Hi,

I checked my balance today and found I have just been charged £35 for ‘guarantee card payment fee ‘ (Switch/Maestro) I have never had this before.

I used my card a few days ago, (checked my balance that morning to make sure I had enough to cover the payment I was going to make, showed available amount)

But the bank took a charge of £38 the same day I used my card …(this was'nt showing when I had checked my balance) but now this charge shows up before I used the card… and swallowed up the amount I had seen was available, and had used.

I have had my card refused on occasion when there is not enough money in the account, so I don’t understand how I could have used it if I was over my overdraft limit.

I know its probably something to do with banking/computers, but my account showed a balance available or I would'nt have used it...or the card should have been refused? Does anyone know if there is a precise time of day that banks take charges?

Hope that makes sense! thanks.

Charges are @ close of business.

However, I believe that switch payments take longer than a day to register which is why the charge will predate the payment.

I'm guessing the charge you have been given is what previously was called a Card Misuse fee.

I had something similar happen to me in November. I was waiting for some money to hit my account and asked a friend who ran a pub to put my card through for £15 cashback to see if the money had arrived. I natrually assumed that when the cashback came through ok that all was well. It was only a few days later when i rang the bank to ask about my balance that they informed me i was being charged £37 for missuse of my card. I explained that it was not my fault and that the cashback machine should not have authourised the payment in the first place.

They said that that it was under the minimum checking ammount so it automatically goes through.

The long and short of it was that it cost me £52 to get £15. Now that was an expensive beer.

thanks for your replies,

I think I will just add those charges to my claim, just sent the prelim letter, so just going to read up how to go about adding them on. That was an expensive beer Iroberts-hope it was a good one!!

Can I just check what you said above, you have already sent the prelim but now want to add these charges, is that what you mean?

hi TF44,

yes thats what I meant. I have'nt had a chance to read up to refresh, but I think I read other posts that when charges are taken after the prelim has been sent you just send them an amended schedule? Hope thats right?

I have'nt heard back from the bank yet, the deadline is next week though.

Yes, you can either send them an interim letter than say something like "following on from my letter dated xxx (your prelim), you have since charged me £xxx in charges and £xxx in overdraft interest, these charges will be added to my claim making a total of £xxx in charges and £xxx in overdraft interest, total £xxx. I have enclosed an amended statement of charges for your reference. Any further charges will also be added to my claim."

Or if you are too close to sending your LBA then add this in somewhere on your LBA.

I've just thrown that together, so you could tidy it up to match the wording in the prelim.

HTH

hi TF44, thankyou for your help, and interim letter wording-sounds great to me!

I think I will send an interim letter, as the LBA is not due till end of coming week, hoping it might nudge them to make an offer! xx

Don't forget to remind them how many days they have left to respond to your prelim

good idea! thankyou

Hi,

Apologies in advance if I make a few mistakes, but this is the first post I have ever made anywhere so here goes:)

I now how you feel stitch, I have just checked my bank account funnily enough to get my credit card balance as I am filling in a financial statement for a DMP grrrrr, and low and behold good old NatWest who always like to upset me before I get paid when I am hoping for a little extra overtime I have 2 charges on my account in 2 days 1 for £35 and 1 for £140. to say i was angry is not even close, my account is now £285 over my overdraft limit and that before I get paid in a week and half. It amazing how you use your card the bank gives online autherisation then a week later it turns up. And sometimes it waits till you are trying to put money in to correct a problem then they take it for charges. I just give up with them, tomorrow I am writing to the bank telling them what I think,

want to claim my charges back but I am worried that the bank will close my account and demand my £4k overdraft back, any advice would be welcome. sorry for the long post