Halifax Overdraft - Changes to Accounts £1 a day

[surprise]

absolutely. I can't understand why no one else has had a response?

[Anxious]

Halifax withdrew my overdraft facility in August, no explanation, 3 weeks notice, just withdrawn

 

surely then, Im not subject to the o/d fee because this is now a debt?

 

I've written to Halifax with an offer of repay them £16 a month (OD £1650) with no interest, and no fees

 

lets see what happens

[coolchris]

Well Ive just phoned the Customer "Relations" dept and was told that they do not have any plans to help out people who are permanantly stuck in the "overdraft loophole". He even said he had to take out a loan to pay back his overdraft...oh, I feel sorry for em.

Fact is...Im on carers allowance and income support so there is no way on gods green earth can I afford to payback the full overdraft at once, or even get a loan to pay back. Nobody does loans for people on benefits to such large amounts [£1000 overdraft]

[surprise]

I would go to see your MP at their surgery and get them to take up your case for you given your circumstances, they've hardly given anyone enough time to make arrangemnts to get their overdrafts paid off. I would also write to OFT again and let them know what has been said. You should also contact Gordon Brown because when people were on benefits and paid by payment book they didn't get into the financial mess that many of them are into day. It was only when the Government insisted that benefit payments were paid into the bank that many of the problems started. I know my daughter who has always been on income support because of ill health only ever use to borrow the odd couple of quid here and there when she had her payment book, but when the money started going into Lloyds it was every week she was borrowing.

[Bookworm]

Well, I maxed my o/d with Barclays to get rid of them. Here's the none-too-subtle letter I am sending to them:

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Re: [account details]

 

We have today paid off the overdraft on the above account, please close it immediately.

 

We have no wish to be part of the iniquitous system you are imposing from December 6th on people unfortunate enough to need an overdraft and unable to move away from you.

 

Your behaviour is disgraceful. At a time when the taxpayers have been bailing you out every which way, to then try and squeeze more profits out of those very same taxpayers is nothing short of despicable.

 

It is with the greatest pleasure that we part company with the lowest of the low that you represent. Leeches at least stop sucking once they’re full, you have no such grace.

 

In disgust,

 

Mr & Mrs Bookie

 

 

About the template replies, keep at 'em and say that they haven't addressed your concerns, and in particular how THEY propose to let you pay off your overdraft at no detriment to yourself, as you MUST repeat that you do not accept those new T&Cs.

[coolchris]

Hi bookie. Well the bloke at the other end of the blower would not budge and basically said he cannot do anything until my letter is looked at. He said they had sent a generic letter saying they have recieved my complaint and logged it. Asked when the will look at my letter, he said it could be..well...most probably AFTER the deadline. What a fkin surprise that is!!!

[Bookworm]

I understand that. I don't think for one minute that they will do anything about it. The point is as long as you keep on telling them you do not accept those T&Cs but you can't just up and leave and what do they propose to do about it?, it puts them in a delicate position should they start hassling you.

 

Everyone, don't just sit there waiting for HBOS to behave decently, they have already shown they have no shame.

 

Move your account elsewhere, then deal with the o/draft as you would any other unsecured, bottom of them all debt. Repay it at £1 a week if that is all that you can afford. And KEEP TRACK of those £1 charges because you will be reclaiming them soon enough. If you have a small o/d and you can pay it off, once by your calculations you have repaid what you actually owe and the only thing left in the o/d is their charges, stop paying and let them try to pursue you for them, that should be fun, I'd like to see them explaining to a judge that well, the defendant DID say he didn't accept those T&Cs, DID say that he couldntr' afford to repay it all in one go and tried to reach an agreement, but we just went ahead and applied the charges all the same. Yes, that overdraft is now solely constituted of those charges levied under those T&Cs he didn't accept. Errr...

[coolchris]

Yes, I am now in the process of moving my benefits to another account that I have opened. I just have to also move my DDs and SO's across. Should be fun juggling. Thanks for the good advice again bookie.

[surprise]

I'm already on the case with the Halifax.

[nigel_bytes]

I too am with the halifax, being on benefits and using my overdraft i also sent the complaint letter but still await for a reply.

I applied to natwest online and they have accepted me but does anyone know are natwest any better, i.e. overdraft charges ?

Am a little worried now if i move banks just before xmas, specially on benefits.

[surprise]

I changed to Natwest, but I think all banks are the same basically out to feather their own nest, however, their charges are quite considerably lower than Halifax. They were also very quick in opening the account and getting debit card and paying in book to me. Didn't even ask me to put any money in to open the account, unlike the Halifax. I had banked with the Halifax for 9 years and they were phasing out the account I was using and I had to update my account but even though I was forced into this position I had to put a £100 in to open it. I think if a poll was carried out on the worse bank I am sure that the Halifax would top it.

[nigel_bytes]

Thanks for that i will call into natwest and get rid of that despicable Halifax.

Natwest say they will close the account for me, cheers

[coolchris]

I too am with the halifax, being on benefits and using my overdraft i also sent the complaint letter but still await for a reply.

I applied to natwest online and they have accepted me but does anyone know are natwest any better, i.e. overdraft charges ?

Am a little worried now if i move banks just before xmas, specially on benefits.

 

Ive just moved to Abbey (so far). All I did was phone up the relevent Benefits office and they did it all over the phone, telling you when the next payment will be in the new bank ac. Also phoned up my DDs and they did it all over the phone. Quick n simple. So now Halifax can whistle and get the lowest payback I can afford..hmmm..a quid a week seems good:D.

You will be surprised how painless it really is..once you get the courage to do it.

You know, call me cynical but I reckon this is exactly what HBOS want..get rid of the toxic debt and people without much income..thats why they are stalling and lying when anyone enquires about help.

OK OK..I am cynical:rolleyes:

[Bookworm]

Well done, Chris. You really ARE cool.

[coolchris]

[coolchris]

I sent an email to my MP about this, and got a reply within an hour. He is referrring it to the Lord of Darkness himself: Mandelson:

 

Dear Chris,

 

I'll draw this matter to Lord Mandelson's attention on your behalf.

 

Regards Jeff Ennis

 

-----Original Message-----

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxvia FindYourMP [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: 12 November 2009 11:57

To: ENNIS, Jeff

Subject: [FindYourMP] New HBOS overdraft fees

 

 

You are receiving this message from the Find Your MP service at http://findyourmp.parliament.uk. To comment on this service or amend your details, contact the Information Office: [email protected].

 

Replies to this email will be sent to the sender's address and not to the Find Your MP service.

 

=================================================================

 

The message was sent with the following sender details:

 

Name: "coolchris

Email: Address:

deleted

=================================================================

 

The message was sent with the following text:

 

Dear Jeff Ennis,

 

I would like you to take a look at the extortionate fees that HBOS are introducing on 6 December 2009.

They are chargeing customers £1 per DAY every time you use an overdraft, whether it be AGREED or not. Therefore the APR on the following is typical:

£0.01 Overdraft: 3,650,000%

£100 Overdraft: 365%

£100 Overdraft: 73%

£500 Overdraft: 36.5% ETC ETC.

 

As I am a Carer an only get Carers allowance and income support to top up the Carers allowance (which is another topic I am truly miffed about), I am caught in a trap wherein I cannot pay off my overdraft and will therefore continually be charged £30-31/month, which equates to nearly 10% of my benefits BEFORE I have to pay my bills and living expenses.

I hope you agree with me that this behaviour from the said Bank is totally outrageous considering the current climate (outrageous anyway in my opinion), and hope you could enquire a litte further and hopefully put pressure on said Bank as to give an explanation as to why they are penalizing the poorest of the nation once again.

Needless to say I have put in a complaint to said bank and also the OFT and is under investigation as I write this.

HBOS have said the new charges are more open and clear, but what they do NOT make open and clear is how the new charging scheme works out as an outlandish and thieving APR. If they put THAT in their window, how do you think the public would react. Well I for one saw through their sneaky tactics straight away, but this way of doing business MUST be outlawed ASAP, especially to the most vunerable and poorest of our Society.

Many Thanks for your hopeful interest in this matter and I hope to hear from you soon.

 

Chris.

Yours sincerely,

 

 

=================================================================

 

 

 

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Edited November 14, 2009 by coolchris

[sigsoldboy]

Glad you got feedback from your MP Chris, I still have not heard back.

[angel_1]

hiya

I have sent my own version of my thoughts to my mp today too

 

so lets hope this makes an impact

 

thanks coolchris the site address for the mp info ive now saved the link for future contact

 

 

Also coolchris, just wanted to check with you the percentage on the post 166 you have twice 100 should one of them be 1000 perhaps???

 

only as i checked with Bookworm thread on the halifax letters and i took my info there

 

just me wanting to be correct but i stand corrected if im wrong,,,

 

have a fun day all laters angel x

[surprise]

I have written to George Brown and sent him the Halifax new booklet and also sent a copy of the letter to the Halifax, FSA and OFT. More or less on the same lines as CC but with the added bit that it is the Government's fault for abolishing the old payment books for pensioners, people on benefits to use the banks thereby allowing the banks to encourage people to have overdrafts then penalising them with ludicrously high charges. Also sent him proof of how the Halifax's online banking is a day behind in processing transactions thereby customers are caught out with charges. There have been other cases mentioned to this effect in the Halifax forum.

 

Martin Lewis received an open letter from the PM on bank charges and in it he said he was pleased to see how the banks had significantly reduced their charges and named Halifax as one. I sent him a copy of the Halifax letter I received for being just over £12 over with charges totalling £63.00. I asked him which hymn sheet he was singing from as it certainly wasn't the same one has mine.

 

See what comes back.

[sigsoldboy]

Filming tomorrow for a short news pop which I hope may get some attention. If anybody is in N.London tomorrow and avaliable mail the team @ [email protected] only need people for 5mins if your in the neighbourhood.

[Anxious]

why is everyone talking about the introduction on the 6th December, of the £1 fee for authorised overdraft? I've had these charges on my Halifax account since February.

[sigsoldboy]

I believe they launched a different account a while back that you paid for that had these charges, the fuss is that most of us never chose to have this account, we also dont chose to have these fees imposed on us but may not always be able to transfer banks.

[coolchris]

I believe they launched a different account a while back that you paid for that had these charges, the fuss is that most of us never chose to have this account, we also dont chose to have these fees imposed on us but may not always be able to transfer banks.

 

Absolutely

[zoommjpzoom]

Sent my copy of the letter today, lets see what happens.

 

Its an outrage that they think they can do this and during the telephone conversation with them, they blamed the gov!!!

[angel_1]

Sent my copy of the letter today, lets see what happens.

 

Its an outrage that they think they can do this and during the telephone conversation with them, they blamed the gov!!!

 

 

hiya i hope you included that in your letter about them blaming the Gov?

 

im surprised they havent bleated about blaming us the taxpayers !

 

laters have a fun eve angel x