and completely inaccurate - you don't need a list of charges for one thing as the banks already have this data and asking for it is pointless - if they agreed to refund you anything, you'd get back a refund based on industry regulations which wouldn't change whether you have a copy or not and if they rejected it, knowing the charges wouldn't help change that.

If you are in current financial hardship and the charges you are talking about relate to your current bank that you have been with since 2012, then ring up and speak to their hardship team and they can give you options such as freezes of future charges or a small refund of recent charges to help you get out of current hardship. There is virtually no chance you will get more than a year and essentially zero chance of getting 12 years of charges back.

I appreciate your response. I wonder why the MSE guide for this is incorrect or even misleading then in that case? I’d seen a few articles of a similar nature that were more recent but I’m not disputing what you are saying. I’d just been led to believe it was still possible to claim. It’s frustrating when you are struggling due to illness, the entire system as it stands and then financially penalised on top, I’d have thought there might have been a way to go back and address it. Thank you for replying and potentially saving me time and energy at least.

Are you referring to this MSE article of November 2024

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/bank-charges/

There are details in there of what to do if the bank don't reply  within 8 weeks

The problem really is that the guide is written in the usual pro-consumer MSE style, just like with the DCA complaints, always indicating customer will be refunded, with token examples. In reality, nobody is entitled to reclaim bank charges, but some people will get lucky and get them back. There is so much nonsense on there like sending a DSAR and saying you have to pay £10 and to send a cheque but this was scrapped.

MSE should rewrite the whole thing as a "how to deal with financial hardship" guide not give people the impression they can send a letter and get thousands of pounds of charges back.

I find the use of the word 'reclaim' difficult. In my mind, you can only 'reclaim' charges if they've been applied in error. If the bank refunds charges because the customer is in financial difficulty, I would call this a goodwill gesture.

Yes I don't like it either, it implies you are owed it but MSE uses it so much it's sometimes not worth the hassle of correcting it to say you are asking nicely or complaining about incorrect charges. Even the pre-2009 cases saying they were "unfair" because people spent money they didn't have for example and then getting a charge they were told they would get!