Urgent Help!! RBS Problem

[Clansman57]

Hi there, hope someone has some advice.

Please ignore ramblings but I think it is important that you know the background info.

My Partner and I had just been given a council property in October last year after private renting for many years. It was a shell had had to be decorated from top to bottom. Luckily I had just changed jobs and got some outstanding wages from my previous job and a tax return I had waited on for almost 2 years. This totalled to coulpe of thousand punds which would come in handy.

I have two accounts with RBS, 1 with a £2000 OD and the other with a £700 OD.

 

In the middle of November last year I received a letter stating that I was outside my overdraft limit and would incur charges of £276 on the 1st of December. I contacted my bank who told me that my overdraft had been reduced from £2000 to £1800 at the start of October. I received no letter or information regarding this.

 

At the end of November I was paid £907, I only earn minimun wage, and brought the account back within the overdraft limit ny lodging £198 in the account( Great Xmas we had). I also wrote to the bank explaining that I had received no information regarding this and that had I known about it I would have brought the account within the OD limit as I had some spare cash at the time. I explained that I may be losing my job in December and could not afford to pay the charges as they would put my family in hardship. I also stated I thuought the charges were unfair due to the amount owed being higher that what I had originally gone outside of the OD. I also stated that the bank had made no attempt to contact me regarding this matter, by mail, telephone or E-mail.

 

Their immediate response, in December by letter, stated simply "NO" to charge refund or cancellation and due to me informing them of my financial situation that my account would be passed to their debt collection office.

 

Since then the charges have increased. I have had telephone calls, letters and E-mails. All of which they didn't do to notify me of the problem.

 

On Saturday 28/01/12 I received a call from RBS. I asked if it was being recorded and this was confirmed. My partner was also listening t the conversation on loudspeaker and taking notes. We went through my financial situation and income, to which I explained I have none at present but start a new job on the 6th so would have at the end of February. I must explain that apart from some Council Tax arrears I have no other debts, excpet RBS. As I listed my annual salary and monthly commitments the figures showed a negative income, mainly due to the substantial amount I pay the Sheriff's Officers each month for my CT. I was told that they could not arrange a repayment agreement as I showed a negative income. I then asked if they could call me back in a couple of weeks once I know how much I will be getting paid and have renegotiated with the Sheriff's Officers as to how much I can reduce my payments of CT. I was then told that no agreement meant a default being filed and that I would have 28 days to open a new account elsewhere. Unaware of what this meant at the time I merely agreed.

 

I have since had 2 default notice charges, one on each account even thought other account which my wages get paid into was not discussed.

 

I want to fight this as I believe the charges are unfair. I cannot afford to pay these charges but if I don't they are going to bankrupt me, which I do no want.

 

Any useful advice would be much appreciated.

 

Kind Regards