Peter and The Pirates ***SETTLED IN FULL***

**PeteCC** · 10th June 2006 03:47

Well, folks, after absorbing as much as I could from this site in the last few days, looking at the fantastic help and support available, I have decided to start a claim against Natwest icon

.

What I've done so far is to request a copy of the bank statements which I don't already have, and will follow this up with a DPA letter whether or not I receive them.

One question I do have at this stage is, does anyone have any advice as to which banks are easiest to open an account with, because I really need to buy a parachute icon

? I don't want to fire off a dozen or so applications and further damage an already fragile credit rating.

BTW, I've already started another thread about the charges the bailiffs icon

are levying against me. Just if anyone's interested.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ghlight=petecc

I'll keep you posted.

Regards,

PeteCC

PS If you're new here, as I am, please PLEASE read as much as possible the contents of the site. You will get SUCH a feeling of empowerment when it starts to hang together.

Similar Threads:

**jonni2bad** · 10th June 2006 04:03

Hi Pete, welcome aboard.

Do you think you are likely to get a standard current account, or would it be a Basic account.

If you're looking at Basic ones, then usually I would mention the Natwest icon

Step account, but I don't think that would do you any favours now, would it. As such, the Co-Op Cashminder seems to get reasonable 'reviews' and I could also recommend the HSBC icon

Basic Account - I've had one for about 18 months now.

When searching for one, I would just say that you are looking for alternatives rather than making specific reference to the fact you have been charged or you are claiming charges etc etc.

Apparently they get a little upset

**PeteCC** · 10th June 2006 04:10

Thanks for that amazingly fast reply, jonni2bad. (An insomniac, too?)

Yes, methinks Natwest icon

would be a fun choice, but possibly not best chosen, and although I'm usually fairly outspoken, a little tact in stating why I want another account would be sensible.

Co-op sounds good, 'though.

Thanks again,

PeteCC

**Pixlmixer** · 12th June 2006 09:37

Hi Pete

Would recomend Abbey icon

basic Acc. - You can always upgrade later to a std Acc.
They were sugested to my by the Consumer credit Counceling Service also as an alternative to Snatch west.

They are very helpfull and you don't have to give a reason why you want to open an account or show them any balances from Snatwest accounts - just show them a front slip from a statement with your address and acc details.

Good luck

The Mixer

**PeteCC** · 12th June 2006 09:40

Thanks, Pixlmixer. I'll check that one out, too.

Regards,

PeteCC

**Movingon** · 12th June 2006 09:43

Having read this forum a lot, I really REALLY would NOT reccommend Abbey icon

. However, I've heard a lot of good stuff about First Direct (despite claiming back my charges from them), and I'm reasonably impressed with Smile - who invest ethically too if that floats your boat.

**Pixlmixer** · 12th June 2006 11:13

Well I guess they're all the same and that's why we're here. Point is A basic account is abou as safe as you can get - if you keep in the clear - no overdraught or extra card facilities and as an alternative to Snatchwest, Abbey icon

were recommended by Consumer credit Counceling Service.
Obviously tho and very important, DONT go to Bank of Scotland icon

as they are Natwest icon

's sister bank.

**Pixlmixer** · 12th June 2006 11:15

BTW First Direct took my Father's house off him when his partner ran off with all the funds...

**Movingon** · 12th June 2006 11:27

Originally Posted by Pixlmixer

BTW First Direct took my Father's house off him when his partner ran off with all the funds...

That's worth a thread of it's own just to see if he can get compensation...

**PeteCC** · 13th June 2006 07:38

Thanks for your replies, all much appreciated.

I do have one question, and days of trawling the site hasn't helped, but I know it's in there, surely.

When EXACTLY, does the '6 years icon

' start. Is it 6 years from the date of first sending a letter claiming the return of the charges, 6 years from the DPA letter, 6 years from filing the N1?

The reason I'm asking is that on one of my accounts, I'm sure charges were accruing 'round about 6 years ago, and I don't want to claim for anything which is not covered and which may subsequently come back and bite me. (Notwithstanding the thread about claiming for MORE than 6 years.)

Sorry if this has been asked before, I have looked, honest.

Regards,

PeteCC

PS I checked out this thread http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ad.php?t=10009 but it's still confusing.

**Bovvered** · 13th June 2006 07:46

I always start counting the 6 years icon

from the date of my preliminary letter

**Pixlmixer** · 13th June 2006 09:48

Thanks Bovvered, I was wandering that too and well done for asking Pete.
As you can see there are a few of us having a problem with recorded DPA requests not been signed for - 7 days now since posting mine. Royal Mail don't seem to have an answer and we are suspecting that they will be returned.

**PeteCC** · 16th June 2006 06:36

Well, got a polite letter from my branch manager informing me that they could not send me statements referred to by page number, only by the dates, (why not? It's their filing/notation system), so dates it is then and I sent them off yesterday. (Just occurred to me that I should simply have asked for them all.) Another delaying tactic, methinks.

Regards,

Peter

**Pixlmixer** · 16th June 2006 09:47

Hi Pete,

Why does that not suprise me! As you say its their system... They do seem to appling delay tactics here, especially as we have now been informed by them that they are inundated with DPA requests etc. Guess this whole business is getting a real headache for them lol.

I would sugest that you request DPA (recorded) for the full SAR icon

info but also follow up with the phone call icon

(see my thread) so you can at least begin work on your spread sheet.

My Recorded (1st class next day service) DPA of the 06/06/06 STILL has not been signed for.

**jonni2bad** · 16th June 2006 10:08

Originally Posted by Pixlmixer

My Recorded (1st class next day service) DPA of the 06/06/06 STILL has not been signed for.

And never will be. Don't take this as non-delivery though, 1st class mail is deemed to have been delivered in 2 working days. Your timescale starts from that point.

Recorded delivery = utter sh***

**PeteCC** · 5th August 2006 08:13

Hi, All,

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while, but as nothing of any real importance was happening, I mean by that nothing which was different from standard letters to and fro etc, so nothing of any real help to anyone, except.............

I asked for the statements again, on 20th June, and this letter was ignored, so I fired off a letter of complaint to the manager of my branch. Two days later I had a phonecall from Customer Services who apologised profusely for the delay, and promised to have the entire set of statements for me within a week. (Not just the ones I had requested.)

They arrived, as promised, and I got a follow up call asking if I had received them. So, thank you, Kate, at Natwest icon

, you were pleasant, helpful, and delivered on your promise.

So, I calculated the charges (£521.00) and sent off the first letter. (30th June) Standard, 'sorry you are unhappy' reply, with the helpful little booklet enclosed.

lba icon

sent (17th July), with the reply of, 'get back to you within 10 working days', and another helpful little booklet. This arrived on 25th July.

I wrote again, telling them that their schedule of 10 working days meant that they would over-run my schedule for making a claim, and that I would be filing, as planned, on 3rd August.

On 26th July, BEFORE this letter could have been delivered to them, I received another letter telling me that the charges were fair, transparent (yada yada), but they had taken this opportunity to review the account and were to refund all the charges. Please signal your acceptance.

I did, and am now £521.00 the richer. (Perfect timing as I am going away for a few days, and £25.00 will be winging its way into the BAG account.)

So, nothing very dramatic, no histrionics, just a half-hearted 'No', then a resigned 'Yes'.

Oh, if only it was that easy every time.

Good luck to you all.

PeteCC

NATTIE · 5th August 2006 14:57

Congratulations!

**PeteCC** · 26th August 2006 06:18

Thanks NWSM, so now, 'It seemed that out of battle I escaped......'

PeteCC

**jonni2bad** · 26th August 2006 23:13

Well done Pete - I missed the post saying you'd had the money...

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Don't forget the survey

**PeteCC** · 2nd October 2006 06:28

Hi, All,

I had occasion to visit my branch the other day, the first time I'd been in since reclaiming and receiving back my charges.

After I'd concluded the transactions, the teller said that there was a note on my file to say one of the advisors would like to speak to me and 'Did I have a few minutes?' I said yes, and she said, 'I'll just tell her and I'll give her your card (Solo)'.

(Uh-oh! She's walking away with my card, they're going to close my account!)

So, I sat for a few minutes in the reception area, rehearsing what I was going to say, quotes from the FSA and BBA etc, words like 'retaliatory' and 'unconscionable' flitting about in my head.

Anyway, I got invited in, sat down, and the advisor asked how I thought my account was going. 'Pretty well', says I, 'I'd just like a better one.' (It's a Step account.) 'That's what we're here to look at.' she replied.

Turns out they wanted to 'upgrade me' to an Advantage Gold account, a 'real' account with a chequeboook, overdraft icon

facility etc. For this, and the additional services, they would only charge me £12.00 a month. So I accepted, but on the condition that I would only use the basic service of the account, not the additions, hence NO £12.00 charge. So, I now have 4 accounts with them, the Step, a savings account (comes with the Gold), and for some reason, I have 2 Gold accounts as well, one with the £12.00 charge, as yet unpaid by me, already refunded.

I guess this would relate to Bookworm's thread http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...etro-27-a.html

Ah well, such is life.

Regards,

Peter

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