Hi, I have seen several posts from employees and others stating that Managers can only authorise a maximum refund of £50 in charges. I just wanted to let you know that I phoned to complain about £58 charges (one of £30 and one of £28 ) and had them both refunded at same time.

Let me explain what happened. I always keep a running balance in my chequebook, so I always know what's coming in and out, when D/D's are due, etc. On a Monday, I knew I that when everything I had spent actually came out of my account I would exceed my overdraft limit. I also knew I would be paid on the Wednesday and this would more than cover any potential overspend.

On the Tuesday morning, I checked my balance online via RBSDigital. If I was over my agreed overdraft limit, I could transfer funds from my 60 day notice savings account, if need be (although this would lose me interest, I thought it better that the potential charges) but was pleased to see that several switch items had not yet been charged so I was still within my agreed limit.

On Wednesday when I checked online I noticed that the switch payments I was waiting on had now been debited from my account but that they had been backdated and had been applied from midnight on Tuesday meaning my account now looked to have been overdrawn for the whole of Tuesday.

I received a letter a couple of days later advising me I would be charged £30. I phoned to complain and that's when I was told I would also be charged £28 in addition to the £30. I was annoyed but politely explained that I deliberately checked my balance on Tuesday with the intention of transferring funds there and then if they had been needed. After agreeing I would easily have avoided the charges if I had been aware switch payments can be backdated, the lady I spoke with checked with her manager and she agreed to waive the charges - ON THIS OCCASSION ONLY!

Interestly, but they actually refunded the charges before they were applied to my account. So in effect they paid me £58 for my error (I am still waiting for the charges to be applied - have had the refund for about a month now - when should I let them know I still owe them money

But my main point is that I had more than £50 refunded by my branch without much fuss.

A good result. HSBC now seem to be applying the same policy, only they cannot refund until the charges have actually been debited...at the moment...

A good result. HSBC now seem to be applying the same policy, only they cannot refund until the charges have actually been debited...at the moment...

bet they can this is just a fob off on the phone. yeah ring when they get applied lol.

really from working in call centers that one annoys me more than the customer

Let me get this right they have actually PUT £58 in your account?

Not just said that they are going to but actually gone ahead and done it?

What does it show on your statement? CHG +58.00 perhaps?

Well done anyway!

Anyone can key a refund of any amount on the system but we are not supposed to. Doing so without authorisation could mean disciplinary action or the sack :o Branch managers are only allowed to authorise refunds of up to £50 (I am not sure if Premium (rich customers) or Business Managers have higher limits).

If you have had a refund of £58 in then my guess was either:

(a) your manager referred it to her area manager who authorised the refund

(b) your branch is covered by an "income manager" who authorised the refund

© you are either a business or premium customer

(d) your manager did a good deed but if anyone ever finds out they may get in trouble (who knows maybe they browse CAG too! )

I know you replied ages ago, I have not been to the site for a while - not been on my PC for a while either, so apologies.

Yep, they actually paid me £30 and £28 BEFORE the charges were applied to my account.

I waited well over a month before the real charges were applied.

This topic was closed on 09 March 2019.

If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there.

If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened.

- Consumer Action Group