KC vs Natwest

[kchirwa]

I hyave been following this site for a while and have not really written much simply to avoid duplication, however I have sent my letter before action and got the usual response that it was all my fault blah blah blah, however I had also made an error in my schedule of charges and resent it with amendments, however this time around they just sent my lettser back, so what do I do.

[ataction]

Stick to the procedure and timescales advised. Why did they send your letter back?

[kchirwa]

They did not even bother to write a note to explain why, they owe me over 1.300 grand

[Wheresmewallet]

If I was you I would start again.

 

Take your time in preparing all the information you have on hand.

 

Starting again with the Preliminary Letter but make sure you do everything in order and check the letters before you send them off to the relevant addresses, and also the spreadsheets which show the schedule of charges.

 

Basically double check everything what should be sent at each stage of the claim before you put a stamp on the envelope

[ataction]

You may have to start the process again, with the corect analysis of charges and an LBA. Send registered post, make sure every detail is correct.

[kchirwa]

I took people's advice and started again, today 22/11/2006 I got a letter back from Natwest, I do not find any fluency with the letter because on one hand they are saying that their charges are transparent and in line with their published tariff, and complies with applicable laws and regulations but then go ahead and say that they are not prepared to either divulge how they come up with the charges or under no obligation to explain as it is a CONFIDENTIAL commercial matter.This has just made me even angrier than before. Please find the letter, word by word below.

 

thank you for your letter of 16 October 2006, which was received at this office on the 17 November. i apologise for the dissatisfaction caused by the application of charges to your account.

 

with reagrd to the charges levied on your account, we believe that they are fair, reasonable and transparent. we consider that the amount debited to your account have been applied strictly in accordance with your agreement with us and our published tariff which, we are satisfied, complies with all applicable laws and regulations. we are also committed to ensuring the transparency of the information that we give to our customers about the operation os our products.

 

We have considered the office of Fair Trading's statement of 5th April 2006 and do not accept it's findings in realtion to the setting of credit card fees. We are concerned that the Office of Fair Trading has publicly called into question the setting of charges applied to other products, including current accounts. The Office of fair Trading has restricted it's investigations to credit cards and made no attempts to consult with the RBS Group or the industry in relation to other entirely different products.

 

Consequently, against that background, we must differ with the views you have expressed and will not be refunding any of the charges applied to your bank account.

 

Having reviewed your account, I can find no instance where the bank charges have been applied when they where not properly due. They have all been associated with a lack of covering funds in the account at the time items were presented for payment. Accordingly, the charges that have been applied to your account must stand.

 

The bank is under no obligation to explain how it's charges are calculated and we are not prepared to enter into any correspondence on this matter. The compilation is confidential commercial matter. In you letter you have claimed that we have been acting as you fiduciary, yet I am unsure of the basis of your contention. this does not form part of the normal banker/customer relationship.

 

I am dissapointed to note that you are contemplating legal action against the bank. Whilst I hope you will feel able to reconsider, should you decide to go ahead, please ensure that any proceedings are served on our registered address.

 

I suspect that this is unlikely to be the answer you might have hoped to receive but nonetheless thank you for taking time and trouble to contact us.

[ataction]

Don't get angry. This is a standard letter and so you should not take it personally. This is just the start of a well trodden path. Stay cool and patient.

[kchirwa]

Think of attaching the folowing letter with my LBA, any suggestions.

 

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your early response to my letter. However I am very unhappy with the response and the reasons cited in your letter.

You say in you letter that the charges you have levied on my account are fair , reasonable and transparent, then you go ahead and say that as a bank you are under no obligation to explain how your charges are calculated and are not prepared to enter into any correspondence into this matter as it is a CONFIDENTIAL commercial matter. How can you calim that there is transparency then go ahead and tell me that the matter is confidential. One thing you are forgetting is that this is my money that you are on one hand are being ‘transparent’ and on the other ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ with. If you are going to take my money at least have the decency to explain how you arrived at the charges.

Your sincerely

[ataction]

I would not bother, though I understand your sentiment. There is really no point, remember you are dealing with a massive financial corporation, not Joe Bloggs Inc around the corner. No one will take any notice of your letter, and in a way it is better they do not detail the actual cost of the charges. At the moment all charges are being recovered, there may come a time when this is not the case.