Bank Charges Aaaaaaaagh!!!

[dook]

Just been hit with three £35 charges and an unauthorised overdraft fee of £28 by the Bank of Scotland for going -£1.20, -£5.80 and -£42.20 overdrawn on the same day. The biggest pain is that my wages should have gone in 5 days prior however due to the instant transfer not working it took 4 days to appear. I can't believe that HBOS are doing so badly in this time of credit crunch. They just made £133 off me for less than 24 hours in the red!! Not happy!!!!!!!!

[iain]

Give them a call and complain.I did it once and they gave me the charges back.

[Alice in Blunderland]

Just been hit with three £35 charges and an unauthorised overdraft fee of £28 by the Bank of Scotland for going -£1.20, -£5.80 and -£42.20 overdrawn on the same day. The biggest pain is that my wages should have gone in 5 days prior however due to the instant transfer not working it took 4 days to appear. I can't believe that HBOS are doing so badly in this time of credit crunch. They just made £133 off me for less than 24 hours in the red!! Not happy!!!!!!!!

Well funny you should post this I have just spent the afternoon helping a couple of pensioners out who were hit with four thirty five pound charges and a twenty eight pound charge for the same thing. I couldnt believe what happened to them all because they got in a muddle over christmas.

They got no money when their pension went in I didnt think this was right.

[dook]

Give them a call and complain.I did it once and they gave me the charges back.

Tried that. They said I should have known what the charges were and should have had the funds in to cover it. I told them that the funds should have been there but due to their banks being closed over New Year and the failure of their instant bank transfer (not my fault) the funds never made it. They said "Tough"!

[Kodiak]

The worst one I had was this.

About two years ago I received a Letter from my Bank informing me that as of receipt of the letter they would charge me £35.00 for any letter sent to me. This charge was to cover any administrative costs.

They then went on to say that they had debited my account a charge of £35.00 for sending me this letter.

So in other words they charged me £35.00 for informing me that they would charge me £35.00 if they ever had to write to me.

I closed my account the next day.

[Angela]

Well funny you should post this I have just spent the afternoon helping a couple of pensioners out who were hit with four thirty five pound charges and a twenty eight pound charge for the same thing. I couldnt believe what happened to them all because they got in a muddle over christmas.

They got no money when their pension went in I didnt think this was right.

Alice, I think this came up on a thread a while ago. I'm pretty sure banks are not meant to leave anyone without the full amount of money that the state says they need to live on, because of any bank charges they apply.

I think this applies to all state benefits, so surely it should include state pensions?

[alanabain]

i know exactly what you mean, just the week before christmas i got a letter about a bank charge for being a few pound overdrawn and they have charged me £35 ( taken on Boxing Day!! ) and then £28 at the end of this month. This i thought was unreal.

I phoned them up and all they could offer me was to raise my overdraft ( to get more money from me in interest ) and when i said about this written off the woman said her " hands were tied "... i had previously had this done before on sep 2007 for being 60p overdrawn.

grrrrr

[poppett]

Threaten to take your overdraft elsewhere!

Angela is right about the bank not being allowed to take all benefit to cover bank charges.

A friend recently had a problem with HBoS (one of many over the years) and opened a new account with another bank, set up having her wages paid into new account and direct debits and standing orders changed, then wrote to HBoS and closed the account. They can`t get blood out of a stone, and she now no longer has the recurring bank charge problem, which was always due to wages being paid in late.

[roadbowler]

google govan law centre. Get the letter template for bank charges. Fill in your details and send it off. I managed to get all my bank charges wiped. Never heard of it not working for anybody else i know thats tried it.

[Alice in Blunderland]

Alice, I think this came up on a thread a while ago. I'm pretty sure banks are not meant to leave anyone without the full amount of money that the state says they need to live on, because of any bank charges they apply.

I think this applies to all state benefits, so surely it should include state pensions?

Thanks Angela I did notice the thread but did not follow it. I will tell them tomorrow and get them to phone the bank or citizens advice. Anyone can get in a pickle and they have my sympathy. Its a shame as this only makes it harder for them to sort out only recieving state pension.

Its a win win situation for the bank.

[alanabain]

Threaten to take your overdraft elsewhere!

Angela is right about the bank not being allowed to take all benefit to cover bank charges.

A friend recently had a problem with HBoS (one of many over the years) and opened a new account with another bank, set up having her wages paid into new account and direct debits and standing orders changed, then wrote to HBoS and closed the account. They can`t get blood out of a stone, and she now no longer has the recurring bank charge problem, which was always due to wages being paid in late.

I did think about leaving the bank and taking the overdraft elsewhere...

but there is such a hastle moving everything. From changing wages, tax credits, direct debits etc... suppose its not worth having them if they are taking ridiculous amounts of money from me

[Venture]

Section 187 covers what I think Angela and poppett are referring to.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts1992...19920005_en_20



This forum may be helpful for those with benefit/bank charges queries.


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=269424

[Angela]

I must say I was very surprised to see a standing order and also my council tax direct debit come off my HBOS account on January 2nd. I thought with it being a holiday in Scotland that nothing would happen that day.

I think quite a few folk would have been caught out there - I was just lucky that it didn't make me overdrawn.

I left RBS many years ago after a series of charges and letters and more charges made it almost impossible for me to get out of the red. Once I was back in the black, I moved my account, but it is a bit of a palaver having to do it I know.

Looks as if the banks are trying anything to get back some of the money they're thrown away......

[Fantoosh]

Hi, my boyfriend filled in some forms once and he managed to get most, or all of the money back that the banks had taken off in charges, which was about £280. Give it a try.

[Deemac]

Always a good idea to have at least two bank accounts (and credit cards) running at the same time. Then when you feel the need, jumping ship is much less complicated.

Banks are "banking" on the fact that moving to another bank is too much hassle for most people (have you seen the advert with the sheep!!).

Last problem I had with a credit card and being charged interest I just phoned up and threatened to closed the account down. They back tracked very quickly and gave me all the charges back.

[Dorrie]

When it happened to me I went in and asked to see the manager, told him how unhappy I was and that I would close my account and he had the charges dropped!

[Aaldtimer]

Jeeze, things must be getting desperate!
I had a woman from the BoS on the 'phone to me on Sunday afternoon about a payment I'd forgot about, due on the 6th of Jan for £5.28!
Bejaysus you'd think I'd tried to rob them the way she went on!
Eventually got p***ed of with her and told her where to go.
And they charged me £12 + interest for my memory lapse!

[embow]

I must say I was very surprised to see a standing order and also my council tax direct debit come off my HBOS account on January 2nd. I thought with it being a holiday in Scotland that nothing would happen that day.

The 2nd is no longer an official Bank Hoilday in Scotland (Sacrilege!). Hasn't been for a few years now. The banks were told that as London wasn't on holiday then Scottish banks shouldn't be. They were given another day in the year. Can't rightly remember when, but think it is maybe now Whitsun at end of May.

[brokencross]

I didn' think they got heavy for just going overdrawn, always thought that would just incur interest at the going rate.

I thought the pressure was put on when you went overdrawn at the time there was a direct debit or standing order to be paid at that time so you had insufficient funds to honour them. Thats when the silly charges kicked in!

[poppett]

Deemac has the right idea. We have an account with the Alliance and Leicester for regular payments to go in an bills to be paid from. I had always had an account with the Clydesdale and didn`t close it after we married. OH had endless problems with RBS as they kept charging him to run the account £20 a month even after he told them he had been in an accident and the account would have to be closed as he had no longer regular income to fund it. After 6 months I eventually got the charges refunded, but could have done without the hassle when he was so ill.

Both the banks we use will help set up new accounts and will also transfer standing orders and direct debits from your previous bank. As long as you have proof of ID it should be quite easy.