£500 in bank charges for 2 months

[dannster]

Hey guys

I opened a student account with HSBC a year and a half ago and last summer I wasn't working and foolishly forgot to cancel any direct debits that were due to come out. When these came out, HSBC paid one of them meaning it took me over my limit (£119 direct debit...£30 direct debit fee and £25 overlimit fee). Then they paid another of the same value the day after and charged me £30 for that plus £25 for being over my limit again.

After I cancelled my direct debits, I just waited and left my account overdrawn until I could clear the fees. By the time I did (2 months later), I had incurred almost £500 in fees alone!

Can I definatly claim these back?

Also, I had a student account opened with Smile. I basically withdrew the overdraft and never paid anything into the account...A year later they wrote to me saying it's been closed and they want their money back. I left it a few weeks and got a snotty letter from some "customer service executive" saying that I need to pay it back etc etc etc and that a £60 administration fee had been applied to my account for the letter!!!!! My partner, who's a solicitor, said I should either arrange to pay it back or just leave it to go to court meaning it would effect my credit record and the judge would deem the £60 admin fee to be unacceptable but I don't want it to go that far!!

The overdraft was £1000 and it now stands at £1300 with all the fees!

I know I have to pay this back and was willing to until they applied this unacceptable £60 admin fee!

Dan

[Docubot]

firstly, send the letter in the library to HSBC (take out the bit about the Data Protection Act if you know how much to claim for) - get that money back.

I would write to the Smile and tell them that you view the £60 as a punitive measure on their part and that you were 'happy' to pay the existing debt until you incurred this.

Tell them that the £300 that they are claiming is owed to them was built up from punitive charges and that unless they drop that part of the debt and accept terms of repayment, then you will issue a counterclaim in the county courts for the punitive charges that have beel levied.

See how you get on with that, and come back and let us know.

[dannster]

Ok excellent Many thanks!

I'll keep you updated.

Dan