Tom Brennan v NatWest - This is a must-read!!!

[mrsfoot]

I have had contact with Mr Brennan. He is very secure in his beliefs and is focussed on what this case entails. Yes he could lose everything if he loses the case, but at least he has had the backbone to stand up for what he believes, which is more than can be said for many barristers and others in his position.

 

Re the Judge, he his giving 100% to the case. After a conversation with Mr Brennan after his initial hearing on 13th April i would guess the JUdge wants to do a complete job and I feel this will be the case.

[mrsfoot]

Todays case is not the full hearing and as HSBC said before it will be a few months before this happens. Todays hearing is to se if there is a case to hear and if so what Laws will be used. When Tom updates his site you will be able to read his court papers and see for yourself the laws he intends on relying on.

But dont just stop your claim and wait for this hearing to take place months into the future. Keep in trakc with your claim as it is likely to be successful anyway whether Toms case is heard or not.

[mrsfoot]

If the damages claim is unsuccessful this will not shadow the claims for the return of charges. It will attempt to stop others claiming damages. However, Toms action is surrounded by a good case and has some excellent points to rely on. The hard part is convincing the Judge that he was damaged by the effect of the charges whereas regular claims are based on the fact the charges are excessive, which are proven by the lack of defence evidence and not from a bank actually turning up and defending the claim giving strict proof that the charge of £30 - £39 actually is the loss incurred by the breach.

[mrsfoot]

If Tom doesn't win it will mean that banks will try and use it to put us off.

They have been trying to put us off claiming for a lot longer than Toms case has been around and used many different tactics, another wont stop us!!

Lloyds called me today chasing an account which is £30 over it's limit.

 

I said I was claiming unlawful charges to which the operator said:

 

"But it's been proven now, we won a case last week, the charges are not unlawful"

Continue with the claim and forget what they said. The fact of the mater is 1000's of claims continue to be settled.

 

It just shows they are running in circles and have no idea what they are talking about.

Very true!!!

 

1970.

It really is important that we get this matter into perspective. Toms claim is for damages. It is not going to make anything different for claimants like ourselves unless the Natwest turn up and provide evidence of the charges being reasonable and that will not happen as we all know they cannot justify charging that amount of money.

If i can offer any advice to anyone reading this thread is to also read Toms site for a true view of what he is doing. It was never about how much he lost....he was offered a lot more than the charges he was claiming (does that not tell you something)....it is about the damage he suffered due to the loss. Please please read the whole story.....its a true insight into a very interesting case and one that could shape the future for claimants who lost a lot more than a few quid in charges....people who lost homes through repossession after extortionate chartges were applied (see the mortgages forum for many stories)....people who lost faith and committed suicide through the banks extortionate charges (I am personally unfortunately aware of one case of this)......people who had nothing to feed their children with due to banks taking benefits for charges and not understanding the legalities behind it (a lot of banks do not understand the right of appropriation or the facts of the Social Security Adimistration Act

Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5)

So by all means post queries, thoughts and questions on the case but please lets stop the scare mongerering and focus on the real issue

[mrsfoot]

Well you say such good things and it rings true with a lot of people, so keep it up!!!

 

Mistermind with regards to my comment ab0out the whole story, I actually meant this thread and not the site of Toms, although that has a fantastic run down on there. I wanted people to stop worrying and causing others to panic by reading the whole of the thread, like you and I have for instance, and not just the last few pages.

 

Have to say Im loving how this is panning out for a thread.....even Vanessa Feltz has had a mention or 4 lol!!

[mrsfoot]

Waiting to be shot down in flames - but I used to work in the arrears department of a large building society many years ago - and the attitude then was completely different - we were trained to try and help people that were in trouble - and court was a very last resort. Although it was at the time of high mortgage arrears due to high interest rates the job satisfaction was not i assure you to see people out on the streets- but if you could help and come to some arrangement you felt you had succeeded in your job. Part of the reason i left was because the attitude of "the customer always comes first" changed to "sell what you can" It was a harsh time then for the staff who knew what they were dealing with (high rates etc) and many people on here understand that a lot of bank staff are only doing their job.

 

We would never ever consider lending the high salary ratios that are available now - and also the shop credit cards and general easy availability of credit was not such an issue.

Its a disgrace now as the more credit you have the more they throw at you.....my dad is 78 and still gets calls on a monthly basis to take a gold visa!!

 

I feel really sorry for young people now as i feel they really need a constructive lesson in school at a young age about borrowing/savings interest rates etc. I know they may think it is boring but it may make them realise what they are getting themselves into when every time they go into a shop they are offered more credit.Also there should be more instruction about what to do if you get into financial trouble - as there does not seem to be much help.We all tend to put our heads in the sand /not open post etc and get frightened- where as we need to ask for help as soon as we can.

Its a shame that we leave the biggest lesson of life, money, to chance. However the latest news is that Government are going to put forward financial classes to be brought into the curriculum, possibly under the guise of Citizenship.

 

Before everybody fire bullets at me - I am claiming back my bank charges- I think this site is great - and I have been through some hard financial times in the past.I wish this site was around then - so my way of helping will be to spread the word to help others.

You will be more welcome than you can ever imagine

But also I think that you should remember that some people on the site are also employees of these institutions and even they fall on hard times in their lives - they are human beings too.

We agree with you toally and we do not condone the abusive treatment of staff that some think is ok. We all have to make a living

 

going to hide in my bunker now

 

jansus

 

Please dont. You are welcome, like Zoot has said before me. You will be so useful to the members who are having to deal with arrears, maybe in the mortgages section if that was your area of expertise....i and many others will look forward to seeing you there