Trying to settle Santander excessive bank charges

[Discontented]

Hi

 

I would appreciate some advice here. The scenario in a nutshell is as follows: I have two accounts with Santander. The one had a zero balance and is dormant, however Santander started charging unauthorised overdraft fees on the zero balance, which then pushed the account into overdraft and hey presto they started having fun. My recorded mail letter to Ana Botin fell on deaf ears and their charges increase at a rate of £100 a month.

The second account I wanted to close with Santander, so wrote a letter on June 2011 instructing them not to pay out any monies from that account and to cancel all direct debits as no money would be coming into the account as I had a new account with another bank. I also enclosed payment to bring this account to a nil balance. Santander ignored my instructions, withdrem my overdraft facility, passed the direct debits, claimed unauthorised overdraft fees. I wrote to them 15 times with no response and once again a recorded delivery letter to Ana Botin yielded no reply.

I took the case to the ombusdman who concluded that I actually had no intention of closing my Santander bank account and that the baks no reply to my letters was in order as mail correspondence was not the banks preferred method of correspondence, although it was mine. I cited BACOBS unfair treatment of client to the ombudsman who just ignored that fact and stated that the bank has not acted wrongfully at all and I'm liable for there bank charges.

 

The amount of bank charges outstanding is now close to £2000 and I can't afford this in one lump sum. I've conveyed this to Santander who once again responded by placing a default on my credit file about 4 weeks ago,but still have not sent any written default notice to me. I've made an offer to settle the bank charges which Santander, thru the DCA which they own has stated that they want the ful amount payable and payment plan is not negotiable.

 

Please, where do I stand here?. When I was unemployed Santander was taking approximately 50% of my job seekers in bank chanrges and now that I've retrained at my own expense and managed to become self employed, they then started with these excessive charges. It seems that all Santander wants is every last penny I earn.

 

I don't understand why I can't pay this off to them.

Thank you for your input

[Conniff]

First thing, and like now, apply to open an account with another bank and as soon as that is done, then get any income paid into that bank and then you can start talking to Santander on a level field.

 

To further get on their nerves a bit, send them a SAR and a tenner so you can see exactly what has been happening and if they received your letters.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Conniff

[Discontented]

I've opened an account with another bank, all my income goes there, it has for the last year.

They informed the ombudsman that they have never recieved a letter/s from me. When I produced the RMail proof of delivery to the ombudsman, Santander responded by saying that prrof of delivery is not sufficient to say they received the letters.