'Service Charges' vs 'Penalty Charges'

[simon_mcevoy]

HSBC have recently started referring to all charges on their accounts as voluntary service charges, presumably to avoid paying out if the OFT case goes against them. It is has taken £125 of 'service charges' from my account in two weeks, £25, per transaction, per day overdrawn.

 

However, I have just got off the phone from a very helpful girl in their sales dept in Leeds who has confirmed that these ARE in fact penalty charges, and I have her name, time and date of the conversation. Is there any way of using this to provoke legal action or repayment of these charges do you think?

 

Also should I go ahead with the reclaims process again even though the case is putting them all on hold?

 

Cheers

[johnnymitch]

Hi simon ,welcome to the forum

 

By all means go ahead with the reclaims process simon - (btw if that's your real full name you may want to disguise it - the banks surf these threads as well) ..... if you are 'stayed' in the court system you'll be in the queue when the banks start paying out, and earning 8% interest while you're waiting

 

As to the other query - you may have the date ,time and name of who you spoke to , but you can't prove what was said , I 'm afraid, (unless you recorded the call of course.)and I don't think your contact is going to admit that's what you were told.

 

However ,it doesn't really matter, we all know that these are just the old penalty charges dressed up with another name .........

 

So carry on with your claim mate. Come nback if you need further help , we're a friendly lot on here........

[thelittleguy]

surely, if it is a 'voluntary' service charge, if it is taken 'involuntarily' and you objec it should be put straight back?

[Castlebest]

Its a penalty charge whatever the bank call it

 

pete