Target a specific bank

[Docubot]

Hi,

I was thinking of writing a letter to the CEO of a specific bank (and putting a set of standard letters in the library for people to print and send too), asking them to consider the legal aspects and the ethics of what they are doing.

The odds are that the CEO's don't really know the hardship under which they put their customers by doing this - the claims will all be dealt with by a branch manager or at middle management level somewhere in the org. and the CEO probably thinks that the managers etc... are doing a great job.

(or maybe, I'm giving them too much credit)

Which bank should we target?

Which bank would you like to see as the 'White Knight' of banking - the 'EasyJet' for normal people?

Personally, I'd like it to be First Direct - they have excellent customer service and are available at any time on the phone.

Ideas? Reasons?

	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!

[diddled]

It has to be Barclays

[Docubot]

Ha - now then!

I'd like it to be one that might actually entertain the idea of at least reducing the charges!

Dave not one of them will all they banks operate as one. Even the Co-operative said it would see what the OFT said and then what the industry does. They don’t want to drop there charges by 1p because at the moment it would look like there backing down.

It would also displease those mighty gods, the shareholders who must be appeased at all costs by ever increasing profits.

[gothicf0rm]

the co-op has NO shareholders. neither do building societies. these are not for profit companies that explicitly exist to serve their customers. speaking of this, would bank fees be a breach of a building society charter?

[ToriaD]

Hi, i don't know whether it will actually ever get to him/her, but I sent a copy of my first letter to the chief exec of the Halifax, with a covering letter asking them to ensure it received urgent attention! Was that being really cheeky do you think, but I have suffered at the hands of branch staff inefficiency before.
As to who to target, none of them appear to have a consience, so how about trying them all?