Overdraft and Abbey fees

[pollyd]

I am in overdraft (authorized) with Abbey of £1500. Over the past 14months I have been charged around £1000 in fees for unpaid direct debits and direct debits that were paid when there were "insufficient funds in my account"

 

I would like to claim my fees back from Abbey as I suspect that the fees over the years will amount to more than I owe in overdraft. Am I right in thinking that I would have to pay back my overdraft before I could make any claim for a refund of Abbey's charges? If this is the case then I am stuck because I do not have £1500 to pay off my overdraft.

 

Thank you

[jannercobbler]

No you do not have to pay the overdraft back first. I'm in the same position and will use the reclaimed money to repay the overdaft.

[BankFodder]

There you are, that's your answer. Where did you get that idea anyway?

[gazza]

I am in a similar situation, making a claim, but have an overdraft.

I guess if they decide to close my acount(s), that would include wanting all the agreed overdraft money back?

If so, would it be reasonable to delay on paying it back (I would have to!) while waiting for bank charges to be refunded- would one hinder the other (I think I can guess the answer )?

Catch 22....

[Seminole]

You should be aware that Abbey may play a very nasty trick on you in this situation. All their overdrafts are subject to periodic (usually annual) review. If you have incurred lots of charges, they will probably pull the overdraft at some stage. They then start charging you the unauthorised overdraft interest rate as well as bouncing any transactions until you are able to cancel them.

[pollyd]

Thank you all for your input.

 

I have opened a basic bank account elsehwere and arranged to have my salary paid into it so that Abbey cannot take my money for the overdraft and leave my mortgage and other essentials unpaid.

 

I just assumed (perhaps wrongly?) that I would be threatened with legal action from Abbey and that I would have to pay all my overdraft back.

 

I tried to cancel a direct debit today, but the kind Abbey had already paid it , even though I did not have the money in my account. They have charged me another fifty quid for their kindness. And so I am now over my authorized overdraft.

 

But what do I do now? Should I wait for Abbey to send me a letter telling me that I owe them £1500 and more? Or do I send them a letter saying that I want them to refund my charges?

[BankFodder]

If oyu know what they owe you then aned the the preliminary letter.

If you don't then you should certainly start off with the DPA letter.

 

If it is getting out of hand too quickly then send the DPA letter and send a letter before action for the mount which you do know. Explain in that letter that you are giving them a short dealine becuase they are worsening the situation so rapidly that you feel that you have no other option.

[pollyd]

I asked the lady in telephone banking if I could have my statements for the past five years. She said ok, no problem, but it will take up to six weeks because the details are held on their database.

 

Have I done the right thing in arranging my salary to be paid elsewhere, leaving nothing in my Abbey account? Or should I pay some money into Abbey to keep me within my authorized overdraft?

 

I find the thought of the Abbey big guns scarey. I am a nurse and have kind of got used to being squashed by people who hold the purse strings.

 

Ding ding round two? Or should I just give up and pay up?

[BankFodder]

There is no point in makng the situati0n worse unnecesarily.

 

Keep your situation with the Abbey under control. Your parachute account is only in case they pulll the plug. It isn't clear yet that they will.

[pollyd]

This topic was closed on 03/06/19.

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