Charged for not depositing any money into current account!!!!

Naughtynat

Last May, I opened a current account with HSBC as I was so unhappy with the way that I was treated by Natwest bank. I have a loan with Natwest which is being paid via a debt management plan (DMP) with the CCCS. When Natwest agreed to my DMP, they asked that I return my cheque book and card. That was fine by me as by this point I had opened my new account with HSBC.

Anyway, today I had a letter from Natwest saying that I was £93 overdrawn!!! I phoned and queried it and they said that the £93 are charges as my current account has not had any money deposited in it for (i think she said) over 40 days!!!!! All in the T&C's apparently!!!!!!!!

I refused to pay it as I was lead to believe that my account was inactive. Her answer was that the amount will be added to my loan!

Anyone else have this problem and how can i resolve it????

[Deleted User]

What kind of account do you have with Natwest? Is it one of the Advantage accounts that has a monthly fee associated with it?

Richard019

Not had that happen. Now I don't know if it being a student account will have made any difference or not, but when I opened my current account with NatWest it didn't have any activity what so ever for over 2 years and I didn't get charged. (I am now making sure that my deficit banking accounts receive a regular payment between the two of them though).

Given you've had to give back your card and cheque book I can't see how they can expect you to pay money in (I'm assuming it's a zero balance you have and not a sitting overdraft) when you then have no means to get it back out. I would go into your branch and ask to speak to someone about it and raise that issue.

[Deleted User]

Richard019 wrote: »

Given you've had to give back your card and cheque book I can't see how they can expect you to pay money in (I'm assuming it's a zero balance you have and not a sitting overdraft) when you then have no means to get it back out. I would go into your branch and ask to speak to someone about it and raise that issue.

Card/cheque book withdrawals mean you have to go into the branch and make counter withdrawals/deposits to limit what you can take out of your account while you're on a repayment plan of any sort.

Naughtynat

be_alright wrote: »

What kind of account do you have with Natwest? Is it one of the Advantage accounts that has a monthly fee associated with it?

No it was a normal current account. I did have an advantage account but I went back to basics.
They say the charges are because I did not pay any money into the account!

Helix

I have a current plus account along with my Student Account. I only really use the student account, the current plus is just as a back-up incase something happened to my card. I haven't done anything with my Current Plus account for well over 40 days and no charges have been applied to mine.

Eydon

I can't see any mention of charges due to inactivity mentioned in here (http://www.natwest.com/content/global_options/terms/Guide_Fees_Interest.pdf). Are you sure your account was in credit before the first charge was applied?

I'd phone them back and ask exactly which charge in the T&Cs they are referring to.

Also, if you opened your HSBC current account last May, why is your Natwest current account still open?

Naughtynat

Eydon wrote: »

I can't see any mention of charges due to inactivity mentioned in here (http://www.natwest.com/content/global_options/terms/Guide_Fees_Interest.pdf). Are you sure your account was in credit before the first charge was applied?

I'd phone them back and ask exactly which charge in the T&Cs they are referring to.

Also, if you opened your HSBC current account last May, why is your Natwest current account still open?

still open as i owe them money on my loan. they wont close it untill loan cleared!
the account was not overdrawn when i stopped using it.

RayWolfe

Ah! All clear now. You have an arrangement for them to take loan repayments out of an account which has no money in it and no additions to it and you tried to close it?
No wonder the charges they are making are in the T&Cs.
Pay back your loan and the charges problem will go away ... hope that helps.

Naughtynat

RayWolfe wrote: »

Ah! All clear now. You have an arrangement for them to take loan repayments out of an account which has no money in it and no additions to it and you tried to close it?
No wonder the charges they are making are in the T&Cs.
Pay back your loan and the charges problem will go away ... hope that helps.

No, I pay my loan through my Debt Management Plan. I send a payment to the Consumer Credit Counsilling Service and they split the payment to the people that I owe money to. Natwest agreed a reduced payment on my loan and that payment gets sent directly to them. My current account is 'inactive' and they have taken my cheque book and cash card. They will not close my account until the loan is cleared. There is no money going in or out of the Natwest current account (unless Natwest take it upon themselves to take some money!!!).