Your MP

[angeljen]

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]

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

[tigger26]

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]

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]

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]

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

	Bank Charges You should have started your claim for your bank charges by now. Don't wait. You should send your bank a Subject Acess Request asking for all personal data they hold on you - not just statements. You should calculate all of your bank charges and related interest as far back as 1995. You should send your bank a demand for a refund giving them 7 days. You should commence your legal action adding 8% statutory interest. If you wait for the outcome of the test case, you may not be able to claim like this. you may not be able to claim interest. You may only be offered the difference between the charge and the OFT "fair charge". The repayment scheme will try to limit you to refinds from 2001 only. A repayment scheme will not deal with any bank charges related defaults on the credit register whereas in a court action you can ask for these to be removed and to be compensated for the damage caused to you and your family by them. You should also write to the bank and to the CRA and put all charges related credit entries in disupte and warn them that you will want them removed from the Register when the test case is over. Warn them also that you are likely to be seeking compensation for these wrongful data entries. Full and final settlement Have you previously accepted a partial repayment of your bank charges in full settlement? You will still be able to claim the rest of your money back after the Test case is decided. Get all your information back to 1995 and put in your claim now.

[JonCris]

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]

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]

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

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

[bathgatebuyer]

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.

	Bank Charges You should have started your claim for your bank charges by now. Don't wait. You should send your bank a Subject Acess Request asking for all personal data they hold on you - not just statements. You should calculate all of your bank charges and related interest as far back as 1995. You should send your bank a demand for a refund giving them 7 days. You should commence your legal action adding 8% statutory interest. If you wait for the outcome of the test case, you may not be able to claim like this. you may not be able to claim interest. You may only be offered the difference between the charge and the OFT "fair charge". The repayment scheme will try to limit you to refinds from 2001 only. A repayment scheme will not deal with any bank charges related defaults on the credit register whereas in a court action you can ask for these to be removed and to be compensated for the damage caused to you and your family by them. You should also write to the bank and to the CRA and put all charges related credit entries in disupte and warn them that you will want them removed from the Register when the test case is over. Warn them also that you are likely to be seeking compensation for these wrongful data entries. Full and final settlement Have you previously accepted a partial repayment of your bank charges in full settlement? You will still be able to claim the rest of your money back after the Test case is decided. Get all your information back to 1995 and put in your claim now.

[meagain]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

	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.

[JonCris]

I hope you've sent him the case law

[Vital Spark]

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.

Glenn, Lloyds TSB do exactly the same.

The individual bank employees, with whom we might speak on the phone or in the branch, are perfectly decent nice folk but somewhere up the line is an authentic B*****D whose sole aim in life is to make as muhc as they can at the expense of the poorest or least able in society.

I am dyslexic, as I am sure most of you are fed up hearing (embarrassment abotu my spellign etc, makes me repeat the apology ad nauseum). My bank knows that I am dyslexic and worse numerically. Thery know I have difficulty keeping my account in order although this has definitely improved since switching to online banking.

In the past, one bank manageer teleophoned my every morning and at close fo day to let me know what was in my bank, what was pendign and wahat had left my account along with a reminder fo any DDs or SOs due before the next regular incomign payment was due. It was fantastic. My account ran smoothly.

I am on a very low income with failry high, sometimes, really high outgoings because of help needed because of a physical disability which can render me totally dependant from time to time. He took this into account.

I knew I had a £2 DD to British Red Cross coming off on the 15th so I made sure I had the money in my bank but I got confused with the two accoutns and paid it into the one to which almost all DD's (but this one,) are rpesented adn SOs issued. The Swines are charging me £35 for teh £2 they paid out to that DD to a charity.

I have Christmas coming up and two grandchildren as well as the kiddies fo friends for whom I would like to buy some wee gift. My daughter-in-law to be's hen weekend on teh 2nd December (have had to cancel) adn their weddign on the 7th January and teh dashed banks are takign £35 out in December and anotehr in January. I did the same with a different account last month.

But HEY! Listen up, Lloyds TSB!

CAG are helping me reclaim all penalty charges from over the past 6 years and I am not giving up.

[Bookworm]

Reply from Andrew Pelling, MP for Central Croydon, received this instant (If you read this, Mr Pelling, I admire you for working on a Sunday evening ):

I could not agree with you more. The public debate is moving against the banks and the report out today from MP's is very critical of the effect on those on low incomes.

Short and sweet. Put a smile on my face, though.

[Vital Spark]

And THANK YOU!!!!! from me too, Mr Pelling

[angry cat]

I have written to my MP-
Mr. Charles Hendry.
Hopefully, I will receive a response....?

Probably I will not hear anything back until after christmas, but if I do obtain a reply, I will of course post it on the forum.

Love AC