Suze v Halifax

[suze1]

Hi, Thank to doo for putting me in the right direction. Apologies for butting in on another thread. As I have said, I have today decided to reclaim £1,202 in unlawful bank charges from the Halifax. I have been thinking about this since last Summer but have now decided to be brave. We are overdrawn but having spoken to someone regarding an unpaid cheque fee, he assured me that the Halifax would not close our account and it would not affect us if we went down this avenue. He still would not refund the charge of £39, though and I received the statements within 10 days of our phone call. So tomorrow I will go to the post office and will send my letter requesting full payment and giving them 14 days to respond.

[jowalshy]

Welcome to the forum suze1 and good luck in your claim. If you need any help - just shout and someone will be there to help you.

[suze1]

Well I've gone and done it now. My letter asking the Halifax to refund £1,202 was sent to them at Trinity Road yesterday by recorded delivery. I have calculated approximately £344 interest on top of the charges, but let's see what evolves before hitting them with that one, that was quite a shock on top of the total they owe us. Now do I allow them exactly 14 days including weekends and bank holidays? 14 days is 8 May? 11 May allowing them Sundays and May Day?

 

It's quite a scary thought even though I was assured by a Halifax 'bod' that the Halifax would not do anything untoward.

[**Tilly**]

hi suze went on martin lewis like you for adding interest like you

said what a mission sat and got them all done nice surprise though still hopeing they cough before i have to go to court though lba goes of tomorrow and thanks for that info

[Guest littlesally]

8th of may it is.

 

Do you have the statements? Or a record of all the charges, dates, amounts?

 

Sally x

[**Tilly**]

just a record of dates and charges theres a few people i no that have got them that way dont if its because its faster or not i dont no but they sent me four copies

[Guest littlesally]

I was checking you knew that dates and individual amounts, rather than a total amount, as you need that information. Especially if you are claiming interest.

 

Sally x

[suze1]

Am now at the stage of checking the Royal Mail track and trace system on a twice daily basis. As I posted my LBA (1st class Tuesday 24 April 2007) but no confirmation of delivery from Royal Mail as yet) asking them to refund their unlawful charges of £1,202. I didn't mention interest in the Prelim, but did send a list of the charges with my letter. I have worked out the 8% interest based on the charges from www.monseysavingexpert.com interest calculator, but this is the interest on the charges that I claim when I take Halifax to Court, if I have read and digested correctly?

 

So it' 8 days til I post my LBA! Our bank account has been overdrawn for many years (except for payday when we are have a credit balance for a few hours) and obviously some of the interest will be because of this. Could somebody point me in the right direction of calculating the interest portion for my LBA. On some of my statements I have credit interest (not very much!) and debit interest.

 

Suze:-?

[Guest littlesally]

Hi, here's the spreadsheets for interest.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/182-6-interest-calculation-spreadsheets.html

 

I have no idea how to work it out as I didn't claim it, but if you get stuck either post any querie here or visit the chatroom.

 

Sally x

[suze1]

I've received the standard response from the Halifax dated 26 April 2007, I posted by RD on 24th April so that's a pretty quick reponse.

 

Thanks Sally, I have been onto the spreadsheet page and have inputted the charges and saved it. Now so guidance with the interest part please??? Do I include all the debit interest over the past 6 years or just the months when I have been charged by the Halifax? Hope it's not one of those silly questions - I have been looking but cannot find the answer as yet. I am trying to get organised for my LBA which will be posted 8th May which includes an interest figure - this is not the 8% figure?

 

Any guidance needed and will be gratefully received, Suze ;)

[Guest littlesally]

Hang on and I will try to find someone.

 

You don't claim the interest until the court stage, so you can send LBA before you work it out.

 

Sally x

[Guest littlesally]

Ok, this is what I have just been told.....

You can only claim back any interest that was charged on charges. So, if you have an overdraft you can only claim back any interest that was charged on the overdraft if that overdraft was made up of charges. This is difficult to calculate and a lot of people don't bother with this as it usually amounts to just a few pence.

 

Other than that I have no idea, sorry.

 

Sally x

[Michael Browne]

There are 2 instances of interest you can claim:

 

1.When you go overdrawn the bank will charge you interest, perfectly lawfully.

 

However, if part of your overdraft is made up of penalty fees, they are also charging you interest on these too and it is this interest which you are entitled to claim back, but it's tricky to separate out from the general overdraft interest figure.

 

Vampiress has a spreadsheet, (the advanced one), in the bank templates library, which attempts to calculate this

 

It's quite complex and unless your claim is large may not amount to that much, so for simplicity's sake, some people don't bother

 

This is the interest referred to in the preliminary and LBA letters.

 

2. Section 69 8% interest on your claim, but only when you submit a claim at court. Don't add this interest before moneyclaim

 

 

If you are only going to claim s69 8% interest, use the Simple S/S here:

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/182-interest-calculation-spreadsheets.html

 

See here for a visual guide:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/barclays-bcard-woolwich-successes/7226-maisielou-barclays.html#post50088

 

When entering your charges, don’t delete anything first. Just overwrite the existing examples: type of charge, amount and date.

 

The days since and 8% will be calculated automatically

 

Save it (for use later at court), then delete/hide the last 2 columns (8% bits) and print out as your schedule of charges.

[philandsj]

Hi Suze

I have asked for interest on top of charges in my first letter to Halifax - I thought I might as well! I used Bank charges: Reclaim them, they're unlawful, so you can get six years money back | MoneySavingExpert: Consumer Revenge, Credit Cards, Shopping, Bank Charges, Cheap Flights and more, scroll down the page and there is a bank interest calculator, you just fill it in and can save it to word or print it off. I enclosed the printout with my letter to Halifax, thinking i might get a better settlement if the amount was higher!

[suze1]

Thank you for your advice on this, I have only asked for the unlawful charges of £1,202 in my prelim, but as the LBA mentions interest that is why I was querying. Would it be ok if I include the debit interest just for the months when I have been charged unlawfully - I will put it into the complex spreadsheet first as I assume this will work out the correct interest figure for me?? Suze

[salisburyowl]

I used the basic spreadsheet Suze and it calculated all the interest automatically when you put the charge amount and date charge was levied in. It'll even work out how many days ago the charge was levied. In my prelim and LBA I merely deleted the last two columns and then printed that off to send with the letters. The whole spreadsheet including the interest owed has been printed off to be filed at court on Tuesday....giving me an extra £500 I've also claimed back my SAR fee and the court costs too but up to this time I've only quoted the total amount charges in correspondence with the Halifax but also told them of my intent to claim the 8% if it goes to court.

 

I'll keep an eye out to see how you get on ...good luck.

 

Owl

[Guest littlesally]

This may help Suze.

Scroll down to post 12 .......

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/barclays-bcard-woolwich-successes/7226-maisielou-barclays.html

 

It's a pity the chatroom is still closed as that place can really help with any doubts and fears you have.

Also good for just unwinding and having fun.

Still hopefully it won't be long.

 

It's basically a waiting game, seeing who can out stare the other - don't be the one to look away.

Many people do at this stage and give up.

 

Make sure you stick with the winners and you will be one!

 

Sally x

[suze1]

Thanks to you all for your help with my interest queries. My LBA is ready to post tomorrow and I will be now reading up on MCOL etc as I doubt that any good will come of my LBA i.e, Halifax offering me the full amount that they have unlawfully claimed.

 

Thanks Owl and littleSally and Tilly49 and Michael Browne for putting me right. I will not be claiming the overdraft interest as I have not requested that in my prelim.

 

Will be keeping an eye on your all ....... tick...tock...tick...tock Suze

[suze1]

I spoke to someone at Halifax Customer Relations on Tuesday, he couldn't put me in touch with anyone dealing with our complaint. The complaints are dealt with chronilogically! Basically, they have 8 weeks to investigate, will write to acknowledge, write at 4 weeks to say still investigating.......

I will ring them again on Tuesday to see if they want to settle so not making them pay the interest or the court costs, anyone got any advice on that? Though I sent to Trinity Road, the number I rang was the one printed on the Leeds address?

 

It therefore looks likely that I will be doing my MCOL next week as my LBA time up is 22 May. I have registered but have a few questions - if anyone would be so kind to answer??? Under 5c which dates would I put in? The date of my first unlawful charge to the date that I make my MCOL i.e 22/05/07? Also, what is the daily interest charge is it still 0.00022? Also do I still have to mail the spreadsheet and POC and if so, where to?

 

Sorry, am starting to get the collywobbles again - so if you guys can sort me out so I'm like Bodecia (may have spelt that wrong!!) again that would be just fab.

 

Suze :-?

[Michael Browne]

Under 5c which dates would I put in? The date of my first unlawful charge to the date that I make my MCOL i.e 22/05/07?

 

Yes

Also, what is the daily interest charge is it still 0.00022?

Yes just charges x 0.00022

 

eg £495 x 0.00022=£0.11p

 

Also do I still have to mail the spreadsheet and POC and if so, where to?

 

 

See halfway down post #1 here:

Getting MCOL Right

[suze1]

My LBA is up tomorrow and no further response from the Halifax! I cannot use MCOl as they don't accept electron payments, so I will have to send to the court. Do I send my N1(x3), Schedule of Charges (x3), Particulars of Claim (x3) to the Northampton Court or to my own local County Court?

Please help, want to get it sorted ready to mail for tomorrow.....

 

Thx Suze

[**Tilly**]

hi suze im taking mine down to the local court and yea 3 of everything:)

[philandsj]

Hi Suze

haven't spoken for a while! i haven't heard from halifax either, my lba is up on thursday but i have heard that all claims in ni are on hold so i'm not sure what to do!

good luck

sj

[suze1]

Morning

 

Have just received the standard "sorry that you have not had a full response to your concerns, ..still investigating and you will receive... no later than 22 June 2007.

 

Now as LBA, coincidentally is up today, shall I send them a further LBA giving them 7 days to refund charges of £1,202 including overdraft interest amounts to over another £100 more or I will go to court. I don't get paid til Friday so that gives me til next Tuesday to sort my pennies out too.

 

Any advice, SSL anybody what do you reckon? Shall I give them a ring today and see if that helps them out a llittle?

 

Thanks Suze

[Guest littlesally]

At this point I senr the letter in post 68.

Obviously you'd have to change the name as it's addressed to Natwest.

It has worked for a couple of people.

The bank caved in after about four days.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/natwest-successes/26339-littlesally-natwest-3.html

 

You've nothing to lose.

 

Sally x