Nationwide- Proud to be different?

[Smoothy]

Firstly,

 

Hello all!!..

Having spent many hours trawling through the site reading the points people have made about their claims, I felt it only fitting that I should add my 2 pence worth!!

I spent a long time believing i was being victimized by the banking community. I have had a bank account since I was old enough to work but have never really understood the practices and inner workings of the financial community.....untill I found this site!

I now feel suitably armed with knowledge to attemt to take them on!

 

Having been caught out by financial institutions before, I now keep all official documentation sent to me.

 

My first claim is fairly straightforward. Nationwide.

I have been with them for 10 years. Despite applying for a current account with all the usual extras, (chequebook, debit card etc) I was shocked when they told me i was only allowed a flex account with a cashpoint card only. I was told to apply for overdraft facilities after running the account for six months.

My wife and I only have the flex account. This is used to have wages paid in and direct debits etc coming out. I have nearly always dealt in cash as I dont like credit cards. The lack of banking facilities wasnt really a problem for me.

Until...

I became disabled 2 years ago. and subsequently my weekly wages were replaced by benefit received evry 14 days. This caused a slight problem with direct debits coming out of the account. Sometimes they would coincide niceley but on the odd occasion, the debit would be taken from my account the day before benefit was due to be paid in. A lot of the time the debits would have taken the account into the red by less than £10. My repeated requests for a small overdraft(£50) have never been granted and subsequently, the direct debits were returned unpaid (which incurred charges from the originator) and My account charged for the inconvenience. On one occasion my account would have only gone overdrawn by 5p. (Although I did phone and get this charge refunded... but only the banks charges, not the originators.)

So, after seeing this site on GMTV, I felt it may be in my intrest to reclaim these excessive charges and put one over on my bank for a change.

 

The story so far.....

 

I totalled up the charges over the past six years. I found the draft letters on the site (THANK YOU BANK FODDER!) AND SENT MY CLAIM OFF FOR £272.00.

I know its not an astronomical amount but when you consider that I have to budget for 3 people (myself, my wife and son) on benefits of £215 a fortnight, the £30 charge equates to 27% of my weekly income. But, for me, its not the amount, its the principle.

I received a reply 12 days later...the usual.... ' Thank you for your letter......perhaps you would consider finding alternative banking arrangements'...etc.

So I then sent LBA (Thanks again bank fodder!). The response arrived today.

A nice letter from Dannielle Gee. It explained that as they have been unable to resolve my complaint that it was to be referred to their Member Services Department for them to review under the complaints procedure. If I am then not satisfied, I can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

I wonder if they would have accepted me telling them that their request for charges had been passed to someone else as a resonable excuse to give up asking for it?!

Despite their replying in 10 days, I suppose I shall have to wait another 4 before I issue a claim in small claims for the amount plus interest. I intend to see the matter settled, whatever the outcome.

I shall keep you updated.

[oooeee]

i totally sympathise with you, i was with nationwide for 11 years and was never given the privilage of an overdraft and had a similar situation when i lost my job (i fell pregnant and had to lleave work!!) it seems to me that those people who are struggling in society are the ones who are constantly penalised instead of being helped.

hope all goes well with your claim, it may not be an enourmous amount of money but its YOUR money!!!

[Smoothy]

Bugger!!!

 

Tried to lodge a claim with MCOL.....they dont take my card!!

Now i'm gonna cry!

[Roen]

That's ok. Do the N1 form and take it to the court house, just remember to print off 3 copies. It's in the tem[plate library.

[Smoothy]

That's ok. Do the N1 form and take it to the court house, just remember to print off 3 copies. It's in the tem[plate library.

 

 

LOL!!!

I would but....Im disabled and housebound!!

Cant get to the courts!!...or a cah machine to get money out!!

[eggopp]

Smoothy.. Not sure how far you are with your claims, MCOL, N1 etc..

 

I opened a basic bank account with the COOP Bank online and posted in proof of ID etc... with that account its no different to the Flex account which i have and am about to go for my charges with (waiting for halifax to cough up first).

 

My point is with the COOPs basic account you get a debit card (visa electron) which is very useful as its accepted almost everywhere now.

 

Just a thought, thats all.

 

Eggie:)

[Smoothy]

Smoothy.. Not sure how far you are with your claims, MCOL, N1 etc..

 

I opened a basic bank account with the Co-Op Bank online and posted in proof of ID etc... with that account its no different to the Flex account which i have and am about to go for my charges with (waiting for halifax to cough up first).

 

My point is with the COOPs basic account you get a debit card (visa electron) which is very useful as its accepted almost everywhere now.

 

Just a thought, thats all.

 

Eggie:)

 

 

I did the same and opened an account with visa electron...but MCOL wont accept it!!...not to worry, I phoned the courts and theyre posting all docs so i can claim via post.

Thanks for input tho!!

Good luck with yours

 

Smoothy

[Smoothy]

Time to bring this thread up to date!

I finally got round to sorting this out. Had a pretty bad start to the new year so everything has been on hold.

 

On 22 Feb, I sent Nationwide a second LBA giving them 14 days to either cough up or I will pursue with court action.

I got a reply saying they werent going to pay up so I should take them to court.

 

So I AM!!

 

I started the claim via MCOL on 12 April.

Details are here.

I have today received the acknoweldgement of service. Eversheds of Cardiff intend to defend. So I sent them a copy of the schedule of charges that I had sent to the court to be attatched to my claim.

Its going in the post now so lets see what happens next......!!

[ladybird17]

Smoothy - are you up to speed on this...?...Sticky: Is the bank taking your Benefits ? (1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)

[Smoothy]

No LB i wasnt!

Now i gotta read 14 pages....!!!!!

oh well if you think its relevant, I bow to your judgement.

[ladybird17]

post when you have read it, I'm sure there must be mileage in it or you.

[Smoothy]

I can see what you mean and yes, they did take my benefits as ive been disabled for over 2 years now. But as my claim is already filed and i have sent the schedule of charges, would it not look suspicious that I hadnt raised this argument before?

Its perfectly clear to the bank that Im on benefits as thats where they were paid to before i set up a parachute account.

[ladybird17]

No actually Smoothy, I don't think it would look suspicious at all! If you didn't know - then you didn't know!

 

It's the same theory really, as what this site is all about. Before we KNEW we could claim back unlawful charges we didn't, bcause we didn't know!

 

I just wonder if it's worth you PM'ing a Mod to see how best to adjust your claim to include these issues in it? IMHO, you have an extremely strong case if you go via the "bank taking my benefits" route.

 

Hope this had added a bit of joy to your day! Please keep me posted on what you are going to do & what's happening, I'm really interested in this issue of those Bankers taking benefits.

[Smoothy]

Ill try and keep the thread up to date!!!

Ill have a chat with a mod.

Cheers hun

[ladybird17]

you're welcome!!

[scotlady]

Now that things are going via Eversheds does it make any difference?? Mine is going via them now:confused:

[Smoothy]

I dont think it makes any difference.

Eversheds are just representing Nationwide in court, if it ever gets there.

All the cases if seen have had an eleventh hour reprieve. So dont hold your breath on it getting that far!

[Smoothy]

Quick update......

Check the account this mornin and stone me there were 2 deposits yesterday!!

One for the intrest im claiming off of them and the other for an obscure amount. Even if i applied a charge of £12 to each of my charges it still doesnt come to what theyve paid in. Odd that they should pay the amount of intrest that im claiming, but not the charges themselves.

Still I'll keep a close eye on things and see how it goes.

Theyve only got 7 days left to file a defence so it should all start happening in the next week.

[kelly101]

Congrats Smoothy. The end is nigh. Keep watching your account over the next couple of days. Chances are that they don't want the sums credited to be identifiable as a 'refund'... that would be like admitting defeat. If they are in denial, so be it! As long as we get our money back.

 

K.

[Stewpot42]

Glad for you smoothy, you should be able to see the rest of the funds come back into your account anytime soon - then you have to let the courts know in writing that they have paid up and the case is settled, but not until NW have paid up EVERYTHING including your court costs.

 

Then you`ll probably get a letter saying they wont pay up, and another letter saying they have paid up and that you have to abide by the terms and conditions from thereon or they will close your account. all on the same day!

 

Well done!

[Smoothy]

Thanks for the support guys.

I got home today to find a lovely letter from them explaining that they have refunded my court costs of £50 and £73.50 of charges. They have also refunded £22.88 stat intrest at 8% of said charges. Total refund of £146.38.

Somehow i dont think this equates to the amount I am claiming.

Ho hum.......I feel a letter coming on!!!

[Smoothy]

I wrote back to nationwide, infforming them that I would accept their offer as part payment only and continue to persue the rest.

Checked MCOL this morning....

You are unable to take any further action online on this claim.

 

The Defendant disputes the whole amount you have claimed. Your claim cannot proceed online and will be transferred to the appropriate court for continuation. You will receive confirmation to where the claim has been transferred to shortly.

So i spose now they get more time to add a defence. Especially as 28 days is up on thursday....2 days away.....

[Trish76]

Hi Smoothy!!!

Just got back from a holiday .Looks like it might be you to get back from one too soon!!!

Just carry on with things as you are, as you know just too well the games these peeps like playing!!

Its just a matter of being patient .....lol (says her) pmsl...!!

Hope your keeping well

All the best

Trishx