Sorry to be a pain, but whats the difference between reclaiming them, and them being refunded? So Natwest have told me they're not prepared to budge on this, yet i can actually reclaim the charges?

What's the most appropriate course of action?

That is correct, no forewarning or notice was given to me about these charges at all.

Hello everyone, On the 22nd August I paid for around 8 GBP for a bag of shopping at my local co-op with my Visa Solo Debit Card, on the 5th September I was charged 60 GBP by my bank (Natwest) and then two weeks later, another 60 GBP. It was only when the second 60 came out that I actually noticed, I had to call Natwest and asked where it had gone (since I hadnt received my monthly statement) they basically told me that because I tried to pay for goods with no money in my bank, that I had been charged. I found this odd, as I usually check my card at an ATM machine every time I use it to make sure the funds have gone out. Baring in mind I had no overdraft facility on my bank, and usually if there are no funds in my bank my card is never accepted, I also stated that I had checked at an ATM before/after the card transaction. So somewhat puzzled, I queried Natwest further. The situation was simple, or so I was led to believe, when you make a payment with a debit card in store for items/service/other, Natwest holds onto the payment for 48hrs for the company involved to collect it (in my case, co op) if the company fails to accept the funds, then it is re-imbursed back into your account. Apparently co-op had tried to take the money from my bank two weeks after I had initially paid for my items, when there were no funds in my account, hence why Natwest felt it wise to charge for what is to me a colossal amount of money, I am totally disgusted. After speaking to both parties (co-op and Natwest) they tend to agree on the same thing, that it is really no fault of my own, yet Natwest are not prepared to reimburse me the charges, and co-op barely seem interested in speaking to me about it. It seems that Natwest are hiding behind their terms and conditions, which more or less state that if I didn't make sure there were funds in my account at the time, then it is no fault of theirs, which I can agree with to a certain extent IF I had paid 8 GBP for a bag of groceries by direct debit, and I had KNOWN the money was going to removed by that time. Co-op on the other hand are hiding behind the law, the law states that they have 6 months in which to collect the funds from my account. So what they did wasn't illegal, just EXTREMELY inconsiderate (or so I have been told anyway). I really do not know what to do guys, the CAB told me that I should write a letter of grievance to co-op, yet after being met with a cold stern attitude on the phone, perhaps I should chalk this one up as a loss? With technology these days being as advanced as it is, you would think that debit card payments in store would be instant (or so I always thought), what's the world coming to if a man cant pay for an item which doesn't even equate to double figures in value, without being lumbered with a hefty charge two weeks after entering his PIN number? Thanks for listening.