This topic was closed on 11 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

Well, what a surprise. My first SAR request, which I thought was lost, had actually arrived at Natwest. Thank you Post Office for getting a signature. Natwest have now returned my second postal order as they have already received payment from me. Very kind of them. In their letter they stated that my request is being actioned and that the information should be with me shortly. Not good enough. Especially as they had my original letter back in May. They have been threatened with legal action though. Unless I get anything in the post tomorrow morning I am going to leave it until I return from hols in 2 weeks time. Bit of a pain as I wanted to get my LBA in before I go away so that I can sort out Court papers when I get back. Hey ho. It's gonna take longer but I'll get them. Great to see other threads where people have got their money back. I'm a little concerned about this threat of having one big court action to sort it out once and for all. I'm hoping this doesn't happen before I get back what I am due. Although, with the profits that have been announced by some banks this week I don't think the judges will look too favourably towards them (I hope). Good luck to everyone else with their claims. I'm back in 2 weeks after my hols in the Germany Alps. Tony

40 days are up. Nothing received. Letter before Action going in the post tomorrow. They have 7 days to respond. Hopefully they will, just before I go on holiday. Then I can get out my LBA to Mr Higley so I have my reply on my return. Not giving up. I'm gonna get them. Tony

Well, my 40 days are up on Monday 24 July so I rang up the bank to find out whats going on. They have my letter and it is "work in progress". Turns out though that they have been inundated with requests for statements. Go figure. They have been warned though that 40 days are up on Monday and it will be reported if I do not have a reply. I'll keep you posted. Tony

I had the same problem. Sent my DPA request recorded delivery, tried to track it online but came showing "come back later". Rang up Royal Mail they told me it must be lost. So I've waited the requisite time and now claimed against Royal Mail for my postage and also for the Postal Order that was included. I've now done another DPA request and handed it in to my branch. They have acknowledged receipt and passed it on to the right department. Interesting that Natwest have been inundated. Wonder why? It's not right though that they are not signing for their recorded post. Keep perservering. Tony

Great news. Congratulations. Gives hope to us all. Tony

Just a quick update on my lost cheque saga. I wrote to Natwest telling them I wanted all my penalties back because they lost the cheque I posted to them (in their own letterbox, but out of hours). Natwest have refused to pay back these penalties because, and I quote, "the letterbox is not an authorised depository". I couldn't get angry because I was laughing so much at just how stupid they make themselves sound. So, these charges will be added on to my claim. I will be writing to the bank, again, to find out exactly how I am to pay a cheque in when I cannot get to the bank during opening hours. They really are driving me up the wall. The Royal Mail have lost my first DPA request, including the Postal Order, so I am now claiming against them. I have now posted another DPA request but handed it in to my local branch and told them to deal with it. Ever get the feeling that things are not going your way? Tony

Superb news. Gives hope to the rest of us. Tony

Am I jinxed? I sent my DPA request recorded delivery on 25 May. Tried to track delivery but kept getting nothing so rang up the Post Office. It appears they may have lost my letter. I can't claim though until 14 June. Apparently I can't find out if my postal order has been cashed until that date either. To make matters worse, good old Nat West lost my salary cheque I delivered to them, by hand. Consequently, they didn't pay some DD's and charged me for the privilege. This time however, the bank did apologise for their error and, after a duplicate cheque had been paid in, paid the DD's. They wrote to me telling me what they had done and hoped that this resolved the matter. Nothing was said about the charges they had made on my account, even though I had requested them back. I guess they think if they ignore the problem them it will go away. Wrong. They had a letter straight back telling them to sort it out. We'll see what happens. In the meantime I have to wait until 14 June to find out if my letter has turned up. Frustrating or what? Tony

Well, I have it in writing so it doesn't look good for them. I wonder if this admission will be of any use to anyone else using this forum?

Had a letter from the famous Mr Higley acknowledging that I was putting my claim on hold while I got hold of details of charges for the last 6 years. In my letter I told Mr Higley that at no time had NatWest ever given me a breakdown of their charges as I had requested. In his reply to me he stated "The bank is under no obligation to explain how its charges are calculated and isn't prepared to enter into any correspondence on the subject. I would just add that the bank is in the process of responding to the OFT statement and further information might become available at that time." How interesting that the bank will not explain their charges. Sounds like they might have something to hide. Has anyone had this comment from the bank before?

Thanks Lou. DPA letter sent by recorded delivery on 25 May to Natwest. I await their response. Good to hear that my doing things the wrong way round will not affect my claim. Tony

Hi. Unfortunately time was pressing and I did things the wrong way around. I sent the Preliminary Letter, got the standard response so sent the Letter before Action. I was only asking for my charges over the last 9 months to be refunded. I didn't realise you could go back 6 years. Anyway, I got a letter back yesterday stating that the bank would not refund my charges and the initial offer (paltry) still stood. I have today written back to the Customer Relations dept at NatWest and told them that I was not happy with their response and so I have put my claim on hold while I request details of charges for the last 6 years. I am now, today, sending out the DPA letter for information on charges for the last 6 years. I hope this will be ok and that it will not affect my claim. The last letter I had back from the bank was pretty insistent that they would not refund my charges, even though they knew I was going to make a claim. These charges have caused me a lot of problems, especially over the last 9 months due to circumstances beyond my control. If I get them back I can get myself out of debt. I've read other threads and been impressed with the support everyone has given each other and hope I can receive some of the same. This is quite scary. Thanks for listening (reading). Tony