ATOP - DON'T..!!!! Do it yourself. I've not looked into one of these "we'll do it for you companies" but they look like your typical ambulance chasers. There's absolutely nothing to it - just follow the rules laid down and the cash will come back to you. It took me a while - but that was partially down to us being skeptical, partially down to us being lazy but mostly down to us having a baby and then planning a wedding in New York. Had I been a little quicker I could have got more - but that statue of limitations appears to be 6-years and so that's as far back as we could claim. Get your ar*e in gear and do it - that was my pep walk by the way..!

I can't seem to change the title to ***WON*** ???

Case closed... Cheque for full amount plus interest plus court fees arrived two days before the deadline. We had closed the account 2 years ago so that's that. Nationwide can take a running jump.. YAY

Thanks. I wish I had got my act together a bit quicker but I have to admit that there was a part of me that thought this whole thing was a con..!! I like to think I'd never get caught out by an internet [problem] (e.g. my late grandfather has left me £2.4m and I just need you to get it out of Sierra Leone etc.) but I was starting to think that this was a really complex [problem] - especially when you get to the point of filing a claim... Happily I know it's not. We've already blown this "free" cash on a weekend in New York to revisit the site of our wedding last December...

It's my wife's birthday today and amongst the many cards she received a letter from the Nationwide Building Society enclosing a cheque for £1066.59 (£842.00 refund of charges, £80.00 Court Costs and £144.59 interest). There was only 2 days left until their 14-day court extension deadline was due and so we had visions of having to go to court and defend ourselves but fortunately it didn't come to that and we can close this chapter of our lives. I'm absolutely staggered how the banks can get away with what they do but I'm even more staggered how 'easy' it is to actually get your money back. Just following the step-by-step instructions seems to yield the results. We breathed heavily during the LloydsTSB cases a few weeks ago but thankfully Nationwide seem to have neither the compassion or resolve to defend the undefendable. So, if you are thinking about pursuing Nationwide or mid-way through an action - there is light at the end of the tunnel. My attention will now be turned on to Peugeot Finance - and I've got the bit between my teeth..!!!

Okey-doke. Sounds like a good idea. And it will make us sound confident..!!!!

Cheers - I don't really fancy going to court so let's hope they pay up..! We don't have an account with them any more - so if they do pay up do they simply send a chek?

Hi, We've received a letter this morning stating that Nationwide intend to defend the claim and have appointed Eversheds LLp from Cardiff to defend them. They have 28 days. What happens next - do we have to go to court? How do we defend ourselves...?

Hi, Quick update. I at long last got around to filing my claim at Tameside County Courts last week. I decided to do it person instead of that automated service and I'm glad I did. The girl on reception was really friendly and helpful. In fact, she gave me a pre-written sheet and told me to simply copy the wording, word-for-word, and also showed me clearly how to summarise my claim. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself until I just read the BBC article about LloydsTsb winning their first case. Whilst this is only 1 to them and 10,000's to us it is still a little disturbing. I'm just hoping that I haven't left it too late. It reminds me of the practise about 10 years ago when we all ran around opening building society counts in the hope that they would become banks and pay out shares to us. I made a pretty penny or two from that!!! But I only got in at the tail end - which is how I feel now. I understand that the judgement is not really a precedent but all the same I just hope our claim gets sorted sooner rather than later. The girl said about 2 weeks is the norm.... I'll keep you posted.

Right - used the spreadsheet and it's 'only' another £170.00 so I don't think I'll bother - and simply got for the original £942.00. I know that sounds really cavalier and £170.00 isn't to be sneezed at but at the end of the day I wrote this money off 18-months ago and only heard about this website 6-months ago and so it feels like I'm 'winning' £942.00 rather than trying to reclaim £942.00 that I feel I have lost.... if you know what I mean...?

Actually - give me a few minutes and I'll use the spreadsheet and see what happens...

Thanks for the advice - but to be honest we were only going to claim the actual charges rather than adding interest etc. Is that still ok? Can I still proceed and simply claim for the money debited rather than adding interest to that amount? Cheers Stephen

Question 1 then...! What address do I use for the Nationwide? Their local branch office where I banked or their head office that I have been writing to? Cheers

Actually - I'll start now and see how far I get before I have to run....

Cheers - will do first thing in the a.m. - off to take the wife to hospital this afternoon [nothing serious] Cheers Stephen