I've just found out about the possibility of reclaiming charges, and think I could be owed thousands.

But, I like my bank and apart from the charges (which, while excessive, to be fair they have only been incurred in the first place through my spending) I've had a good relationship with them, as has my mother who also banks at my branch. So I don't want to fall out with them or move to another bank.

I was wondering if phoning your personal banker about reclaiming charges before sending out letters is a) worthwhile, and b) has borne any fruit for people, as I don't want to start the ball rolling the more official way if there's a chance of negotiating with them verbally first.

Help appreciated.

It is definitely worth calling your bank to discuss refunds of charges. They will almost certainly offer you some form of payment. It will not be the full amount, accept it but dont agree to it being for full and final settlement. Then it starts with the letter writing. Good luck.

So, talk me through this... They have unlawfully taken thousands in bank charges from you, but since it was your fault you overspent, and you didn't kick up a fuss about them helping themselves to your money, that makes it a good relationship with them?

Newsflash: The "good" relationship is solely due to your meekly paying up, and having enough money to pay up. The experience of thousands on this forum is that the moment the money dried up, the goodwill on the banks' behalf evaporated like morning dew on a hot summer day.

2nd newsflash: They are likely to turn quite mean when you refuse to play by their rules.

But if you really think that you'll get your thousands back by talking nicely to them, why not? Please call them. If it works, PLEASE come back and tell us, we're always looking for ways to make life easier for people here. And to be fair, we have had people gettign 1 or 2 charges back with a phone call. Thousands, never to my knowledge. Would be nice, though.

It does depend on what bank charges they owe you. Anecdotal evidence on this forum is that if you unfair penalty charges are less than £100, then yes, a 'phone call often, but not always, does the trick.

Any amount over this, then don't even waste your breath. They will have you calling all round the country, with promises to call you back, and leaving you VERY frustrated.

See the steps I took to get my bank charges back.

Spiceskull v HSBC.

Thank you Consumer Action Group.

Read my blog.

I called Capital One and got a refund of over £300, but I did say I was a Mod for CAG and they said Okay, we cant be bothered to argue.

Saying that capital one do pay up easily in comparison to the banks.

its unlikely but worth a try...

So I just launch in with a letter without letting them know first locally that I'm unhappy?

I have no doubt that they "launch in" when they are unhappy with you, why would you do anything different to them? No matter what sort of relationship you have with your bank it all comes down to the fact that the charges are illegal. Wether you decide to claim them all back or not is up to you.

Yes I was on the LBA stage before phoning Capital One.

Mostly its recommended you dont call at all, but I had leverage so I did.

Sarah-Jane,

you make it sound like you are about to press the big red button on the Bank. You are not! The letters merely set out your underlying disappointment in their actions. I find that I don't even get a letter nowadays, I just log on to digital banking and the charges have been applied, £90 for referrals and £100's for unpaid DDs every month. I, personally, am fed up with losing money hand over fist when I worked hard to get it in the first place. I have been with the RBS since 1990 and my father was with them for ages before that, up until recently I thought I had a 'good relationship' with them until I started getting multiple charges, not getting phonecalls returned to try and sort this out, loans to cover charges and overdrafts, bigger overdrafts.....then one day you have an epiphany, what would have happened if these charges had not been applied, well, I for one believe that I am 'sensible' with my spending and do not go out to try and incurr charges but live within my means(-ish). I am not doing so because of £1000s of charges.

You are not being rude and should not expect to get 'kicked' out of the Branch, although you may wish to set up another account elsewhere just in case. It is your money and you are merely asking, in a pleasant, direct manner, giving them time to answer and acting within the law. Sod them!

If they have taken lots of charges from you, I would screw them for every penny. This bank does not understand the word 'nice' as I discovered. This bank has a turnover of over £8 billion in profit, mugging customers like ourselves. It is a greedy bank that needs to be destroyed.