Long overdue update... Wrote the first letter in November, received the standard 'sod off' letter. Then for some personal reasons didn't manage to take this up again until April this year. Wrote them a response to their letter, a sort of second prelim, asking again for the money. No response. Sent an LBA. No response. Rang them, and were told that "an offer is in the post". Waited two weeks. No offer arrived. Then had to wait until pay day to file moneyclaim, so thought we'd try a different tack in the meantime... As they hadn't responded to any of our letters, not even an acknowledgement, so we wrote to them pointing out that they'd broken their own complaints procedure, that it had been over eight weeks since our letter in April, and that therefore we were going to the Ombudsman about their failure to respond to our complaint. Told them they had 14 days to reply with an offer of the full amount or we'd go to the Ombudsman about the complaint/customer service issue and also file a court claim. THREE days after receipt of our letter they sent one offering the full amount as a 'gesture of goodwill' - received it just now! We win!! :-D :-D

I wrote to my MP on 27th October, and received a response on 31st (quick work!) Dear Girltuesday Thank you for your letter of 27th October and I am sorry to learn that you have been caught up in this rather sharp banking practice. I am fairly familiar with the problem because I have been working with BBC journalists on this issue. My personal view is that, although banks should be entitled to charge a penalty if someone breaches an agreed overdraft limit, I think that the fee charged should simply reflect the cost of the administration of that situation. I do not believe that the banks should charge punitive fees and I believe that it is illegal for them to do so though no one seems to be enforcing the law. As you have found out from your own experience, the banks are seeking to avoid a legal definition of what they can charge by caving in to avoid court action. I am currently seeking to track down the legal basis for the belief that banks by law are only allowed to charge administrative costs for breaches of bank overdraft agreements. If it is correct that it is illegal, then I will certainly be pursuing this further with the Treasury because it does seem odd that they might be breaching the law with impunity, Nonewithstanding that, I also believe that somthing has to be done to make the system that the banks are operating fairer and more reasonable so that they are not simply using this as a money making scheme at the expense of people who, by definition, will be affected financially. I am grateful to you for raising this subject. Simon Burns MP

I wrote to my MP on 27th October, and received a response on 31st (quick work!) Dear Girltuesday Thank you for your letter of 27th October and I am sorry to learn that you have been caught up in this rather sharp banking practice. I am fairly familiar with the problem because I have been working with BBC journalists on this issue. My personal view is that, although banks should be entitled to charge a penalty if someone breaches an agreed overdraft limit, I think that the fee charged should simply reflect the cost of the administration of that situation. I do not believe that the banks should charge punitive fees and I believe that it is illegal for them to do so though no one seems to be enforcing the law. As you have found out from your own experience, the banks are seeking to avoid a legal definition of what they can charge by caving in to avoid court action. I am currently seeking to track down the legal basis for the belief that banks by law are only allowed to charge administrative costs for breaches of bank overdraft agreements. If it is correct that it is illegal, then I will certainly be pursuing this further with the Treasury because it does seem odd that they might be breaching the law with impunity, Nonewithstanding that, I also believe that somthing has to be done to make the system that the banks are operating fairer and more reasonable so that they are not simply using this as a money making scheme at the expense of people who, by definition, will be affected financially. I am grateful to you for raising this subject. Simon Burns MP

Both my parents live overseas and they both use Lloyds TSB Offshore banking, which they cannot praise highly enough. I used to work for Cater Allen, and I definitely would NOT recommend them, especially since Abbey took over!

Can I strongly advise that you ring MBNA and ask why your account been sent through to GVI (aka Global Vantedge) then? Because if you aren't in arrears, then you have even less reason to have to deal with that lot of ****. For more delightful tales of Global Vantedge, see here:http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/mbna/15426-global-vantedge.html?highlight=global+vantedge

Right. Finally received the statements, and a very snotty letter saying that manual intervention doesn't exist at NatWest?! They owe our joint account £999, and Mr Tuesday £842. Let battle commence!

I'm still waiting for my statements (and they cashed my £10 cheque on day 39). I've written to them telling them I'm reporting them to the Information Commissioner...

Well, they didn't send anything. So I've sent them a letter telling them I'm reporting them to the Information Commissioner, and that I still want the statements I asked for and also want my £10 back! Awaiting a response...

Hi again, I would advise you to contact the complaints team by telephone, now that they've acknowledged your complaint. Tell them about the calls you keep getting - chances are they can have those stopped while they investigate the complaint. Well, I used to work on the complaints team of a bank and we certainly had the authority to request that. Then telephone the department that keep phoning you and say: "I have agreed a repayment plan with you. Can you reassure me that that shows on your system and is all agreed?" If they say yes, then you can ask them to explain why they still feel the need to telephone you, if they are happy with the plan. Emphasise that you have made a complaint which is in process and has been acknowledged by person x. If they say no, ask them if they can give you the telephone number of the relevant department/person you agreed the plan with, and take it from there. Or ask if they can investigate that an get back to you. It sounds really clear to me that they don't seem to have good communication between departments, which may be the root of the problem you're having. This is just my opinion/advice, obviously, but it's what I'd do. Good luck!

It seems a bit odd, to be honest. If you've agreed a repayment schedule with them, then why do they need to call you?! Maybe it's a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing...?

Does a google search on your name bring anything up? Mine brings up my entry on the company website, so I'm easy to find!

Is it MBNA calling you in person, or is it one of their debt collection lovelies?

I would call them, just to tell them that you want everything in writing. Although quite a few people on here seem to have done really well by discussing it over the phone. I got the full amount back after my very first letter though, and I wasn't willing to speak to them on the phone. I'm rubbish on the phone, much better in writing! My letter was a complaint about Global Vantedge (one of their debt collection people), an SAR, and another complaint (about Payment Protection Insurance). They sent me a three page response which I have to say was actually very good (and not just because they gave back all my money!). They did admit to being in the wrong too, which felt really good!!

Their charming rottweiler compnay Global Vantedge phond me at work, and actually verbally abused and threatened the switchboard when they refused to put the call through. And I never gave them my work number either. Unfortunately it's not hard to find company numbers on the net.

Oh my god! Am off sick today, but am feeling much better now thanks to a letter from MBNA! My original letter gave them an SAR request, but also complained about being charged payment protection insurance that I never requested, and about their little rottweiler Global Vantedge. Have now had a three page response. I can't type it all out, but I'll summarise: Dear Mrs Tuesday, Sorry to hear that you're unhappy blah blah... We don't agree with the OFT and think our charges are fair, and you agreed to them, and blah blah blah... However we are now reducing our charges to £12, and we expect you to conform to the terms of your agreement in future blah blah... I enclose a list of charges you have incurred [adds up to £200] and as a gesture of goodwill we are crediting your account with £200 in full and final settlement... We agree that you did not originally request payment protection insurance but somehow it got added to your account, so we are refunding all PPI premiums you have paid and crediting your accout with an additional £50 as a gesture of regret for any inconvenience caused... Global Vantedge should be as polite and lovely as we are, sorry that they weren't, we've given them feedback about this and we're very very sorry that they were mean to you [i'm really paraphrasing here, obviously!]... Once again, we're very very sorry for everything and hope you are satisfied now. Yours sincerely, Susan Pemberton Assistant Vice Prsident YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Alan, I took mine into the branch, and they told me a special address to post it to - apparently Natwest have had to set up a team to deal with all us troublemakers! Good luck and keep us posted! gt

Have had another letter, this time saying that my complaint is taking 'longer than anticipated' and that they will provide a response in ten days. This one is signed by G Theobald.

They have finally cashed the cheque today (thanks, just when I could least afford it!) but tomorrow is 40 days. Does that mean that if I don't receive everything by tomorrow then they've breached the Data Protection Act?

Well, I sent the letter to an address I was given when I asked at the branch - some kind of 'special department' apparently... anyone know anything about that? Stupidly, I didn't send it by recorded delivery (well, I say I didn't - the other half didn't remember to get recorded when he offered to go to the Post Office for me!) I'll ring them in a couple of days if I haven't heard anything...

I did the internet application, then they telephoned me to confirm and to let me know the credit limit. I think they then sent out the card. I honestly don't remember physically signing anything. Still, hopefully I'll find out when I get their response! The thing is, I know I wouldn't have chosen to opt in for PPI, but I suppose it's possible that I didn't see a box or similar to tick to opt OUT, if you see what I mean!

I sent off the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letter with a cheque for £10 at the beginning of August. I've not heard anything from NatWest yet, not even an acknowledgement, and they haven't cashed the cheque. Is this normal?! They're usually dying to get their hands on my money!

That's what I asked for in the letter. I applied online though, I think, so I don't know if they would have a 'copy' of that...?

Well, I've had a letter from them which seems pretty standard: we're looking into your complaint, blah blah blah, will respond by 31st August. I also mentioned in my letter with the SAR that I don't recall ever requesting PPI when I opened the card, but they've been charging me for it every month anyway. I read somewhere (can't remember if it was on here!) that if they can't prove I requested it (copy of application etc) then they have to refund it...

Well, mainly because I want my money back but partly as revenge for MBNA setting Global Vantedge on me, I have sent off the SAR request. I'm feeling a lot more nervous about it than I expected, probably because I know how nasty they like to get (e.g. Global Vantedge). But it seems from some of the threads here that they've actually not been too vile... So, here we go!

Just seeing the name Global Vantedge makes me feel sick to my stomach. They harassed me so badly at the beginning of this year that much of the reason I'm claiming back charges from MBNA is just revenge for the all the trouble they put me through. Global Vantedge called my home, my work, harassed and threatened our switchboard and office secretary, and had a 25 minute shouting match with my husband when he refused to let them speak to me. They managed to get over £100 out of me which I certainly couldn't afford, just so I could get them off the phone when I was at work. In the end I called MBNA in tears and was literally sobbing down the phone before someone finally agreed to get them to stop harassing me. And for how much? £40 overlimit.