Where the hell do I start?

[slick132]

Hi Leilani,

 

Sorry you had problems posting earlier. There were some Site Gremlins which have now been sorted.

 

Focusing on your claim for repayment of charges on the grounds of Financial Hardship, I think this should be dealt with by way of a complaint to the FOS. Court action is not the way forward just now.

 

You sent B's a letter seeking repayment, encloseing a Schedule of Charges. Have you sent them a reminder or LBA subsequently.

 

Have you had a full reply from B's to your claim yet, or just a holding letter saying they'll respond soon.

 

[leilani]

Hi Leilani,

 

Sorry you had problems posting earlier. There were some Site Gremlins which have now been sorted.

 

Focusing on your claim for repayment of charges on the grounds of Financial Hardship, I think this should be dealt with by way of a complaint to the FOS. Court action is not the way forward just now.

 

You sent B's a letter seeking repayment, encloseing a Schedule of Charges. Have you sent them a reminder or LBA subsequently.

 

Have you had a full reply from B's to your claim yet, or just a holding letter saying they'll respond soon.

 

 

Hi Slick

 

I have had nothing, no response, nothing but charges...

 

How would I go about making a complaint to FOS?

 

by the way the gremlins are everywhere today and have been for a while now not just with forum postings I might add...and it's doing my head in! LOL:)

[marley2009]

hiya

 

I was havng the same thing with RMA, barclays kept adding charges onto an account i no longer use and it escalated to over £660, I wrote to them and said i am not paying as these are charges you have added and they sent to RMA, who contastantly called etc, in the end id had enough, i sent them an email stating the account with barclays was in dispute and i recieved an email back saying they were really sorry and they have now passed back to barclays, I havent heard from them for months now.

 

just send them a letter stating account in dispute and they will leave you alone and then you can deal with barclays.

 

hope this helps hun

[slick132]

Hi LL,

 

If you haven't sent the bank a letter since your initial claim for repayment, send them a reminder now.

 

Dear sir or madam,

I enclose a copy of my letter of xxdate concerning Financial Hardship, to which I've received no reply.

I require your full and considered response within 14 days, failing which a formal complaints will be made to your Head Office and to the FOS without further notice.

Yours faithfully,

[leilani]

Sorry Slick for non reply been quite poorly.

 

thank you for your response, do I remind them of the hardship only or include also the charges claim letter of which I have had nothing and they are still charging me weekly.

 

Do I update the charges list also when I send a copy if so?

[slick132]

Update the charges schedule to include any recent charges.

 

Your letter now is to tell them they've failed to reply to your earlier letter, which is a claim for repayment of charges due to the Financial Hardship you are experiencing.

 

[leilani]

Thank You Slick, that's exactly what I did and said in my letter, posted it just as you wrote this, so I am glad I had written something appropriate. Many thanks for the help!

[leilani]

Well it's been over a month and nothing from Barclays but more charges...I guess now it's time to write to Barclays Head Office, but I don't know the address and also the FOS. Can someone guide me in the right direction? Apologies just been so poorly my brain capacity just can't take it in.

 

I now have problems paying my barclaycard too, and I don't even know where to start on that, they hounded me many times a day for a month because I missed a payment the calls have stopped but it's putting me under so much stress that I am actually going into head in sand mode in order to function daily.

[phoenix11]

leilani - from experience, Barclays and the FOS are now saying that the banks no longer have to take hardship claims into consideration since the SC ruling.

 

I am in much the same position as you with the bank but last week had a very interesting experience by going into the bank with a friend and a very loud voice .

 

I don't want to say too much here, but the upshot is that Barclays could and SHOULD have (according to the advisor there) put my account on hold to discuss removing the Reserve Usage Fee and then 'managing' the account with regular repayments on the overdraft.

 

It is not true that they cannot or will not stop the RUF on application, when you are in difficulties. From what he said and the way he said it, it was very clear that they do have a procedure to follow in these kinds of situations with the RUF accounts.

 

Re Barclaycard, if you can afford to stop using it, write to them and let them know that you are experiencing hardship and that you need to arrange a short term agreement to repay the outstanding amount until you can get back on track with your income.

 

State what you can offer to pay (and once you've worked it out, reduce it so you don't set yourself a sum you may have difficulty with a few months down the line).

 

Keep it short for the first letter and let them do the running. You will, however, have to stop using the card.

[phoenix11]

Here is the address for Barclays HO:

 

Freepost RLTA-CSUE-TCHC

Barclays Bank plc

Head Office Customer Relations

1 Churchill Place

London

E14 5HP

[phoenix11]

Also, if you have time - drop an email to your MP and if you want to vote for another party, the candidate in your area.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general/254780-knobbling-mps-wannabes.html

 

Again, keep it simple and focus on the aspect that Barclays have taken your benefits, refused to assist you as case of hardship, and that they have failed to inform you of all the options they can offer to help you manage this account so that they have have piled charges on charges on charges without let.

 

It can only help to have as many people as possible keep this issue up in the faces of the MPs/wannabes before and after the election.

[leilani]

Thanks for advice and address...sheesh they are allowed to get away with murder...I wouldn't have been in the crap if they hadn't introduced those ridiculous fees in the first place!

 

Yet my idotic ex husband who left me with debts up to my eyeballs, barclays gave him a loan even though the debt on the joint account. He transfered all our savings out of country (which was what set the divorce in progress in the first place). Yesterday, I receive a letter for him, but I open them, the letter states he's address and how he transfered from mommy's account (she's poor bless her, it's our money) £5k plus last october so he has the money but Barclays won't chase him! Grrrrh Wondering whether to send a copy to them of the letter

 

Anyway, interesting about writing to MP's my son came down to me tonight and said the only way an MP will listen is if you write in handwriting and address in hand writing, and a list of other things. Might just do that.

 

Well looks like again that I am gonna be writing more letters, interesting how they have stopped finally hassling me on phone...problem is I can't remember when they did this!

 

Cheers peeps and any addtional info is always welcome.

[slick132]

Hi Leilani,

 

If you're having probs with BC, get your head out of the sand and start a thread in the BC forum.

 

You know we'll help you as best we can and there are so many users who've had experience of BC and their shoddy tactics.

 

[leilani]

UPDATE:

 

Response letters received after sending complaint to Barclays HO sent 25th May 2010

 

1st Letter received 3rd June 2010 please note this is the first ever correspondence I have had from Barclays.

 

"Dear ...

 

We are sorry you have had to contact us about the level of service you have received from Barclays. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do so.

 

We are looking into your concerns and will let you have an answer or udate as quickly as possible, but no later than 24th June 2010. In the mean time if you wish to discuss this matter further please call us....

 

I enclosed a leaflet explainhin how Barclays works to resolve complaints. I hopeyou find this useful.

Yours sincerely"

 

2nd Letter recieved 10th June 2010

 

"Dear...

I am writing further to our letter dated 1 June 2010 in relation to your financial difficulty claim.

 

Please accept my apologies for the delay in contacting you. Our previous letter advised you that your complaint regarding bank charged had not been upheld and as such no refund was being made. I can confirm that based on the information we/you have supplied, I wish to suggest the following measures to aid you:

 

Your account shows that you have incurred fees, related to your reserve facility usage. It may be suitable to remove this feature to stop you incurring the GBP22.00 fee. Please visit your local branch or speak with our specialist team (Customer Review Team) on 0845 3000442. We also advise you to contact this department to arrange a repayment plan to help you reduce your overdraft balance.

 

Finally you may wish to speak with an independent debt counsellling organisation whose details can be found below.

 

.....

 

 

Please note that I have no further suggestions for you with regard to your claim. If you are unhappy with this, then I would refer you back to our previous letter which details what options you have available to you.

Yours Sincerely."

 

I have higlighted in red that they state they have sent me a letter previously???...they have never sent me a response to 3 of my letters which lead me to sending the fourth to the HO.

 

Now what do I do they have totally ignored everything including the fact they have taken from my benefits!

[slick132]

Hi Leilani,

 

Have either of the letters come from Barclays HO, in response to your complaint to them.

 

[leilani]

Not from HO directly (London) which is where I sent the letter off to.

 

The responses came from BB Consumer Finance Manchester and Retail Customer Relations Leicester.

[slick132]

Well I think you are due a proper response to your HO complaint.

 

Write them a reminder, enclose a copy of earlier letter and point out that they've yet to reply.

 

Point out that they are taking charges from your benefits money and that you are in Financial Hardship (if this is so).

 

I would also contact the FOS and tell them Barclays are taking your benefits money.

 

Are you able to open an a/c elsewhere for your benefits to be paid in where Barclays cannot get their greedy mits on it.

 

[phoenix11]

Hi Leilani

 

Bit more advice from experience:

 

FOS will not take into account the fact that the bank used your benefits to pay the fees. I don't know if this issue is ever going to be resolved, but right now, they seem to be fairly intransigent about requiring the banks to act on a case of hardship and pay back any benefits money.

 

However, you do now have something to go to the FOS with - and that is the fact that Barclays could have explained to you months ago that you could have opted out of the RUF plan and arrange to have your account put into a repayment status, but failed to do so.

 

This put you at a serious disadvantage as the bank failed to notify you of your rights and options, allowing them to continue charging you and increasing your burden of debt.

 

*nods to Slick*

 

[leilani]

Right, think I got you both.

 

So what you saying they are not going to refund the charges? Even though they could clearly see that it was a council cheque that went in to my account every few weeks, failing that if I didn't put a cheque but put cash instead from cashing the cheques (i have all the receipts) in order too get it in the bank early to avoid their charges its not taken into consideration any more? I wonder what the point in putting in a claim in the first place if it was an empty exercise...

 

And I have changed my bank, I have new accounts since feb. My council cheques go in there now.

Edited June 15, 2010 by leilani
forgot to add...

[slick132]

Hi Leilani,

 

I think you should pursue a refund from Barclays on the grounds of hardship and, even though they're toothless, involve the FOS.

 

If the bank knew you were receiving benefits, yet took this money for charges, make this known to the FOS.

 

Glad to hear you have the current situation sorted, at least.

[leilani]

Bless you but I am not sure i have anything sorted to be honest Slick but I do very much appreciate everyone's help. It's comforting at least to have support on here. x

[leilani]

Can you tell me where I go to find out how to complain to FOS? I know it maybe a waste of my time but I need to know what to put in the letter how much history and include copies what?

[slick132]

Have a look here :-

 

our complaints procedure and how to complain

 

[leilani]

Thanks Slick

[leilani]

Well i received a letter from Barclays...

 

They have conveniently drummed up the missing letter they mentioned in previous correspondance on which I questioned them on as not receiving, and also mention that I was informed that I could opt out in such and such letters...which actually is true now I look at those letters saying that I am over drawn.

 

However, what they also say in these letters is that I WILL BE Charged fees if over the agreed overdraft amount!

 

So, they are telling me that even though I put the account back under the limit, and their charges took me over again, even though I asked them to hold off on charging due to my financial difficulties, the misappropriation of my benefits they have totally ignored and still continue to add charges knowing that even if I had opted out I would still be charged! I feel screwed!

 

They also state that this is their final response and will not enter into further correspondence on this matter..cheeky buggers and have palmed me off with FOS. Which I will get around to doing when I have a peaceful moment! But what use is this if they are funded by the financial sector anyway? Doubly screwed!

 

I have attached copies minus personal details of the letters, regardless of them stating that they will not enter any more correspondence on this matter.

 

Should I just file with FOS or write back to them based on what I wrote above?

 

Lastly, when I started this thread I was under the impression that I was claiming back charges which had been misappropriated and threatened them with court, that seems to have gone out the window. These charges are outrageous, can I not claim them back because they are unfair like with BC? Or do I have to claim them back because of hardship? I feel really stuck in a loop at the moment and all advice would be appreciated.