UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim

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UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 2:51:21 PM

LadyEllen

Posts: 10931
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: Stourport-England
Status: offline

Just finished putting together a list of the bank charges to my account for the last six years - with statutory interest near on GBP 1500-00 (around USD 3000-00).

Why did I do this? 'Cause I'm pissed at someone else and taking it out on the bank? Well, maybe, but I'm also pissed at the bank after reading about how these charges are unlawful and the bank has to reimburse them! Just a shame there's a time limit of six years.

The banks here are charging anything from GBP 30-00 (USD 60-00) upwards for exceeding an overdraft, bouncing a cheque (often on account of their charges leaving the account short) and not paying a direct debit (for the same reasons).

Problem for the banks is, the law says that all these instances are cases of breach of contract on my part, for which the bank can only reclaim its costs, (around GBP 5-00 for each case - about USD 10-00) and nothing more, and that anything more than that is an unlawful penalty. Not a charge, not a fee, an unlawful penalty they have no right to levy.

Anyone who's interested please take a look at www.moneysavingexpert.com

But bear in mind this is UK only as far as I know!

E

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:06:20 PM

NorthernGent

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Joined: 7/10/2006
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Phone call to the bank:

"Hi, my bank statement has some money taken out I don't recognise".

"Yes sir, that's where you have gone overdrawn".

"Really? You get enough money out of me, refund or I'll close my account and take my business elsewhere".

"Sorry sir, it's all gone through now, and we have to charge you to cover our admin costs, but you can rest assured we still value your custom"

"What sort of shambolic customer service is this, put me through to the fuckin' manager, "

"errmmmm, ok sir, I'll see what I can do"

Any charge to my account, I've sorted it out there and then, and the wankers have refunded the money. No problems.

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:32:33 PM

LadyEllen

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From: Stourport-England
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You must have a good bank NG

If I try that one, I get Rajinder in the Somewherestan call centre who doesnt understand a Midlands accent, and has vowel issues rendering comprehensibility out of the question. Now thats shambolic customer service.

Or it could be designed that way so its impossible to deal with them.

E

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:35:30 PM

NorthernGent

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Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

You must have a good bank NG

If I try that one, I get Rajinder in the Somewherestan call centre who doesnt understand a Midlands accent, and has vowel issues rendering comprehensibility out of the question. Now thats shambolic customer service.

Or it could be designed that way so its impossible to deal with them.

E

Based on that, I've a feeling we're both HSBC, I just don't take no for an answer.

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:37:30 PM

seeksfemslave

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Joined: 6/16/2006
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I've found call centres in India OK so long as what you want is in their script
.If it isnt then the fun begins.
They have always been very polite when I used them tho'

Come to think of it not much different with Brit call centres.
Request needing to be in their script I mean.

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:38:23 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
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i bounce a check about once a year. in some states- one can go to jail after 3 bad checks.

both mom and jenn- use only money orders. they never had a check bounce.

years ago- some genious figured out a way to make cash off of the "float"- so now there are funds deposited and funds available.

best advice:
change to a credit union. i belong to a handfull. a credit union is own by the members- not by a stock compamy. at one time i was in 12 credit unions. it isnt hard to affiliate w a group.

credit unions have lower fees- the do not change their name every year- and good service.

im pretty sure they have them in the UK- i orderred a packet on how to start a credit union.

i highly suggest you explore teh credit union thing. if anything the overall fees are much lower.

:-)

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:46:07 PM

NorthernGent

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quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

best advice:
change to a credit union.

I work with Credit Unions here, PA - most Brits don't realise they exist, but across Lancashire alone there are 7. Here though, they can operate as welfare loans funded by the lottery, social regeneration schemes and local government, or banks with saving schemes etc. They are not always paid back, but they can be the difference between eating and scavenging.

In Britain, they're interest free to those with no to little money.

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:51:57 PM

darkinshadows

Posts: 4145
Joined: 6/2/2004
From: UK
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I recently took the bank to court regarding this issue.

They would not budge, insisting that the bank charges were perfectly acceptable.

Of course, they were not.

Half way through when the court date was announced, I was offered roughly £100 to settle.

This was around 5% of what I was claiming.

Of course, I did not accept.

After writing to the courts, submitting the case and asking for a speedy resolution if the court could ask the bank to provide justification for their charges, and the court responded and agreed to which end, a few days before the hearing, I received a letter from the bank stating that they 'did not wish to waste court time and although they did not accept any liability for what happened they were willing to refund the amount that was requested. But without interest. Fortunately the interest was negligable. Knowing the risk of being seen as too greedy by the courts, I decided to accept.

These I used - they were really good and will even help find you people to go to court with you who have done the same thing before as hand holders and general support. There is also alot of legally worded documentation there that you can use to support your own case.

The Consumer Action Group

Best Wishes Ellen!

Peace and Rapture

< Message edited by darkinshadows -- 4/19/2007 3:53:11 PM >

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RE: UK Bank Charges - How to reclaim - 4/19/2007 3:55:13 PM

pahunkboy

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From: Central Pennsylvania
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quote:

ORIGINAL: NorthernGent

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

best advice:
change to a credit union.

I work with Credit Unions here, PA - most Brits don't realise they exist, but across Lancashire alone there are 7. Here though, they can operate as welfare loans funded by the lottery, social regeneration schemes and local government, or banks with saving schemes etc. They are not always paid back, but they can be the difference between eating and scavenging.

In Britain, they're interest free to those with no to little money.

ffunds in US credit unions are insured as are banks.

when dealing with a credit union- often business is done thru the mail. not at a branch location. i usually keep a spare account on standby. MIT is my standby right now. i also belong to the pentagon credit union. i got kicked out of the pennsylvania state employess credit union. oh- i deal with aberdeen proving ground credit union as well.

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