Advice Needed Please **Resolved**

[Lady Python]

Lost my job a couple of weeks ago. Was already on a very tight budget, now almost impossible.

 

Son does work but is on a zero contract so can't budget round or rely on his wages.

 

Highest priority is keeping the roof over our heads.

 

Late husband died and left me rent arrears and council tax arrears which I'm slowly paying off.

 

The ironic thing is, we've almost paid off the rent arrears, then I lose my job.

 

I had a choice between paying the rent/council tax or paying the broadband and phone.

 

Needless to say the rent/council tax won (no contest there).

 

After paying the rent and council tax we did not have enough money even for food

 

I transferred the broadband DD money from my current account to my normal account thinking the broadband can wait (or be cut off).

 

I was horrified when I checked my bank balance tonight to find that my bank,

RBS had paid the broadband from my current account putting me in the red.

 

I do not have an agreed overdraft so they'll now charge me £6 per day until the balance is cleared.

 

Considering I transferred the money on Friday evening, they paid that DD yesterday 24th June.

 

Before I go kicking up a stink at the bank

 

does anyone know where I stand as I don't think they can do what they've done with no overdraft facility in place.

[dx100uk]

sadly I think they can you should have cancelled the DD.

 

I would suspect there are T&C's that cover this

sadly most banks have them.

 

however I think you are doing the right things with the rest of your issues.

 

are the bank aware that you are in financial hardship?

 

have you ever told them?

 

they are under industry remit to treat you fairly if so

under BCOBS

 

dx

[dx100uk]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?829-Charges-successfuly-reclaimed-from-RBS-last-year

[Lady Python]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?829-Charges-successfuly-reclaimed-from-RBS-last-year

 

That is a very interesting link - thank you.

 

The DD has been unpaid once in the past, because I wasn't able to pay the money into the bank on time due to work constraints (i.e. not being paid before the bank closes - the company I used to work for paid their staff in cash as it was a small company). The bank only charged me £5 for an unpaid DD, I paid the broadband company a few days later, reinstated the DD and everything was fine.

 

I know my current account has a "safety net" of £20 but to pay a £75 DD with no money in the account strikes me as being wrong.

[dx100uk]

£75!! for broadband!!

 

you are being had

 

dx

[Lady Python]

It's broadband, phone and TV. We've got the high broadband speed - with Virgin.

 

I don't drink or go out and nor does my son but the fast speed broadband is something we use a lot.

 

It's really the only pleasure we have but that looks like it'll have to get kicked into touch as well unless I can find another job and at my age that's not going to be easy.

[Lady Python]

One other thing DX,

 

I didn't have time to cancel the DD or I would have.

 

My son didn't have a big wage last week and I didn't find that out till after the bank closed.

 

I had to make a snap decision - either let the DD go through and literally go hungry for the rest of the week

or transfer that money into my other account which doesn't have any DDs on it.

 

I pay my rent through that account via the internet.

 

To be honest, I hate DDs and only use them if I really have to.

[dx100uk]

you can cancel DD's via your banks interweb portal.

 

see if the bcobs helps you

 

dx

[Lady Python]

Just off the phone to the bank. Matter is resolved and I'll only have the £5 unpaid DD charge to pay at the end of the month. While I was at it I cancelled my other DD (a small one for my mobile phone) as well. That way I won't get charged £5 DD and will just pay Virgin over the phone at the end of the week so all's well again.

 

Now just need to find a new job...