Help

[daviesmum]

Hi to everyone

 

Where do I begin ?. On behalf of my son I successfully reclaimed his bank charges back from RBOS. He then decided to open a new account with Abbey National and set up all his direct debits to come of his new account. Everyone of them was transferred successfully except his bank loan with RBOS. Abbey advised him that to ensure the money went through in time for his loan he should change the payment date from the 1st of the month to the 5th but when he phoned RBOS to do this they said that because he was changing the payment date he would need to pay two months up front. He could not afford to do this. Then the saga begun the payment was late he incurred a charge the loan wasn't paid and it has just gone on and on from there. He stopped paying any money into the account,he tried to close the account and was told that he couldn't because he owed them money and so every month another charge is added on. At present he has asked that the outstanding payments be added to his loan over the term but the only way they will agee to this is if he adds on the charges as well (£445) can anyone please advise me what my next step should be.

 

very worried

 

Daviesmum :-(

[Douglas52]

Do you have the terms and conditions which state that they can ask for two months up front to change the payment date? This might qualify as an unfair term in consumer contracts.

[Seahorse]

Seems RBOS like to play silly beggars when it comes to direct debits. I've been trying to get them to take my loan and mortgage payments out of my new Lloyds account for the past two months. Instead, they seem to prefer to try to take them out of my old RBOS account which has no money going in, presumably to add charges to the max. I don't think the judge is going to be too pleased with them if I have to take things all the way.

[Douglas52]

I reckon it's mostly sheer incompetance and screwy IT systems that are to blame- "computer he say no"!!!!

[marko2002]

First off, I would cancel all the direct debits on the old account because if there is no money going into the account then each month you'll incur a charge if there are insufficient funds. Secondly, I would phone the bank and tell them you will make a manual payment on time each month for the loan (from the new account or by debit card) until this matter is sorted. Thirdly, because you attempted to do the right thing and change the payment dates in the first place to avoid this very thing happening explain to RBOS that you do not accept their charges nor do you accept the fact that 2 payments would have to be made and you require precise details on where in the contract it stipulates that 2 months payment would be required under the circumstances. As a last resort, and it may be a case of calling their bluff, you could attempt to use the Direct Debit Guarantee scheme rules with RBOS and tell them because THEY contributed to the due date failure then you are covered under the scheme and as such you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of monies wrongly taken from your account (i.e. charges, and so on). The last option would definately be "chancing it" although if you can fight your corner strongly enough and make THEM believe it was all their fault you could have the charges cleared there and then!. Here's hoping!