Abbey **won** Under Hardship Rules!

[hme.4x4]

This morning with a heavy heart I thought I better check my Abbey bank account again to see how many more charges they had added on.

I had an agreed overdraft of £700 and they had added charges to over £1200. I was frantic with worry as it was increasing every month.

I had claimed charges back under the hardship rule, did everything that everyone here told me to do but was still terrified.

I had a call from them 10 days ago, all they did was go through everything in my claim for hardship, (very nice they were too I must say) and they said they would let me know in about 2 weeks.

I really wasn't convinced that they would accept my claim, but when I checked my account this morning they have refunded charges up to 65%!!!!!!! I almost had a heart attack!

My account is back within the agreed overdraft limit, so do I still need to claim again for the £35%+ ??

A great weight has been lifted from me today, thanks to you guys!

I cannot thank everyone enough for the practical and technical support I have been given by everyone on CAG. Honestly I could never have won this without you all. So bless you all, this is absolute proof that CAG works! hugs and kisses

	Hardship By and large the "harship" provision in the FSA waiver is a myth which is intended to create a sense that the banking industry is sufficiently well-intentioned to act fairly towards its customers even though their right of access to the courts has been blocked. In fact there are very few guidelines as to procedure and very little definition of "hardship". One unfortunate spin off is that many people in difficulty get their hopes up and go to considerable lengths to plead hardship to their bank in order to get a refund or partial refund of their bank charges only to be refused. Neither the courts nor the FOS have the power to order a bank to make a charges refund on the basis of hardship. We hear of some people obtaining a partial refund quite easily. Others have obtained money by being very persistent - but mostly we hear that people are refused. Even benefits claimants do not automatically receive hardship refunds. By all means try to get a bank charges refund on the basis of hardship - but don't bank on it!

	Are you letting your bank keep your money Are you giving away thousands of pounds?? Many people aren't claiming all of the money they are entitled to when they make their bank charges claims. You have been forced to pay unfair bank charges. Have you forgotten that your bank has charged you inteest on those charges? If you are overdrawn and the bank owes you charges - then your overdraft is made up of charges - money which you bank owes you. Yet you are paying interest to the bank - on your own money!!! Follow this link to see the discussions on this. You might even double th size of your claim.