Rediculous monthly charges.

[Gracey]

A couple of months ago I lost my job (the venue closed) and since then, I have been receiving Jobseekers Allowance. My situation is tight but the charges that Natwest keep imposing on me are ridiculous. I check my online bank today, and realise that the £4 I have in my pocket has got to last me almost 2 weeks.

 

 

How can it be deemed fair to charge someone who has an income of £60 a week (from benefits) over £70, and this happens just about every month. I know the £28 charge is for going past my limit, however this only ever happens when other charges are made. The dates in the description of the the charges ~ I have no idea what they mean, there was no account activity on any of those days or +/- 2days.

 

Last month I was given the £28 charge and I didn't even go overdrawn, and luckily for me, said charge did put me over ensuring that it comes again, and again.

 

I think I will walk to my local branch shortly but I'm pretty sure they wont do anything, and I don't know really where to turn. Reading through other people's cases, I see claiming back charges is pretty much a no-go at the moment, I wonder if and how I could put in a claim for financial hardship? I can't seem to see where information is held about this.

 

Any help or advise would be grand.

[yourbank]

A couple of months ago I lost my job (the venue closed) and since then, I have been receiving Jobseekers Allowance. My situation is tight but the charges that Natwest keep imposing on me are ridiculous. I check my online bank today, and realise that the £4 I have in my pocket has got to last me almost 2 weeks.

 

 

How can it be deemed fair to charge someone who has an income of £60 a week (from benefits) over £70, and this happens just about every month. I know the £28 charge is for going past my limit, however this only ever happens when other charges are made. The dates in the description of the the charges ~ I have no idea what they mean, there was no account activity on any of those days or +/- 2days.

 

Last month I was given the £28 charge and I didn't even go overdrawn, and luckily for me, said charge did put me over ensuring that it comes again, and again.

 

I think I will walk to my local branch shortly but I'm pretty sure they wont do anything, and I don't know really where to turn. Reading through other people's cases, I see claiming back charges is pretty much a no-go at the moment, I wonder if and how I could put in a claim for financial hardship? I can't seem to see where information is held about this.

 

Any help or advise would be grand.

 

You have had an advantage gold account. £12.95. Am gonna look at the other charges now because the new terms and conditions have kicked in so am gonna post and get myself in front of those terms and conditions and post again as to what the others are.

[yourbank]

"From 4 April 2009, we will be aligning your charging period with the period covered by your monthly

statement. Your charging period will now end on your statement date. Your statement date is the

date we issue your statement to you, not the date you receive it. The dates on which we deduct any

debit interest, Maintenance Charges and Advantage Banking subscription fees accrued on your

account will also change from this date. These will be debited from your account 21 days after the

charging period in which they accrued or were incurred (or on the next business day if this is a

Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday).

For the first month following the change you may be charged any debit interest, Maintenance

Charge and Advantage Banking subscription fee (if payable by you) earlier or later in the month than

usual. The amount you pay is not changing. We are simply changing the date we deduct any

charges or debit interest payable by you."

 

The £12.95 is therefore Advantage Gold fee. If you did change it back then some of it is interest and service charges. The £28 was for being overdrawn in March.

[Gracey]

Thanks for the help, rather than trying to ask for charges back for the last 6 years, or make a financial hardship claim, would I likely be more successful in just asking for the last few months back as I have been on benefit for this period. I'm not really here to make money, I just want to be able to use the weekly money I am given to live, rather than 30% goto bank fines.

 

I'm guessing this isn't something I should do at my local branch, but a letter to one of the addresses at the top of this forum. Are there any standard letters out there for this?

[Michael Browne]

With the change of charging period date, the £2.59 is 6/30ths of £12.95 ADGD fee and not claimable, the £5.60 is 6/30ths of £28 Maintenance charge and is claimable

[MARTIN3030]

In your situation you are certainly eligible to be dealt with according to your hardship.

It does not mean that you have to make a claim.

Under the March 2008 banking codes there is a requirement that they look sympathetically at your financial circumstances.

You should remind them of this.

Personally I would seek those charges that you have been levied with to be returned,if they refuse then it gives recourse to ask the FOS to do the job for you.

You will need to show that you have provided them with all that they need to give considerations-after you have done that then you have complied with whats required.

Simply making a request for a refund without submitting supporting evidence and reminding them of their duty,is not enough.

[MARTIN3030]

Theres guidance for submitting a request for consideration under hardship in the forums,together with an income and expenditure form and accompanying letter.

[MARTIN3030]

If the appeal was not going to happen for a long time,I would have suggested going to the FOS first if NW dont sort you out. But there is expectation of a decision this side of 2009.Filing a claim and getting in the queue since you will have fee remission from Court fees would not go amiss if they dont refund you.

As you say you dont want to go down that route its your choice-but its quite possible that you would achieve a result more speedily given the time that the FOS is taking to deal with complaints.

One guy I am helping is still awaiting the FOS to sort things under hardship after almost 7 months !

Edited May 3, 2009 by MARTIN3030