PeteD v Natwest

[thepeted]

Hi everyone,

 

Today I plan to send my SAR to Natwest and start the process of claiming back the fees that have bascially been a tax on my poor financial state!

 

I have a current account with Natwest, and a couple of years ago I had a credit card account too - now closed.

 

My question at this stage is whether I should be trying to recover charges on both the current account and the credit card account at the same time, or whether this is best done seperately.

 

Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, but I've looked around and its not obvious.

 

Cheers!

[thepeted]

Hi all,

 

I've been reading through the threads and I've seen a couple of examples where people are getting their past 6 years statements quicker by phoning up and requesting them.

 

What are peoples thoughts on going down this route rather than sending them the letter?

[HadEnough]

My G/Fs managed to con 2 C/Cs into sending them for free by saying that the tax man wants them, but nothings turned up yet! It's only been about a week tho

[victoriah]

I called up for my statements on Friday just gone, the woman I spoke to agreed, no questions asked and said they would deduct £5.00 from my account. They should be here within 5-10 working days....hopefully !

I've been getting charged £25-£38 at least once every month for the past 2 years or so, I am so glad I found this site, can't wait to get the ball rolling when I recieve my statements-I'll keep you updated !!

[orfoster]

You can do either, you can either send in the S.A.R or you can phone them, depends how many accounts you have with them. The S.A.R costs £10 and should give you a complete disclosure on you (the account holder) and include statements, if you just want statements for one account then call them up, its cheaper.

[Guest NATTIE]

Copy statements are £5 but you are sending £10 so that there is disclosure of manual intervention ie not automated process to help your case.

[thepeted]

Thanks all for your thoughts. I think I will go down the route of writing the letter, as the request for manual intervention will be important if things ever got to court.

 

Also, I have two accounts to claim on - one of which is a now closed credit card account. Just phoned up nwest to ask them for the account number of the credit card, they put me through to the card centre which is, of course, closed for the evening. The dance begins...!

[thepeted]

Hi all,

 

I haven't kept any of my old natwest credit card details (account closed about 2 years ago) and tried to phone Nwest for the old card number or account number today. I have a current a/c with them at the moment. They wouldn't give the cred card details to me as it was "too long ago".

 

I want to get details of charges made on the card along with those on my current account. I don't fancy the idea of arguing with cust services over the phone again - can I reword my DPA request letter to require them to detail the credit card charges as well as the current account?

 

It is my understanding that the £10 should cover any data that they hold about me ie: the closed credit card account and the current account. Is this correct?

 

Thanks for any help - I want to get my letter off tomorrow to start the ball rolling!

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

[Guest NATTIE]

How long did you have the credit card? If you had before Oct 2002 PM me and I'll tell you how to get it.

[callumsgran]

Yes thats correct pete, when they have the Data Protection Act letter they have to comply and £10 will cover it! good luck!

[thepeted]

Cheers both - DPA request is signed and sealed!

 

Pete

[thepeted]

Hi,

 

I sent off my S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letter on 8th August to Alex Lyons with a £10 cheque. Today when I checked my online statement I have £5 'charges' deducted on 23rd August. Can I assume that this charge is for the statements (which I have yet to receive)?

 

Edit - Looked in further detail and it say "Historical stmt fee" Answered my own question there but hopefully will help someone else!

[footix2]

Yes it is

[Guest NATTIE]

yes

[Lariele]

can they charge an additional £5 on top of the £10 you send? Also can you claim that fiver back if you win too? =D

[footix2]

The most likely will not cash the cheque.

[Batfink]

If you explain the situation nicely (especially to someone in a branch), they will refund it.

 

In my case, they charged me £5 x 2 and £10 once. I then got a refund of £15.00...but on the same day they took £20 out (all for copy statements). They have now refunded all but £5...

[thepeted]

Hi everyone,

 

I requested my statements from Natwest about 9 months ago, and for various reasons they've been sat around doing nothing until today!! With help I'm hoping to reclaim my charges, start to pay off my overdraft and break free of Natwest for the first time in my adult life!

 

Having added up my charges since Oct 2002 (as far back as my statements go) on the spreadsheet I have charges of £643. I think my next step is to prepare the premilinary letter

 

My first question is this: I have tried to look around the forums and my understanding is that I should not include the 8% interest at this stage, however the template letter says:

 

"I calculate that you have taken £XXXXX plus £XXX which you have charged me in overdraft interest for the sum which you have taken. Total £XXXXX." So should I include interest, and if so how do I calculate it?

 

Thanks

[MrBump]

Overdraft interest is the amount they have taken on top of the charges - if a charge puts you in the red they charge interest, so you should reclaim this too. The spreadsheets on the site calculate this for you. The 8% is added when you go to court, on top of this amount.

[thepeted]

Hi thanks for your help, although I'm still not sure that I understand!

 

Perhaps I am using the wrong spreadsheet, as the ones on this site are down - please can someone check that the attached is correct, and if so where the interest for the preliminary letter is calculated?

 

Thanks

SimplechargescalcPD.xls

[MrBump]

This one is more comprehensive: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general/51736-excel-contractual-interest-spreadsheet.html?highlight=mindzai#post421046

[steven4064]

please can someone check that the attached is correct

 

I've checked it and it is correct as far as the 8% simple interest is concerned. However, as Mr Bump says, you can also claim back any interest they charged you on the charges - that is on any ovedraft you had which was made up partly or completely of unlawful charges.

 

The problem with Mindzai's spreadsheet is that you have to know what interst rate they used and it needs to be the same all the way through. I prefer just to charge the interest shown on the bank statements that is related to charges:-

 

For a current account you can claim back overdraft interest listed on your statement whenever the charges (so far) are greater than your overdraft. That is when your overdraft is effectively made up entirely of charges.

 

Where your overdraft is greater than your charges (so far - that is your overdraft is made up partly of charges) you can claim back the proprtion due to charges. In this way, you avoid any argument about what interest rate was applied at the time.

 

I hope this doesn't confuse the issue but you might as well claim everything you are entitled to.

 

Steven

[thepeted]

Thanks for the link - wow, that looks a bit scary though!

 

I presume it is acceptable to pursue natwest for the charges without this interest applied using my previously attached simpler spreadsheet? I know this sounds lazy, but I am! How much difference will completing the more comprehensive spreadsheet make?

[fendyweather]

Its up to you whichever way you want to reclaim your charges. A lot would say go for the lot, using the complicated spreadsheets, i.e. the ones claiming interest on the overdraft interest charges, but if youre really not sure how to use them, just stick to the simple 8% one. Its entirely your decision which you prefer to use. I would stick to using the one you feel most confident about being accurate............... dont trip yourself up by trying to do something complicated if you are not sure of how to do it. Less likely you will do something wrong then in your calculations. Steven 4064 is absolutely right in saying CLAIM BACK THE LOT IF YOU ARE ENTITLED TO IT AND I AGREE, but not everybody is confident in using the more complicated ones.................. You have to do it your way, whichever that turns out to be.............. only do what you are confident doing...................... All the very very best. Fendy xxxx

[scott150663]

hi

 

i agree with the above comments BUT there is a huge difference in the payout with regard the statuatory s69 8% against CI so i would reccomend trying the ci spreadsheet and if u cant work it out ask for help, someone will guide you through this stage.........

 

it must be worth trying as it could mean your payout is thousands of £££££££££££££££ssssss more...

 

Take it to a bookkeeper they might charge u £100 i can assure u u will more than recover the cost by claiming CI

 

 

We only get one chance so lets get the maximum we can!!!!!!

 

I'll help anyone who needs help with spreadsheets but i have limited knowledge

 

perhaps mindzai,Lucid &bill k could write a sticky as they have done all the hard work they should recieve the credit that there hard work deserves........

 

Come on guys this is one of the most differcult parts of reclaiming back bank fees..but this one process is so IMPORTANT .....

 

 

Any comments welcome

 

 

Scott

 

Lets get more of our money back!!!!!!!!!!