Challenge bank for fees refund

[misslideaway]

I watched a BBC documentary earlier this year about bank fees and how they are unreasonable. ie. reasonable administration fee is not �40 for an automated letter to be sent to the account holder.

It gave instructions on how to retrieve the funds which is essentially the individuals money.

Banks allegedly say no in the first instance but then will pay out if they believe ythat ou will take them to a small claims court, as a precident would then be set.

I have found the info on how to do this myself and I am keen to start the ball rolling.

I would love to know if anyone has done this themselves/ know of anyone who has/ has any practical advise/ legal knowledge in this area.

Thank you so much! :o)

[dancecaller]

Money box talked about this yesterday.
You've just missed the repeat, but you can get it on Broadband for a week
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox /5415832.stm
This site gives useful links too.
They had the Ombudsman on saying that if you can't get satisfaction from the bank they would help, and they were concerned that people were paying for firms to chase the banks for them and taking large fees.

[dancecaller]

Or try this link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox /5409368.stm
I've just realised you can listen to one item from the money box prog & not have to here all 30 mins

[curiosity]

Around the time of that programme, I unusually ended up with �130 of bank charges from Halifax, when some money I had transferred online came out of the other account immediately but seemed to disappear for a while before reaching the current account. It was a combination of a �10 letter to say had gone over the overdraft and also 4 �30 charges for transactions paid which were sums of something like �12.00 etc from the local supermarket one was an online game subscription at just �3.00! I went into the branch and there was another one about to be put on, Having explained my anger at their explanation that the money hadn't gone in due to a bank holiday, when I had in my hand a �30 charge for money paid out on a Bank Holiday! The assistant said she would remove that charge as a good will gesture, but she couldn't remove the others as they had already been taken, I needed to see the manager. 3 days later seen the manager she said she was only authorised to remove 2 charges, which she did and recommended I ring online banking and see if they can do anything, and/or take a complaint out. I rang online banking and the assistant was only authorised to remove one charge which they did, and recommended I go back to the manager who apparantely can remove more than 2, told her this, she removed it. Hey Presto. My friend at works husband done exactly what the programme recommended re small claims, and had all his charges refunded, which were a lot I think, I'll ask how much tomorrow and let you know.

[jennyp]

There are loads of people reclaiming it on here www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/
I' m one of them. All the letter templates etc that you need, but make sure you read plenty before you plough in.

[jennyp]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk - forgot to put bit at begining so you could link.

[PinkFizz]

Ive written all the letters and am waiting for replies.I could have rang them but thought it would be better in writing.

[jennyp]

Far better to write, and send so they have to be signed for, and you need to enclose �10 for subject access request (S.A.R.) Often on the phone, they have tried to fob people off saying its �x per statement.

[PinkFizz]

Apparently banks who close accounts after paying you out could in fact be breaking the Banking Code.

[legend1751]

Why are you so upset about these charges? Why cant you just pay things on time and have enough money in your account to pay them. Stop blaming the banks because you cant manage your money.

[jennyp]

Banks are not allowed to make a profit from these charges, and it is this which is wrong. I agree, people should take care of there own finances, but things can go rapidly wrong. Charging �25 or �30 for a returned cheque or direct debit when money is in the account is one of the things that happen. I hope legend1751 you never find yourself in this position, as it very very quickly spirals out of control. There will always be people who aren't too savvy with money, but there are a lot who are who have been clobbered really quickly.

[misslideaway]

Legend 1751, you obviously feel strongly that people who are 'bothered' about these charges should 'just' learn to manage their money more efficiently . ...

Banks also charge people for withdrawing their own money in a foreign country. People who are actually money savvy (obvously such as yourself) can be stung by this. The underlying matter is, that banks are grossly profiting from people simply having an active bank account.

Which, by the way- you need for everything nowadays. Without a bank account, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to get a mobile phone, car loan, mortgage. Banks have us over a barrel and it needs to stop!