Just Joe vs. the Woolwich

[Just Joe]

Originally Posted by Just Joe

I'm with the Woolwich... or is it all Barclays now?

I have been a long time customer with the Woolwich for well over 20 years.

Unfortunately, our relationship broke down over the past few years when I found out she was sleeping with another bank... damn that Barclays...

On a serious note though, I have been with them for a long time but was getting really frustrated with the service (or lack there of) and had a number of issue with charges they had issued me because they held on to my paychecks a couple of days longer to benefit from the extra interest.

Although I recently moved banks, I still have the Woolwich accounts open and after reading on this site and on the Martin Lewis one, I've sent a letter for information of charges under the terms of the Data Protection Act.

Hopefully, I should have read most of the information on this site a couple of times by the time they send me the information, so I can make an informed decision.

Then I can move on and forget this unsatisfying relationship. I'll even tear up the photo of my branch that I look at longingly from time to time.

Round 1 - Subject Access Request

21/2/07 Sent the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request), which I had to make a few changes to, because I don't like standard letters. Says exactly the same thing just more in keeping with the way I write letters... look, I'm fussy like that OK? Be thankful you don't have to live with me...

Deadline: 3/4/07 - Approx. 40 Days

23/2/07 Received a standard letter today, thanking me for taking the time to tell them about my dissatisfaction, which is odd as my letter said nothing of the sort. Maybe it's just me but I'm starting to get the feeling that this isn't the first time they've had to deal with a customer wanting to reclaim unfair bank charges? Anyway, they aim to deal with my "complaint" by the 23rd of March... which is nice...

The letter was "signed" by Michele Wallis, who is a female Jazz singer, and a very good looking one at that. I never knew she also worked for the Woolwich. Where does she find the time?

I think she secretly likes me though, as she's returned my £10 cheque. Maybe I should ring her up and ask her out on a date?

Their Aim: 23/3/07

[121o121]

Hi Joe

They usually return the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) cheque, so thats a bonus.

As long as your subject access request was made under the data protection and you included the fee (which obviously you did) its all OK.

They often write back telling you of a random date they'll reply by.

Stick to the step-by-steps and you can't go wrong.

Good Luck

[Just Joe]

22/3/07 Received a letter today from the Woolwich. :o

Firstly, I'm impressed that they actually replied within their own deadline, and secondly I'm surprised that they provided me a breakdown of my charges instead of sending me six years worth of statements for me to plough through.

I suppose they have started to see that people are going to claim whether they make it difficult or not so they might as well save on the postage and just send out a statement with charges only.

I'm just transferring the data to Excel so that I can work with it, but I have one question which I'd ask someone to please answer.

QUESTION: I noted from the FAQ's that an "agreed overdraft fee" cannot be claimed back, but what is an "agreed overdraft fee"? The Woolwich have a code OD which is an "Unauthorised Daily Overdraft Fee", is this the same thing?

They come out of the account at the same time each month for different amounts, anything between £6 and £60 on my statement. Are these actually reclaimable "Total Charges"?

Any help would be appreciated...

[pt2537]

Hi Joe,

im also taking on the woolwich and have recieved the same schedule of charges instead of statements like you.

the OD charge is reclaimable as its the fee they charge you when you have gone over your overdraft without authorisation and to add insult to injury they charge you daily for being over the limit so the amount soon racks up


should you need any help just post a message on here and someone will help you out


regards


paul

[welshcakes]

Hi Joe

Ah, Michele has many penpals including me; she wrote my [your/everyone's] "dissatisfaction letter on 2nd March which is odd really because Andrew Miskell from Barclay Knutsford also wrote me a letter dated the same. How wonderfully efficient that she wrote to me and got my letter passed on all in one day.

You're a little ahead of me as Barclays are aiming to resolve me by 30th March (my 40 day deadline is 4th April) so I hold out hope that next week I can hear my jaw drop when the list of charges is sent

[Just Joe]

Thank you for replying...

OK, I kind of hit a slight hitch in the process... and oddly the delay is my end and not theirs... must be a first...

Anyway I sent off my Prelim Letter about the beginning of April demanding just over £1300.

I then got the standard... "We're sorry your not happy" blah blah "we take complaints very seriously" blah blah "we'll respond in our own time" blah blah blah blah blah blah... you all know the one...

I then sent the LBA off mid April. If it sounds like I don't really know when they were sent it's because I lost my files when my HDD on my old PC failed, although I have sent it off to get the data recovered so I should get them back soon hopefully. Date wise I can back the dates up with the postage receipts.

Anyway, I've ended up delaying sending my Small Claims documents to the Court, because of the PC, but about two days after I was supposed to send it I had a reply from Woolwich offering me just shy of £1000.00 as a "courtesy"... Now if I ask "Should I accept it?" you're going to say "No! Nail 'em to the wall!" or something similar... but what I would like some advice on is;

1. The letter said "full and final settlement", however as I haven't submitted a claim to the courts yet, should I give the Woolwich a second opportunity to settle in full? Would this not look better in a small claims court?

2. I've also recently been put on a long case for jury duty, which will probably last till the end of August, so should I forward the claim to the courts anyway, and then put the date off till I'm released from service?

3. Will I have problems because of the delay I've caused?

Thanks in advance...