i have been confirmed as in hardship but what do i do now

[jjandbump]

We got a form from NatWest as we saud that we were in financial difficulties, it said to fill it out and they would see if they could look at the claim.

 

We filled it out that shows we dont have enough to make ends meet, with 2 young children we are getting worse and worse as the time goes on.

 

We are 2 payments behind with our car HP, we have baliffs knocking on the door for council tax, we have made an agreement with them now to pay only £100 a month.

 

But NatWest said they cant help or look at our case/claim as we do not owe the bank money and there is nothing they can do.

 

Is this the case???

 

At lease if we could get the £1000.00 back we are able to clear the car arrears and the majority of the baliff, any suggestions or what i should write would be really helpful.

[Wally]

Hi there

 

Can you clarify what forms you have filled in pls

[jjandbump]

it was an income form, it showed clearly that we cant make ends meet, but they said as we dont owe the bank money there is nothing they can do???

[sallysas]

Are you asking the bank for a loan then as you do not say that you are claiming any charges back? Have you considered a debt management plan with CCCS CCCS - Free Debt Advice from the UK's Leading Debt Charity as I have found them very helpful and they are recognised by every company that I do/have owed money too. Prioritising any debts is important but so is having money to eat, buy clothes, mortgage/rent, gas electricity. This is what CCCS will help you to do. No need to worry about 'phone calls or unwelcome knocks on your front door once the plan is in operation. All the best if this advice is helpful.

 

Have you been charged by credit cards or any other organisations, secured loans etc.

[jjandbump]

no we were claiming charges as there is the stay we asked them to look at our case ass the oft has said that they still have to look at cases of those in hardship.

 

they sent this form to prove hardship then said as we dont owe them money they wont look at it

[sallysas]

Well they would say that wouldn't they. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/cases-stayed-pending-oft/116671-do-you-think-you.html may help you.

[crazydriver]

Hi, i have just recently made a claim for my bank charges back and i am a single parent also a student and i also have more going out each month than i do coming in. I did say that i was suffering financial hardship but all i recieved back from Natwest dated 08/11/2007 is what looks like a standard letter saying that they believe that all charges are "fair, transparent and legal" and that they and other banks are now in a legal case with the office of fair trading and that all cases are now frozen until the result of the test case. In the letter there was no mention of my concerns about hardship of financial difficulties. i do not really know where to go next with this claim, any recommendations would be helpful thanks.

[jjandbump]

right again highlighting the part as in the letter in templates explainning you are in hardship.

 

we did get that letter the one with the income and expenditure form followed

[crazydriver]

Thanks i'll give it a try and see what happens. so do you now have to wait for the test case to finish or are they dealing with hardship cases??

[shane5408]

Hi Crazydriver,

 

have a read of this

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/115023-application-removal-stay-grounds.html

 

Though to be honest I think IMO you will have to wait until the OFT test case finishes, this shouldn't stop you from going through all the motions, send the lba, file the claim etc if and when the claim gets stayed try the principles in the above thread i posted

 

kind regards,

shane

[jansus]

Hi

 

Some people are having some luck with the FOS - however the criteria that they have put in some correspondence is (in my own words)

 

They will only consider cases that the charges on the account have either caused the hardship - or are worsening the hardship situation.

 

In other words if you are in a difficult position not caused by the charges - but you feel that the repayment of the charges would help allieviate your situation they may not get involved.

 

I guess from what you are saying you had charges on your account - but when your income went in they were paid and then you did not owe the charges?

 

The only argument I suppose would be ( and this would be hard to prove ) that because your income was taken up by the charges you found yourself in problems in other areas?

 

Did you have any particular change in circumstances that has caused your problems?

 

 

Simons story in abbey has some useful posts regarding letters and banking code etc.

 

Be prepared for a long read:)

 

 

Jan

[jansus]

Banofi v A&L #WON#

 

How the banks differ:confused:

[jjandbump]

hi there looking for some advice, i have had a claim with natwest but we have become recently very hard up due to falling behind when i lost my job, my hubby is trying to claim these charges and we sent the letter in saying that we were in hardship and behind with council tax and car HP this refund would help us get back on our feet (in a nut shell) my hubby got a phone call today to say that if we felt that way they would close the account. Its only a basic account as it is, we have terrible credit as we had a buisness go down that we worked for and both fell so behind it taken ages to get back on track, so worriedwont get another account, can they do this? what do i do?

 

any help/advice would be appreciated would like to know whats what before speaking with them again

[maroondevo52]

Hi, jjandbump.

 

I was with HBOS over 25 years, and they closed my account after my first claim :o

 

Ask them not to close the account. If this is seen to be retaliatory, due to your bank charges claim, you can complain about them.

 

Continue to claim back all the charges.

 

Have you seen this................

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general/13832-do-you-need-parachute.html

 

Might help if they do decide to close your account.

 

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[hedgey06]

Hi jjandbump, welcome to the Nat West forum.

 

First things first - open a parachute account as Maroondevo has already stated above. Nationwide are pretty good (you may even be able to get DD facilities) as a first stop. Once you've got a new account - transfer everything over to it (DD's, income, etc).

 

 

Secondly, send Nat West a letter explaining the treatment you've received as a 'customer' (use the Borehamwood address) and explain how disappointed you are with their pathetic level of service. The fact you're moving your banking business elsewhere is of no consequence - just send the letter anyway.

 

Finally - wait and see what Nat West do once you've moved your banking business elsewhere. If you have an overdraft and they make threats about 'calling this in' - post back and somebody will advise you on your next step. There's always more than one way to skin a cat!

 

Best of luck

[jjandbump]

i got a letter today reading:

 

i refer to recent correspondence in relation to your finianicial hardship and thank yu for the supporting documentation you provided. I advise that your request has been assessed and confirmed subject to a regular token payment as appropiate, we can bring your account in to our financial hardship agreement can continue, if required, until the result of the office of fair trading and uk banks court case outcome is known.

 

until the result of the test case is known we can confirm that no further charges or interest will be charged to your account.

 

once the legal proceedings between the oft and the banks finish, we will resolve your complaint regarding bank charges as quickly as possible.

 

 

 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, TOUGH NO REFUND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE FOR YEARS TO COME???????

 

ANYONE THAT CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO NOW WOULD BEVERY MUCH APPRECAITED.

[yourbank]

No it sounds like, if you have any items returned on the account that the bank will not charge you for them even if they bounce them.

[jjandbump]

yes but what about the 2800 they ahhe already taken

[yourbank]

They have already stated they would deal with that once the court case is over so that means no refund for now, that's how it reads.

[WendyB]

There are quite a few people who have had interim refunds of charges recent in hardship cases, mainly Lloyds and Abbey though, don't know of any Natwest yet. You could try pushing the hardship angle further and see if you can get a partial payment.

[blipvert]

Can you please explain what is defined as 'hardship'. I'm on a DMP and Natwest are still charging me interest and what I pay them each month doesn't even cover that. My income and expenditure are such that my lifestyle is 'basic' and that is putting it mildly.

[yourbank]

I can, annex 2, Current FSA waiver conditions.

 

http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Notify/Waiver/pdf/disp_monthly.pdf

[jjandbump]

well natwest get better and better, following the letter this week they have debited another £152 of charges and we have no money for food shopping , i dont know what to do, just off to see if i can borrow from a relative, ITS A JOKE THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT.

[enamae]

i got a letter today reading:

 

i refer to recent correspondence in relation to your finianicial hardship and thank yu for the supporting documentation you provided. I advise that your request has been assessed and confirmed subject to a regular token payment as appropiate, we can bring your account in to our financial hardship agreement can continue, if required, until the result of the office of fair trading and uk banks court case outcome is known.

 

until the result of the test case is known we can confirm that no further charges or interest will be charged to your account.

 

once the legal proceedings between the oft and the banks finish, we will resolve your complaint regarding bank charges as quickly as possible.

 

 

 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, TOUGH NO REFUND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE FOR YEARS TO COME???????

 

ANYONE THAT CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO NOW WOULD BEVERY MUCH APPRECAITED.

 

Providing you've been making the regular token payments mentioned in the first highlighted paragraph I would send them a copy of their letter stating that they would not apply any further charges and interest

[rory32]

In the mean time in order to have money for food you may be able to obtain a crisis loan (which is an interest free loan from the Social Fund to cover emergencies or disaster and is paid via a giro that can be cashed at the post office). You can get the number to phone to apply from your local jobcentre.