Thread: Confused!!! Please help - Hardship claim query

Hello,

I have already tried every approach to retrieve my unfair bank charges from 'Abbey' but with no joy and am no in the court case waiting que as my case has been put on hold like all other bank charges claims.

My question is,
Since filing my case with the courts, i have become unemployed. Christmas is going to be a real struggle and i am behind with most of my household bills and rent.
Now that i am receving benefits, can i write to abbey again explain my situation and put through a hardship application even though i have already taken them to court? If they do make me an offer do i have to accept it? If i do accept the offer but it is not the full ammount, can i still claim for the remaining ammount?
If any of this was to happen, what would happen to my pending court case?

I have been searching this site and have found many answers but all with different opinions. Please can someone just explain simply what you think is best for me to do. Do i sit it out and wait for the final hearing or do i reclaim via the hardship process?

Thanks for your time all

Bump

Originally Posted by BECKY X

Hello,

I have already tried every approach to retrieve my unfair bank charges from 'Abbey' but with no joy and am no in the court case waiting que as my case has been put on hold like all other bank charges claims.

My question is,
Since filing my case with the courts, i have become unemployed. Christmas is going to be a real struggle and i am behind with most of my household bills and rent.
Now that i am receving benefits, can i write to abbey again explain my situation and put through a hardship application even though i have already taken them to court?
You can and have always been able to ask the bank to look at any claim for financial hardship. Under BCOBS rules they have to look at it(formerly the Banking Code)
If they do make me an offer do i have to accept it?
If they make an offer and you reject it then they don't have to increase it and your only route is the Ombudsman who may not increase it.
If i do accept the offer but it is not the full ammount, can i still claim for the remaining ammount?
If they make an offer it will NOT be for the full amount and may only relate to a period where the hardship was becoming an issue, ie period of unemployment.
If any of this was to happen, what would happen to my pending court case?
Currently, it would be taken off any settlement if we get to that stage.
I have been searching this site and have found many answers but all with different opinions. Please can someone just explain simply what you think is best for me to do. Do i sit it out and wait for the final hearing or do i reclaim via the hardship process?
You have absolutely nothing to lose by asking the bank to look at your case as a financial hardship one. Remember, there is no fsa waiver anymore so that is out.
Thanks for your time all

see the above.

I am hugely confused.com and would love someone to help - I did the whole bank claim on A&L and had my case put on hold as did we all. It was suggested to me ages ago that I may count as a hardship case, so I wrote to A&L and said I intended to claim on the grounds of hardship and they wrote back saying that as I didn't bank with them any more and therefore would not be incurring further charges from them I was not a hardship case. Can someone explain to me if this is correct?

bump

Hi All,
Whats the latest with this thread,does the hardship rules still apply ? Any template letter links to maybe start a claim.My eyes a sore after reading so much and confusion now exists.Is this just a non starter until the whole court thing has been resolved or was the last judgement final and the gate now closed for any claims to be started ?
Can anyone link a idiots guide if there is still some mileage in starting a claim.
Every month the charges are getting worse with Abbey and its so annoying.
Thanks,
Ramjet

I understand that banks do still have to look at a hardship claim but if they offer you anything it will only be for while they thought you were hard up. You will need every bit of paper from them to prove that. You should have already asked for a CCA £1 and a SAR £10.

Even since the Manchester case, the one thing that has come out is the Unfairness of the charges being made, like a one-sided variation to the agreement. There are many cases of unfair banking and this seems to have come into the light now. I also understand that they don't look too favourably on template letters and you would do well to draft a letter up in your own words stating your case of unfairness, with evidence, and start your own thread. You can post up the draft and then see what people say before you post it.

Good Luck