This topic was closed on 03/07/19. 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

Cool, if anyone needs contracts advice let me know and I'll try to arrange something. I like the idea of this campaign.

Anyone know if there are any legal professionals posting on here (must admit I haven't checked very thoroughly). If notI could maybe get someone to give legal opinions.

Nothing at all wrong with being firm, but if you get the person's back up, and I'm not saying you will, but they'll probably less inclined to help you. Shouldn't be that way, but human nature is what it is. Write a letter they'll show to other people in the office because it's quirky and I guarantee the end to standard letter responses. (I do not guarantee this at law btw).

I completely agree, why should we not be refunded unfair penalty charges (my words, not an official term).? BUT...I work in Local Government and regularly deal with customer complaints, be they justified or not. My advice is to remember that the person who opens your letter and is told to deal with it by their boss is probably just a normal nice person like you or I, so the nicer and more genuine you appear to be from reading your letter, the more likely they are to go out of their way to help you. It's the Bank that is (allegedly..) an evil money making machine, not them personally. Basically, if their work is anything like mine then they have a given maximum number of days to respond, and there is a bare minimum they can get away with doing. But if the letter is polite, and perhaps even a little humorous whilst still being factually correct, concise and assertive in nature then a more useful response may well be received. After all sending out standard letters all day probably isn't all that interesting for the staff member, so interest them and they'll most likely repay the favour.

Apologies if this has been covered before, but I believe that Banks are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Scheme. This should mean that if you register a complaint with a Bank, and it is not resolved to your satisfaction then you may complain to the independent Ombudsman. A decision will then be made as to whether the complaint has been dealt with adequately, and I believe a recommendation will be issued to the Bank for action (or not). If this is similar to the Local Government Scheme, the recommendation is not binding but is always followed in practice. I work as a Local Government Officer, and Local Government Ombudsman complaints are always treated very seriously throughout the country as far as I'm aware. Has anyone tried this route, rather than issuing a County Court claim? I'd be willing to try and post re my progress if not! Any info gratefully received.

I telephoned Natwest this week after hearing about this forum. When I explained my enquiry to the person that answered the 'phone, she *immediately* transferred me to the manager of the lending centre who spent 15 minutes explaining why the Bank would not refund any fees levied on my account as a result of exceeding my overdraft limit by a small amount. I found this interesting as it is usually very difficult and time consuming to be transferred to a manager, and after all why would they want to pay for a manager to speak to me for 15 minutes if this didn't result in the Bank making money? The manager I spoke to was exceptionally knowledgable, patient and insistent on explaining their side of the story very, very fully before I could terminate the conversation. The old saying, "I think s/he doth protesteth too much" comes to mind!! Has anyone else had this experience? I have submitted a request for a breakdown of charges. Let's see what happens next. Good luck to all other claimants, particularly as I don't see Natwest employing more counter staff to reduce queues in branches so that we can pay in our hard earned cash more quickly and easily!!