DejaVu Vs Natwest

[DejaVu]

My first post and straight to the throat!

 

This is me starting my pursuit of bank charges from 3 accounts.

 

My 2 personal current accounts and my wife's recently closed account (before it was closed the account incurred about £350 in charges within the last month of the account being forced to close!)

 

I will keep you posted!

 

Unfortunately, cannot get online too much, cannot afford the internet due to these massive charges, but once I've won and paid some debts, I'll fill in all the details.

 

Probably update twice a week.

[Parkvale]

DejaVu,

Welcome and good luck.

[DejaVu]

Thanks Parkvale.

 

Just as I forgot... I've estimated the amount they have charged me, but I'm sending the SAR's for good measure.

 

Would I be right in saying, that it's best to get in now as most of the country seems to have contacted the banks? Are they allowed to change their terms and fight back the people with that 'easy way out'?

[Parkvale]

DejaVu,

They cannot change the laws of the land. So there is no " easy way out " They have not defended their charges in any court room. If they did defend in a court they would

have to disclose the true costs of their charges So any time is a good time.

[DejaVu]

No real suprise, but been a week now. Heard nothing at all.

[Parkvale]

Patience is a virtue, and with Nat West unfortunately patience is a necessity.

[hedgey06]

Luvvin that post Parkvale! Best of luck dejavu - go get your cash back!!!

[DejaVu]

Now... Finally getting the ball rolling.

 

I got the statements for my wifes account today - what a mess!

 

We have all statements from 4th October 2002 - 29 December 2006. The statements do not say the account is closed on them and interest and charges are STILL accumilating on it as far as we know.

 

She no longer has access to the account and the card has been returned. There is a charge almost on every page ranging between £28 and £175 in one day (cheque bounces because of 1 charge). This account is a complete mess! I'm gonna need a lot of help I think!

 

We also recieved a letter this morning from a debt collection agency for just under £2000.

 

I'm about to go through and add ALL the charges together and ALL the interest. After I have these amounts what do I need to do? I surprised the charges are still continuing!

 

We didnt realise that is was this bad until this morning as we have recieved hardly any correspondance since Decemeber! All we've had 2 collection letters within that time!

[DejaVu]

We've worked it out that the total charges is over £3,000 since 2002. But the debt collectors letter is for £1950. Does this come out of the money we are reclaiming? Even though this is the accumilating charges?

 

Going through, we found the worst was £175 charged in one day! These are all triggered but charges making cheques bounce. There is also an Overdraft facility rammed in there somewhere. Any advice on the money we are claiming back would be appriecated.

[Parkvale]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/natwest-bank/79547-natwest-charges-guide.html

[hedgey06]

Hi dejavu, have a look through Natties sticky on charges just so that you're sure on what you can and can't reclaim. And with the overdraft, you can't reclaim the general overdraft interest - just the portion that has been added because of charges applied to the account that made you go over the overdraft limit.

 

With regards to the DCA - I think you need to hang on for Nattie to log on (about 5ish). I'm pretty sure that if the debt is made entirely of accumulating charges, you can have the account put into dispute then write to the DCA informing them of this. They would have to back off until you'd sorted it out then. I'm not really too sure though. Have a really good read round the threads (especially in the DCA and General Debt forums).

 

Hold on for a little while - Nattie should be on soon!!! Good luck, hedgey xxx

[DejaVu]

Checked the Natwest Charges guide and added the lot together. I'm just confusing myself with all the other things needing to consider.

 

The DCA and amounts of interest I can claim back. The OD went £900 over it's limit because of the charges (almost double the limit!)

[hedgey06]

Don't worry dejavu, I'm sure you're doing everything right. It's pretty confusing all this bank charges thingie though isn't it?!

 

As long as you've done all of the following - you'll have done everything right so far:

- highlighted all charges on your statements

- not included any Advantage Gold fees (if you have AG account)

- input all charges into one of the spreadsheets (either the basic one that just calculates how many days since the charge was applied to your account & calculates the 8% interest, or one of the advanced ones for claiming overdraft interest and contractual interest)

- hidden the 8% interest column if using simple spreadsheet (this can only be claimed at the court stage)

 

Nattie should be along soon to give you some info about the other stuff, so just hang on a little longer and hopefully you can sleep easy tonight!! xxxx

[hedgey06]

Bump - for Nattie please. (soz nattie, I wasn't sure about the DMC, charges thing - especially as the debt is made entirely of charges levied on the account) xx

[Guest NATTIE]

The rest of the statements should be on their way to you and the charges seem to be higher than you actually owe(very positive). Can you confirm whether the account is with debt management, Credit Management Services or Debt Collection Agency?

 

A misread, hedgey, we need a letter that the debt is in dispute. you know how to find them more quickly than me.

[hedgey06]

Thanks Nattie, you're a good 'un. The letter needed can be found here http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-bailiffs-advice/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html Letter A - just needs adapting according to the individual. Hopefully, this should do the trick and keep the DCA at bay whilst dejavu sorts the claim out. xxx

[DejaVu]

I checked those templates out, but it doesnt seem like an appropriate letter on there exists, it's more to do with 'financial circumstances'. I may use that letter and edit it to 'disputing the debt' though.

 

Although, I must add that the debt IS in the DCA's hands and the final debt according to the Statement was £1,878.09. The DCA is asking for £1,932.93, 4 months later. I would guess that the interest has been frozen at this time.

 

So, should I be getting further back statements then that the bank should send? (6 years from the date of my SAR?).

 

I filled an advanced spread sheet out, but I did get a little confused doing that too!

 

I've looked through the forum (which is huge and RAMMED with info BTW!) But can you explain the Interest columns a little clearer and what exactly they are for?

 

8% On Penalties...

Is this what I charge the bank for charging me?

 

Interest On Penalties...

Is this the actual Interest I should'nt have been charged?

 

Because of which -

8% On Interest On Penalties...

I claim back that too...?

 

One more thing I remember -

When I got offered my OD I was told the first £50 into it is Interest free -

That should be entered into "Interest Free Overdraft (Enter as +)?

[hedgey06]

Bump for dejavu............ calculating interest charges????

[scott150663]

I checked those templates out, but it doesnt seem like an appropriate letter on there exists, it's more to do with 'financial circumstances'. I may use that letter and edit it to 'disputing the debt' though.

 

Although, I must add that the debt IS in the DCA's hands and the final debt according to the Statement was £1,878.09. The DCA is asking for £1,932.93, 4 months later. I would guess that the interest has been frozen at this time.

 

So, should I be getting further back statements then that the bank should send? (6 years from the date of my S.A.R - (Subject Access Request)?).

YES

I filled an advanced spread sheet out, but I did get a little confused doing that too!

 

I've looked through the forum (which is huge and RAMMED with info BTW!) But can you explain the Interest columns a little clearer and what exactly they are for?

 

8% On Penalties...

Is this what I charge the bank for charging me? Statutory awarded at court stage

 

Interest On Penalties...

Is this the actual Interest I should'nt have been charged? YES if your charges took u overdrawn

 

Because of which -

8% On Interest On Penalties...

I claim back that too...? YES

 

One more thing I remember -

When I got offered my OD I was told the first £50 into it is Interest free -

That should be entered into "Interest Free Overdraft (Enter as +)? not sure i would guess just put in figure

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Scott

[DejaVu]

I have now filled out the Spreadsheets for all 3 accounts and believe they are correct. It's quite scary when you realise how much the banks have levied from you over the years!

[DejaVu]

Okay. I think I'm getting this now. Here is where I am at, according to the Spreadsheets I've filled. Obviously, the 8% On Interest On Penalties I've left out for now (My god this gets deep, glad I come alive at this time of night and my maths is reasonably good! LOL)

 

My Wife's account's -

£3,008 Charged

£362.17 Interest Charged on Penalties

£3,008 + £362.17 = £3370.17

£362.53 Added Interest @ 8% since charge

£3370.17 + £362.53 = £3732.17

This is what we claim back from the Bank for this account

 

My first account -

£1,960.42 Charged

£453.08 Interest Charged on Penalties

£1,960.42 + £453.08 = £2,413.50

£462.30 Added Interest @ 8% since charge

£2,413.50 + £462.30 = £2,875.80

This is what we claim back from the Bank for this account

 

My second account -

£201.34 Charged

82p Interest Charged on Penalities

£201.34 + 82p = £202.16

£92.37 Added Interest @ 8% since charge

£202.16 + £92.37 = £294.53

This is what we claim back from the Bank for this account.

 

Between my wife and I that's almost £7,000 in charges! WOW!

 

This seems correct to me, (can someone comment to ensure it looks it) and the claim seems fair as well, considering the amount of stress the bank has caused both of us. I gather I now need to send these figures off to the bank with the next letter.

 

One thing I need mention here. I opened my second account in 2001 and closed it in 2002. I spoke to my dad today, who's told me that I'd had a new letter and he'd opened it by mistake. It's more statements, with my address, but with someone else's name on the account (which I closed years ago!). I thought I'd recieved all the statements now!

 

I'll fill this blank once I see it for myself. Not home at the moment, but eager to see what's going on there! Keep you posted.

[DejaVu]

I've just read further through the forum a little more and think I've realised that the "Added Interest @ 8% since charge" is not sent at the Preliminary Approach for Repayment stage.

 

I just ask for the money they've levied from me (The Charges and the Interest for the charges).

 

Meaning I cannot charge the bank 8% Interest since the penalties, yet. (It'd be a shame, cos it was ages ago they started charging my account loads of money!)

 

Is that correct?

[katesage]

I've just read further through the forum a little more and think I've realised that the "Added Interest @ 8% since charge" is not sent at the Preliminary Approach for Repayment stage. Correct, it is not added till you file your claim

 

I just ask for the money they've levied from me (The Charges and the overdraft Interest for the charges).

 

Meaning I cannot charge the bank 8% Interest since the penalties, yet. (It'd be a shame, cos it was ages ago they started charging my account loads of money!) Well unless they cough up 7k in the next few weeks you will be filing a claim and will get that 8% interest added.

 

Is that correct?

 

[DejaVu]

Thanks Kate, that's cleared a few things up for me. I'm going to send 2 Preliminary Letters now.

 

1 with my wife's account claim and 1 with both my accounts. I will obviously include a printout of the spreadsheets with the claims minus the Statutory 8% interest.

 

I've left it about a fortnight to sort out the charges on my account to get back to the second letter to make sure I get it correct.

 

Any advice about this other letter I got containing my 'OLD' account number, with my address and someone elses name on it???

 

Surely that's a completely seperate issue... Which I will name INCOMPETENCE for now!! LOL

[DejaVu]

Bumpty Nudge Nudge