Your MP - Page 4

angeljen · 9th October 2006, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonCris

Yes ask him how allowing the banks to continue to act unlawfully benefits the consumer & he shouldn't forget the electorate.

Tell him that if he does consider its OK then perhaps his opinion should be made available to a wider public on this & other websites so we can all take comfort in knowing he as a pillar of the establishment who like some of his colleagues sanctions such activity.

Do I send this letter to MY MP, Alan Meale or to Ian McCartney

reidnet · 9th October 2006, 13:59

I would send to them both..The more the merrier..lol

tigger26 · 12th October 2006, 12:37

I wrote my letter to my MP, Derek Wyatt on 21st September & I have just received his reply today.

Many thanks for your letter of 21 September regards this important issue. My apologies for the delay in responding but it arrived whilst I was at the Party Conference and, in the interim, I have been trying to secure an up-to-date profile for you regarding these charges.

To that end, I have rung WHICH? - to establish whether progress is being made with their campaign, and with the matter in general. I am still waiting for the relevant person to call me back.

Clearly, I share your concerns and those of the Consumer Action Group regarding bank and credit card charges. It is good to learn of Mr. Sawar MP's efforts, and I would be very happy if the CAG would like to know of my support.

In the meantime, and because I was not fully up to speed with the current state of play, I asked our specialist Library for a briefing. I enclose a copy herewith, and trust it will be of assistance to you. I am taken aback to learn that the OFT failed to act on the relevant deadline. I have therefore tables a Parliamentary Question asking when the OFT recommendations will come into effect. As soon as I have the answer to hand, I will of course be in touch.

He has attached Standard Note ref: SN/BT/3941 updated 26/6/2006 by Timothy Edmonds, Business & transport section. This document is 9 pages long, includes Bookworm's court bundle

, BAG's legal argument & website, OFT announcement, Banks' response & Parliamentary activity. Also attached is Minister Presses 'Go' on Consumer Credit Act 2006 dated 25/5/2006 ref: P/2006/134.

angeljen · 12th October 2006, 17:05

Derek Wyatt MP

I like the sound of him. Sounds like he is a good MP who gets the job done, unlike mine who just passes the letter on to anyone he can think of. I think the only personal letter I got from my MP was a 'with compliments' slip!!!

Where do I have to move to to get a good MP like Derek Wyatt MP?

tigger26 · 12th October 2006, 17:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by angeljen

Where do I have to move to to get a good MP like Derek Wyatt MP?

The lovely borough of Swale :o in Kent, Jen - where - surprisingly it's a lovely sunny day - unlike yesterday with torrential rain.

reidnet · 13th October 2006, 16:17

Reply to my Second letter to My Mp

Penalty Charges issued by high street banks

Thank you for your further email to me about this issue. I am impressed by the level of support the campaign has been able to generate. Mohammad Sarwar MP is a close colleague of mine and I will be talking to him to see if there is any way I can help in forwarding the campaign here in Westminster.

Since I last wrote to you I have been trying to pursue this issue in Parliament hoping that this would bring about a quicker answer than a simple letter. In response to a Parliamentry question I laid down on Monday I recieved this response from Ian McCartney, the minister of state in the department of trade and industry.

"The OFT have been looking at the question on penalty charges in respect of credit cards and have stated that they believe such charges had been generally set at a significantly higher level than was considered fair and set a £12 threshold for OFT intervension unless there were exceptional business factors.

The OFT is of the view that the broad principles do read across to the retail banking area and has decided to undertake further work on application of these principles to bank current accounts. This fact-finding excercise is expected to take place between three to six months, at which stage the OFT will consider whether a further detailed investigation of the fairness of individual bank charges is needed."

Whilst this process can be a slow one the fact that the OFT are planning to undertake a full investigation into bank charges can only be a good thing. This is especially the case when they have already expressed the belief that their ruling on credit cards can be read across to bank accounts.

I still await a response from Alistair Darling and will get back to you once I have recieved that response or if any other progress is made.

I hope that the above is of use to you. If there is anything else I can help you with please do not hesitate to get in contact with me.

Yours Sincerely

Jim McGovern MP
Dundee West

JonCris · 14th October 2006, 17:19

Great! but someone has got to point out to these MP's that these charges are already unlawful & there is no need for endless enquiries allowing the OFT to drag its feet. We need the OFT to do it's job now!

meagain · 15th October 2006, 03:49

Precisely. The OFT launching another investigation is not a good thing. UTCCR requires them to take action, or otherwise properly justify not taking action. The OFT getting off its backside and dishing out the long-overdue punishment would be a good thing.

tigger26 · 17th October 2006, 12:21

It appears my MP, Derek Wyatt, has honoured his promise;

Bank Charges: 12 Oct 2006: Written answers (TheyWorkForYou.com)

bathgatebuyer · 19th October 2006, 00:34

I also wrote to my MP and pointed out the personal impact bank charges had on my life when I was looking after my Dad as he was dying, and trying to cope with the 5 months out of work which followed. I stressed the 'unlawfullness' of these and advised him of the contact details for this website in case any other poor sod constituent has to experience these.

meagain · 19th October 2006, 05:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger26

It appears my MP, Derek Wyatt, has honoured his promise;

... and, just like his namesake with Heather, this Mr. McCartney fobbed him off with the usual rubbish.

Steven1964 · 26th October 2006, 21:46

Still no reply from Alistair Darling, been waiting since August, I think another letter stating my unhappiness and if he doesn't pull his finger out I will not be voting for him, or do you think a letter to the local paper would be better.

elsinore · 27th October 2006, 02:07

What about a letter to AD with a copy to your local paper? Make sure he knows that you have sent the copy!

Elsinore

meagain · 27th October 2006, 03:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by elsinore

What about a letter to AD with a copy to your local paper? Make sure he knows that you have sent the copy!

Indeed. I always find that leaving instructions for the publishers (usually around the point where you cc: the paper at the bottom) is often effective.

girltuesday · 17th November 2006, 12:00

I wrote to my MP on 27th October, and received a response on 31st (quick work!)

Dear Girltuesday

Thank you for your letter of 27th October and I am sorry to learn that you have been caught up in this rather sharp banking practice. I am fairly familiar with the problem because I have been working with BBC journalists on this issue.

My personal view is that, although banks should be entitled to charge a penalty if someone breaches an agreed overdraft limit, I think that the fee charged should simply reflect the cost of the administration of that situation. I do not believe that the banks should charge punitive fees and I believe that it is illegal for them to do so though no one seems to be enforcing the law. As you have found out from your own experience, the banks are seeking to avoid a legal definition of what they can charge by caving in to avoid court action.

I am currently seeking to track down the legal basis for the belief that banks by law are only allowed to charge administrative costs for breaches of bank overdraft agreements.

If it is correct that it is illegal, then I will certainly be pursuing this further with the Treasury because it does seem odd that they might be breaching the law with impunity,

Nonewithstanding that, I also believe that somthing has to be done to make the system that the banks are operating fairer and more reasonable so that they are not simply using this as a money making scheme at the expense of people who, by definition, will be affected financially.

I am grateful to you for raising this subject.

Simon Burns MP

JonCris · 18th November 2006, 02:51

I hope you've sent him the case law

Vital Spark · 18th November 2006, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn UK

Zootscoot

FWIW mostr banks appear to have 'rules' designed to reduce the opportunity for a customer to have charges removed.

I believe the Abbey imposes a once a year/once in six months. This may not be a formal 'rule' but i have been told this over the phone before.

Im not sure this helps any but it appears to be specifically aimed at discouraging custoemrs from challenging the imposition of charges on an account.

Glenn

PS just going to copy and send sai letter.

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