Roo -v- Barclays Reserve fees

[roo85]

I got a letter today saying that my account has been charged again although it's in credit...?!

 

This happened last month too...

 

After my initial £66 cumulative fees, which I incurred through going overdrawn and promptly paid up as soon as I realised, I was randomly charged £22 a week later even though my account was in credit, which put me into debit. I went up the bank the next day to sort it out, and they refunded the charges to my account so it was in credit again... and now it's happened again, with my statement saying 'Fees for the period 20 Feb to 19 Mar, Reserve Usage Fee" so now I'm in debit and have to go up the bank to sort it out again.

 

Do you think they're just trying it on and will this give me any leverage in getting my original £66 back? It's pretty damn inconvenient and it's horrible because there's the sense of urgency that comes as soon as you receive the letter to go straight up the bank before you are charged again. Since it was this evening before I checked my mailbox I can't do anything about it now and I've got to go out tonight with it on my mind!

 

I can't wait to close this account as soon as I know whether anything can be done. Also, after I wrote to them trying to recover the £66 initially, they said no blah blah, but they would keep a complaints file open for me for 8 weeks then it would be closed. Would it still be possible to make a new complaint if Bookie etc. don't get their results before that time? I'm a bit new to this banking lark, have never been in debt before starting as a student and using my overdraft so any help would be amazing.

[Sunshine54]

hi Roo

this could be a completely daft suggestion but can't you just tell them that you don't want the Reserve facility? When I complained about mine I got the same response but they removed the facility and so they didn't have a right to charge the £22 fee whether the account was over it's limit or not. They are also currently not charging interest on the amount that the account is over it's overdraft limit (which I only realised when I checked my statement)

 

I have written first letter to reclaim the bank charges and got a standard response this week (my claim included the £22 charges) so got to move onto next step on that

Edited April 25, 2009 by Sunshine54
typo

[Lula]

just booking my ringside seat next to Slick

[slick132]

just booking my ringside seat next to Slick

:lol:

 

Hi Roo and welcome to CAG.

 

I've moved your post and answers into your own thread to avoid hijacking Bookies thread.

[roo85]

Cheers! Just about to go up the bank on my day off from uni to sort this out and get reserve fees removed from my account.

[MJnumber7]

Im with Barclays, last year i went into my "reserve" without realising it, incurred a £30 charge. Although because this was the first time i'd ever made a mistake they did recind that charge, however i hadn't realised this and the following day it was still in debt so they took the £30 again. And then another £30 the next day. I finally realised the problem and sorted it out simply enough, i then went in to say i dont want an overdraft on my account (as i specifically said i didn't want one when i took the account out 5 years ago) and they told me thats not possible, they'd have to reduce my account to a cashcard account to be able to remove it. Which i found unreasonable. What i find even more unreasonable is they tell me i MUST have a reserve, then they get all up in arms if i use it LOL!

 

I admit its my fault for not keeping a closer eye on my account though, and since that experience ive watched my money like a hawk so i know it'll never happen again. And on the whole i havent got many complaints with Barclays service.

[roo85]

Got reserve fee removed, turns out that the fee I'd been charged was for making a payment while my account was in the reserve fee previously. The same fee that I managed to get removed last time, no avail this time Should've removed the reserve fee the first time I visited.