Thread: FCC V"s HFX

Good stuff.

Let us know how you get on.

Originally Posted by firstcrowcounter

I'm flabberghasted, I knew it had been a tough year and was bound to be a lot but???

it makes you mad doesn't it when you realise how much EVIL the banks have demonstrated!

Got tired of waiting to get home and ruck into the statements (still not arrived) So sent a letter requesting repayment of previous 12 months worth of charges I got from my online statements. I'll go for the rest later. I live in scotland so my limit in court would be 1500 anyway.

Halifax have followed up their letter of acknowledgement and made a "goodwill" offer of £357. I was mildly irritated by an insinuation that my reclaiming of charges is going to transfer the cost others, as if £39 is what it really costs to automatically return a DD. My response is pasted below.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter of 21st June 2006. I’m afraid your offer of £357, although generous, is unsatisfactory as I am owed £1,977 in charges which you have levied from my account during the period from March 4th 2005 to the 23rd of May 2006.

You make the point: “We incur costs regardless of the shortfall involved. We believe it is fair to pass on these costs onto the accounts affected, rather than absorb them into other areas of our operations, penalising all our other customers as a result.”

I quote a letter I received 12th April 2006 from Alison Downs, customer services; “The majority of transactions on your account are automated and all application of charges is automated. The only manual intervention around charges would be when a refund is made.”

Given the information contained in the quotes above I would suggest that the costs incurred, for example, for the automatic return of an unpaid direct debit (current charge £39) must be very small, perhaps only a few pence and I can only conclude that as you fear some other costs have in fact been absorbed by other operations and I, along with others, am the one being unfairly penalised. If, as you suggest, the company policy is to fairly charge the costs incurred by unsuccessful transactions to the affected accounts I would suggest the amounts recovered in overdraft interest, which I have undoubtedly paid highly trying to keep up with an average £150 a month, should be more than adequate recompense.

The regime of fees which you have been applying to my account in relation to direct debit refusals, exceeding overdraft limits and so forth are unlawful at Common Law, Statute and recent Consumer regulations.

I will therefore settle for nothing less than a full repayment of £1,977 stated. I will give you 14 days to reply to me accepting unconditionally my request in principle and letting me know a date by which I will receive payment.

If you do not respond or you do not respond positively within this time period, I shall send you a letter before action.

You must mitigate your loss so accept any offer they make you , rejecting all and any conditions and inform them that you will pursue them for the remainder.