Hi,

This is my first post on this site and i'm basically just looking for some sound advice. I have just sent off my first letter to the RBS asking for a list of all my charges for the last 6 years, I have included a cheque for ten pounds.

My main questions are, is it too late to start this process now as there is soon to be clamp down on these charges? Is it just a case of totalling up my charges and writing to the same address asking for a full refund?

I have read many posts on here and just feeling a little confused.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi Will.

What clampdown is that, then?

If you are talking about the OFT report, that is what it is....A report which is aimed at the banks. It will NOT affect your claim in any way. Whoever told you otherwise has got the wrong end of the stick.

For more information read the following thread.....

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general/70359-about-oft-impending-report.html

As far as the procedure is concerned, I suggest that you spend a few days reading the FAQs and the step by step guide in the library section.

That will explain it all to you.

Good luck.

Regards, Rooster.

Thanks for the promt reply. It is that report indeed, guess I was just a bit scared of the whole thing but then I think about all my many many charges and it makes me determined! Just worried that it is going to take months and months. Will read the FAQ's though and keep posting.

Sorry, in terms of timescales some people appear to get their charges back fairly quickly and others it takes a long time. Is this specific to particular banks? From what i have read, the RBS appear to take some time.

As I understand it, there is not to be a clamp down on charges as such. The OFT report is expected to set a level of charges at which they (the OFT) would take action. This is thought to be £12-15.

It is taken as read, I think, that banks will attempt to call this a 'cap' and try to reduce claims for refund accordingly.

However, as I understand it, this OFT 'ruling' is NOT retrospective so whatever the banks may try, it shouldn't impact claims for charges prior to the date of the OFT report - it probably won't affect subsequent ones either, because the UTCA etc still apply.

So if the banks still refuse to disclose the actual cost of administering our breaches of contract, then the basis for our claims still apply, because £12-15 charge for a 'service' where the actual cost is IRO £1 is STILL a PENALTY CHARGE.

So in essence, the answer to your questions are - No and No

No, It's not too late to start, I don't think there will be a 'too late'.

No, it's not quite that simple (yet). You should go through the process outlined on the site because then they know you are serious, and if they mess you around (as they have others) then you have the process on your side.

If I have my a*se out of the window on this, I'm sure somebody will be along to correct me presently.

Hope that helps.

Didn't know you had posted Roost, took me too long typing, hehe.

Just to add to this.....the credit cards have been "clamped down" for 10 (??) months now and we are still getting FULL settlements back from them!

Hi there,

I have received my bank statements and am stunned at the amount of charges i have incurred. My question is do i simply highlight these and send them off, and if so to what address is it best to send them to? I have seen so many addresses on this site that i'm confused. Am i best to send it recorded delivery etc?

Many thanks.

You need to enter your charges onto a spreadsheet and send a copy with your prelim letter to the address in this link.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/671-2-letter-preliminary-approach.html

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/182-6-interest-calculation-spreadsheets.html

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/royal-bank-scotland/75836-rbs-contact-information.html

Threads merged please stick to one.

Thanks for that. I am currently putting everything into the template spreadsheet and everything should be ready for posting tonight. One last thing (sorry), do i actually send my statements with the letter and spreadsheet??

Hi there,

Just typed up first letters and i'm only sending the spreadsheets. have also only included the charges and not the interest. hope this will be ok i'm in the same boat as you.

Good luck!!

will

no, just the spreadsheet.

Think it might be worth you running through the user guide in the FAQs area because you seem to not be entirely sure of what you are doing and it would be far better for you to have a full grasp of exactly what the process is and what you need to do.

You are after all taking on a rather large company here!

Sent off my letter with the spreadsheet of charges on the 11/04/07. They have replied today (18/04/07) thanking me for my letter regarding the charges applied to my account and that they are considering my claim and will respond to me as soon as possible. From Sandy Watt.

Do I now give them 14 days from receipt of this letter or do I stick to my original letter are disregard this one??

Many thanks.

Hi Will, the overall advice given on the many threads in here is to stick to the deadlines that you have imposed. So give them 14 days from the day they received your preliminary letter and then send your LBA. Many people have received the standard letter from Sandy Watt but this is not considered a positive response to your prelim so you should go ahead with your LBA.

Update. I sent my request letter off giving them the 14 days etc and got the Sandy Watt aknowledgement letter. I have given them a week over their 14 days and i have now sent the other letter off. I have stuck with the template but made a few extra comments because the bank phoned me to say they were going to default my account shortly (this is nothing to do with the charges, purly because i am overdrawn). I have stressed the urgency of a reply and payment but also that i will not be accepting a reduced settlement figure. Is this too strong? I am scared that i wont hear anything back?

You have raised the issue of penalty charges which have been applied unlawfully to your account. It is therefore in dispute and the bank isn't allowed to default you whilst this is so....

Write a letter in response to the threat of default, stating the 'account is in dispute' and this should stop further action in that area...

This one!

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/lloyds-bank/40840-mooshy-lloyds-tsb-3.html?highlight=Dispute#post590925

This one!

Though there might be.....cheers mucker.

Any news on the sprog yet?

Nope

Contractions have died off a bit so maybe not today. God knows!?!?

Got a letter saying that the charges on my account etc were fair, blah blah. However, as an act of good faith they are going to refund the FULL amount that i asked for! (£4465) I am so happy, not a penny less than I asked for. I did make it clear in my second letter that I would not be backing down and advised them not to offer me a smaller amount - appears to have worked anyway! Does anybody know the timescale for getting the money? I posted the letter of acceptance (taking a copy of course) on Monday past???

Thanks for all the advice by the way - brilliant!!!