However, if they have said it is thier final response, maybe you could go straight into the claim? Not sure how a judge would view that, but I would sent the LBA to be sure as Mindzai says. Don't complicate things for the sake of 14 days!

Hi Michael Yes I have looked at those other acounts, but it's quite another story! Nationwide said flat "no" and NatWest....well.... I applied online, sent the proof of identity documents and application back. A week later got a letter saying that the Inland Revenue statement of account that I sent was not proof of ID as it was not for the current tax year, even though the letter was dated July 2006. I wasn't aware that you could get a statement of account for the current tax year, because it isn't due yet!!!! So I took it to the local branch along with my driving licence and other utility bills and asked them to verify my identity and send it, which they did by internal mail. A week later, another letter saying the "lending department" (although I had asked for a basic account with no credit) hadn't received anything. Soooo.... I went back to the branch, got my driving licence and other documents notarized and stamped by the branch staff and posted it all myself. 3rd time lucky? Guess what? A week later I got another letter from the "lending department" saying they could not accept the documents I had provided. I rang to ask why and they said that "the lending department have different requirements for documentation than a branch". Now considering I have a business account with NatWest anyway registered under my name and at the same address, what the hell would it take to convince them who I am?? After a heated conversation with the "lending department" who wanted me to go through the whole stupid process again I gave up and threw the application in the bin. Even if I had proved my identity they would probably have still turned it down like Nationwide did! What a load of *ankers. (That's not a "B"!)

Thanks for the info guys, I'm pretty sure I had no notice of them withdrawing the overdraft facility, but the letter I quoted came one day after I sent the Prelim so I doubt I will be able to describe it as retaliatory, but I had phoned them a couple of weeks earlier and told them that they had applied so many charges that my account was now unuseable and that I wouldn't be paying anything into it. Yes, it has left me in a position where I cannot write cheques or use the account - I have to use cash for everything which is a real pain in the a***. Forget parachute accounts when you have a bad credit record!! I'll just whack the interest they're charging me onto the court claim anyway, but I'm really considering going for damages as well - not least for the three days I spent without heating or food in the middle of last winter after coming out of a meeting with a "customer services advisor" (which the telephone helpline people arranged) - with nothing but an earful of terms and conditions... These leeches really need to start paying for the problems they cause...

Thanks Michael, I was thinking it would be something like that - just wanted to make sure. Thanks also for the heads up on the fees, didn't realise there was another one for the AQ. But that does lead me to another question, do I add that to the "court fee" box? I presume not at this stage but again I don't want to cock it up! Cheers!

Hi again Guys Sorry if I'm being thick here but what goes in the "Brief details of claim" box? I've done all the rest including the particulars of claim but I can't find a template for the brief details... Also, does anyone know what the court fee is for a claim of about £1850 including the interest + court costs? I need to get the cash from somewhere before I can fill in the interest box as it will change if I can't file it for a week because of cash flow problems! Thanks

Many thanks for the links and info - I had missed that in all the excitement(!) this site is so huge it's difficult to find things now I just received the "final response" letter today - bog standard as expected. I will download the forms and info now, unfortunately I'm no longer on benefits so I doubt the exemptions for the fee will apply, but I will check anyway... Cheers!

Sent the LBA on Monday, waiting for the "final response" crap before I can file the claim. Not going to wait the 14 days, if they say "final response" then I'll take it as that - I'm sure the court would as well! Quick question, I might not be able to use a credit card for moneyclaim online, am I right in assuming I can go to the court, pick up the forms and pay in cash? Cheers!

Bookworm, I wonder how long it will be before they have a completely automated system to deal with all of our letters anyway, if this site grows much more they won't be able to do it manually. I mean, it's costing them £35 to send each letter isn't it?!

Thanks Vicky, I'm going to wait the full 14 days to send the LBA, don't want to give them any excuses at all, even though they've never waited so much as 14 seconds to take my money when it suits them!!

Recieved the standard "SOD OFF" today - took a week for them to reply which seems to be longer than other people on here - perhaps they're a bit busy! Week to go before I can send the LBA - ho hum, twiddling thumbs....

Thanks Bookworm, you are probably right, it's just hard to resist responding when they keep coming out with this c**p and I've still got 11 days till I can do the LBA. I'll let them stew!

Thanks Tharg, think I've done it right!

sorry, charges were £140, not £120 as I put in the letter (corrected now)...

Hi again, could someone please run an eye over this, I have had 2 letters in the past 2 days saying my overdraft facility has been removed and that they are charging 29% apr, and then another saying "please contact us we want to help" LMAO! I really want to respond so I'm appearing not to ignore them, but don't want to do anything that might weaken my position as I sent the prelim and schedule 2 days ago. -- I acknowledge receipt of your letters of the 8th of August informing me that you have removed my overdraft facility and that you will now be charging interest of 29.85% EAR, and on the 9th of August informing me that my account “is overdrawn without our agreement”. The sole reason my account was over the agreed overdraft limit in the first place is because of the unfair and unlawful penalty fees that you have levied on my account, which I have formerly requested are refunded in full in my letter of the 8th of August. As for your comments that I have not contacted you, perhaps if you check your records you will find that I telephoned your “customer services” last week. I explained that I could not possibly afford to pay the £120 you have taken in penalty fees over the last six weeks, and that you had made it impossible for me to pay in a cheque that I have which I needed to do to pay essential bills, therefore rendering the account unusable. I was told that nothing could be done about the charges and was quoted your “terms and conditions”. Your attitude regarding these penalty fees has been appalling since the account was opened, for much of which time I was unemployed. You have left me with no alternative but to pursue this matter through the courts if the claim in my letter of the 8th August is not settled in full. The interest you are now charging on my “overdraft” will of course be added to my total claim. Thanks I presume I can ddd the charges that they are now applying - everything I've read on here seems to indicate I can... And btw, how do you add the signatures to these posts like everyone seems to have? I can't see that anywhere! DerekW

Hi All Started this thread to keep you all up to date on progress with Lloyds TSB - this has got to be the most useful site on the internet right now - I will be donating when I win! Sent off the preliminary letter and schedule yesterday for £1645 - then this arrived in the post this morning (crossed in the post, too quick to be a response to mine): We need to let you know that we have now removed your overdraft facility. We did write to you about this. As you have not been able to come to an arrangement with us, we have now removed your overdraft limit and started charging you at a higher rate of interest of currently 2.20% a month. This works out as an equivalent annual rate, or EAR, of 29.85%. Please let us reassure you that our intention is never to chase our customers. If we ask a customer to get in touch with us so we can help them, and they do not, we have to assume they do not want to sort out their account. This is when we have to take some action to try and ensure your account runs smoothly. So please do get in touch with me or one of my team. Unbelievable! I rang them last week telling them that I could not pay money into the account because their £140 charges last month had pushed the account over the overdraft limit to the extent that I could not pay in the money I have as it will be lost to their charges - and they know I have no income. I got the usual terms and conditions quoted at me. I'm tempted to respond to this with a "the account will not require an overdraft limit once you have refunded the charges" letter and maybe "I will include this extra interest in my court claim". Or should I just ignore it? Derek

I'm expecting to go all the way to court with Lloyds TSB after other ones I've read on here - "give up"? Sorry I will have to look that up in the dictionary... Derek

I used the one straight out of the library (without the red bits) - it looks pretty well written to me and I think it does need to use the right words - whether you use them normally or not. If you shorten or change it you risk it losing it's impact, but I'm new today as well so please don't take my word for it, but I have spent a couple of days ploughing through this site! Good luck!

Hi All Just posted the preliminary letter and schedule - Lloyds TSB for £1645. Not sure if everyone here is just after their money back before getting to court, but I would personally love to see them wriggle in court for the problems they've caused me! I didn't notice at the time because I was working round the clock, but for three months in a row just over a year ago I had charges of £120 and one month it was £210 for returned standing orders - I thought they were supposed to be capped at £70 a month anyway? Not long after that I was made redundant and was unemployed for a year and for three days last winter I sat freezing in the dark because their charges accounted for my electricity money. Right now the £140 they've charged last 2 months has left my account effectively dead, I can't pay any money in without losing it all in charges so I can't write cheques to pay the bills. I don't suppose I can get 'em for any of that, but the way I see it I've got nothing to lose! Can anyone think what the banks are likely to do as a long term solution? I can't believe there aren't more solicitors jumping on the bandwagon and offering "no win - no fee" things for this - it's a potential gold mine! Many people will be scared by the thought of court action against a bank but it's not fair that those more vulnerable people are going to lose out. Derek