Ah well, so much for the Ombudsmen...time for plan B...wrote a letter to Nat West Customer Relations about the overwhelmingly helpful staff in the branch yesterday and the recent charges making me overdrawn also included info re' benefits etc lets see how they respond, but I'm not too optimistic..I reckon they'll dig their heels in. Anyway S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letter is winging it's way to Alex Lyons as I type. So it's war on 2 fronts. Also have a Woolwich acc' now just in case. And took your advice re' Post Office acc for benefits Freebird: you said: "what a funny name..ombudsmen...are they really all men ? and where does the ombud bit come from?" Maybe it means something like: Oh My, B***dy Useless & Dumb Just a suggestion Good luck every one, don't let them grind us down!

Well it was very dramatic at the bank today! The smug suit I spoke to first of all said he would refund the charges which made me go overdrawn last week when I explained I had no money over the weekend. Then he said he couldn't find the details of my visit on Saturday morning or what the person I had spoken to had put on the computer!!!! So that was why he changed his mind and said he couldn't refund the charges (incase I was lying I suppose). I explained the Banking Code guidlines about being "sympathetic and positive" towards customers in financial difficulty but his eyes glazed over and he said that the guidelines didn't apply and "people are always coming in with stuff off the internet" at that point I decided to leave and save him any more embarassment. So, SAR & Postal Order for fee posted by R/Delivery today. WEMFISH, I think I'll make a separate complaint using Nat West's internal complaints procudure as you suggested (nothing ventured, nothing gained) But I'll bet my last penny that they close my account to spite me....So will open another account elsewhere, just in case. I think this will be a protracted and bad tempered affair, why don't they just stop wasting everyones time and PAY UP!!!!! Oh yeah and pigs might fly...watch this space. I hope I have the energy & patience to carry this thru...

Sorry I got all excited and missed out the following-hope it helps other people too.... What the Guidance Says: • Financially difficulty defined as “when income is insufficient to cover reasonable living expenses and meet financial commitments as they become due” • Banks must give “straightforward information in plain English” • The Code must apply to any agents, such as debt collectors • Subscribers must explore a range of options and pass an account promptly to a specialist team • ‘Priority’ debts take precedence over ‘non-priority’ debts. The former are defined as those “where the customer’s failure to pay could lead directly to the loss of one or more of the following – the customer’s home (e.g. rent, mortgage, secured loans), their liberty (e.g. council tax, child support, maintenance, income tax, court fines), their utility supplies (e.g. water, gas, electricity) or their essential goods or services (e.g. cooker, fridge or means to travel to work) • Banks should accept offers based on equitable distribution of available income • Any repayment plan must “leave the customer with sufficient money for reasonable day-to-day expenses” • Banks must not “subject customers to harassment or undue pressure when discussing their problems” • Token offers accepted “where the customer has demonstrated they have no surplus income available for their non-priority creditors and there is a realistic prospect of the customer’s circumstances improving.” • Penalty interest rates and charges. Banks “may consider agreeing with their customers in financial difficulty appropriate concessions, relating to charges and interest payable.” • The bank “may, among other options, consider writing off or not pursuing part of all of the customer’s debts.” They must give their reasons in writing in requested. • The bank must “seek to revise contributions only at the end of the review period or if a customer’s personal circumstances change” • Banks must say where customers can get free money advice. • Banks must use where possible the MAT/BBA common financial statement Customers and their advisors also have responsibilities. Customers must: • Help themselves: dialogue and disclosure • Co-operate with banks in developing a plan

WOW I FOUND IT !!!!! What do you think? It is on the Banking Code Website THE IMPORTANT PART IS IN RED BELOW: http://www.bankingcode.org.uk/press/findiffs070103.htm "The Banking Code has always required such customers to be treated ‘sympathetically and positively’. However, recent guidance now sets out in detail how these words should be interpreted and ensures that customers in financial difficulties get better treatment from their banks and building societies. The guidance recognises the need to draw up a repayment plan which identifies ‘priority debts’ for the essentials of living and to ensure that the customer is left ‘with sufficient money for reasonable day to day expenses’. Banks have to provide customers with straightforward information in plain English and ensure an account is passed promptly to a specialist team. Other improvements are listed in the Notes to Editors below. Seymour Fortescue, Chief Executive of the BCSB said: “Consumer debt is an increasing concern, particularly in the post-Christmas period. This additional guidance, which has been developed in conjunction with the banking industry, will ensure that the Banking Code provides enhanced protection for consumers who may be struggling to manage their finances.” 8 JANUARY 2003 Full copies of the guidance can be found on Banking Code Standards Board

Hi This sounds like something I read about on another thread but I couldn't find the original info. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I Will be going to the branch in the morning they fobbed me off yesterday but they wont get rid of me so easily this time. I'm just a bit worried they'll close the account out of spite, but if they want the loans repaid it wouldn't make sense for them to do that. Would it? I'll try and track down the Banking Code on line if I find it I'll let you know Many thanks

Hi Saxon thats good advice about the Benefit Agency I didn't know about that I will get onto them tomorrow about opening a Post Office account. As for bills I'll try and open another acc' with a different bank just to be on the safe side. Spent all of yesterday and today reading the posts on this forum and don't feel so small and insignificant any more. Prepared the SAR letter and will post to Nat West tomorrow to get things started - GULP:? It feels like stepping onto a big roller coaster, because once I start I WILL NOT GIVE UP even when they try to threaten and scare me off (which I know they'll do)...so here goes Thanks for your advice I'll keep you posted....

Hi this is my first post except for the one in the "welcome/hello" section I'm so relieved that this site offers me some hope at reclaiming some/all of the bank charges which have caused me so much grief. But I have a few Q's sorry it's so long and complicated:-| : I've been with Nat West for about 7yrs 1)I ran into trouble when I was working Part time (approx 3yrs ago)as my salary was erratic and Direct Debits, cheques etc sometimes went over my Overdraft limit (I had a basic current acc' which they swithched to ADVANTAGE GOLD ACC' with the associated monthly charges just for having the account, without asking me first). The bank charges for unpaid DD's cheques etc made my account keep going further overdrawn, not my actual spending. Nat West extended the overdraft limit to £3000.00. When I stopped working due to ill health my DSS Benefits did not cover the outgoings on the account and the Overdraft repayments. So in 2004 they aggreed a 5 year loan of £2850.00 to Consolidate my overdraft with intrest at 13% per annum (APR 24.1%). The total repayable is £6292.00 comprising of: Loan: £2850.00 Intrest:£2478.80 Loan Protector Insurance:£964.00 TOTAL: £6292.80 I took out Loan Protector Insurance at the same time as the loan. I wasn't happy at the rate of intrest but wasn't in a position to argue with Nat West. AM I RIGHT IN THINKING I CAN CLAIM FOR CHARGES WHICH MADE THE OVERDRAFT GROW TO THE ORIGINAL £3000.00? 2) I became unemployed in March 05 and started to claim DSS Disability benefits etc. Also claimed on the Insurance on the above loan (I pay £104.88 on 28th each month by D Debit and Nat West pay it back into my account on or around the 9th of the following month. BUT went overdrawn again as DSS benfits didn't cover DD's Cheques etc, so Nat West aggreed a second Loan of £1000.00 over 3 yrs with intrest of £406.52. They would not allow me to have insurance protection on this loan so I pay £39.07 on the 1st of each month. Problem now is that the days that my Disability Benefit is paid into the account doesn't correspond with the days the D/Debits for both Loan payments and I am Overdrawn again. Since July 06 I have paid approx £90.00 in charges and am now £51.00 overdrawn. As I have previously been given incorrect information by NAT WEST CUSTOMER SERVICES OVER THE PHONE (which also lead to charges) I emailed the bank on 4 Sept asking them to get back to me to discuss the charges they e-mailed back saying they would be in contact with me within 10 days, I e-mailed again on 25 Sept' -NO RESPONSE RECEIVED YET- But yet again charges going out of my account on 2 Oct (this Mon coming) have made my account overdrawn, so I went to the branch this morning and was fobbed off. As my DSS Benefits are paid into my NAT WEST acc' each time the account is overdrawn I have no money to live on, so can't buy food & pay bills which have fallen in arrears due to the bank charges etc. I don't have any credit cards or a Switch card or a Cheque Book only an ATM?Solo Card, so I can't go overdrawn except when bank charges are taken by the bank. CAN I ALSO CLAIM BACK THESE CHARGES ESP' AS I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO DISCUSS WITH ME BUT THEY HAVE IGNORED MY E-MAILS. It seems like I'm going to have a major struggle on my hands, but I can't keep letting NAT WEST take my Disability benefit as I will never be able to pay the overdraft back at this rate. Any advice will be really appreciated, If I go ahead and claim I will need some help working out the intrest and using the Spreadsheets Thanks S

Hi everyone I'm new to this site and only remembered about it after going to the bank this morning after they have imposed charges which have put me in the red AGAIN! Then I remembered that I heard about this site on LBC radio....thats when I started dancing around the living room and cursing NAT WEST. Haven't worked since March 05 due to disability and am on DSS Benefits so you can guess my financial state.... and the depression and fretting caused by unecessary bank charges, and days without food & gas when I paid the charges... But having joined up and read the FAQ's I'm a woman on a mission so watch this space...even if I don't recover all the charges I'll feel empowered just trying...Good luck everyone...I'll keep you posted! Cheers:)