Burke vs Alliance & Leicester

[wobbles5063]

I started the wheels in motion for my husband with the Alliance and Leicester.

 

This crowd seem to be a lot better than my bank. I received my husbands statements in the post on friday just before the 40 days was up. Now im just going through all of them highlighting all the charges.

 

Im a bit confused as to what exactly I put on the spreadsheet, I understand the failed direct debit charges etc go on, but im not sure if at this stage put on the interest charges .... or do I leave all these small amounts off and doing something with them at the end.

 

Would appreciate any help I can get please.

[maxt2001]

i added all of the failed cheque, direct debit, standing orders and unauthorised over draft charges. only add the interest if was on an unarranged overdraft.

the interest column on the spread sheet should only be used when you get to the court stage not on the preliminary approach for repayment.

[wobbles5063]

Hi .. Thanks, ive been looking through these threads since friday to see if I missed it earlier on and the more I read the more confused i become. At least by the time my statements eventually arrive .... if they ever do (im with Yorkshire Bank - also have a thread on here on that forum) I might actually know what im doing.

 

Thanks for helping.

[wobbles5063]

Oh help please someone im getting in a right pickle here. Im useless at maths and I really dont wanna mess this up for my husband.

 

I have listed all the charges that have been made on his account including the £10.00 statutory charge for providing the statements (not even sure if I should put that down yet). Im just filling in the necessary LBA letter and im at the paragraph that says

 

What I require

I calculate that you have taken £XXXXX plus £XXX which you have charged me in overdraft interest for the sum which you have taken. Total £XXXXX .

I enclose a schedule of the charges which I am claiming with this letter.

What do i put in the plus £XXX, do I put anything in here or do I just put in the £XXXXX amount ... and settle for that. Please someone help before I mess up, im getting stressed and about to give up.

 

 

[squarebob]

Don't Panic (just yet)

 

Go to Reclaim Unfair Charges from banks & credit card companies!

 

Where everything will become clearer.

[wobbles5063]

Wow Squarebob ... thank you, what a great link that is, just enter the details and it works it all out for you, so simple even i could use it. Thank you so much. I start to go into panic mode when I have to do maths.

 

Well im off to the post office tomorrow to send the 14 days LBA letter, now I have all the figures. Thanks for your help.

[wobbles5063]

Sorry just a quick question ... its maths again im doubting ive done this correct .. the amount claimed is £1787.50, interest is at 17.08% of £889.93 making a grand total of £2,677.43. Can someone just doubt check these figures are right, before i send anything off to them in writing claiming this back.

 

Really appreciate all your help so far.

[wobbles5063]

Ello, Squarebob or anyone else are you there? I need some help again.

 

I used your link Squarebob and then a friend gave me a different link that they have been using, but when using their link the total figure with interest is different by 600 quid, so now im well confused and dont really know which set of figures to send off to my husbands bank.

 

This is only the initial stages god know what im gonna be like when I get further through this process ... im stressing enough already.

 

any advice would be good. thanks

[squarebob]

It's a good job I popped in again!

 

Glad I could have been of some help to you. With regards to interest rates this is what I did. I have an old current account so I put in the interest rate @ 17.08% and on my Premier account I put in 7.63%.

 

I know that some people have been advised not to charge interest until the 8% court stage, but other claimers in the past have charged A&L as much as 28% (and got away with it) whether it was in confusion or not, I don't know. For myself I spent a few sleepless nights deciding whether to go for the compound interest or not, finally I decided to go for it, at first I decided on 17.8% on both accounts, but then common sense prevailed and I charged A&L exactly what they charged me 17.8% on my current account and 7.63% on my Premier account.

 

Now it's just a waiting game.

 

If you need anymore help, just knock on the door.

[squarebob]

Just looked through your message again, if you downloaded the correct template from the reclaim unfair charges website, then having listed all the charges and when they occured in their right boxes plus having put in the correct percentage rate, then the figures given should be the correct ones. If you have done what I did, which is saved a copy of the filled in spreadsheet on the computer, everytime a day passes and you re-load the spreadsheet, the figures change! (Oh the wonders of computer technology), I only found this out when I came to get a copy of the spreadshheet off of my computer and when I compared it to the original that I did 2 weeks previously the figures had all changed, (the total figures, not the figures for the charges etc). If you really are unsure of what your final figure should be, leave a message for either Superbob or Brechner on the reclaim unfair charges website and one of them will put your mind at rest.

 

Hope this helps you and a have a stressfree weekend.

[wobbles5063]

Hi Squarebob, thanks for coming back to me, i really appreciate you taking the time to help me. Think im just lacking confidence in myself.

 

Im in and out of this site all day at the moment trying to pick up tips and help.

 

I was doing ok and was feeling very pleased with my little self until ... my work colleague told me to try her link, and then when the figures on the interest added were different by abut £600 i panicked.

 

Im pretty sure I have done everything right. I downloaded from the useful tools section on your link and opted for the Excel Variable interest spreadsheet. I then read through the threads on that site relating to A&L and found that the rate quoted on there for interest was 17.08%, so that was what I put in the necessary interest box and then filled in the sheet with the charges per month and the figure was calculated at the bottom.

 

Thanks again, im off now the enjoy my weekend and try and forget about bank charges.

[alice-rose]

i was just wondering if you could tell me which is the 'Correct template' on the reclaim bank charges website for the spreadsheet. do you have a link ?

many thanks,

[squarebob]

Greetings Alice.

 

Spreadsheet, the first one on the list will do you nicely, (under section, Usefull Tools). There are also instructions on how to use the spreadsheet.

 

You also need to download the template numbered A, this is for manually filling in charges summary. Basically it is a list of your charges, what and when they were for. You put your name and bank account details at the top, same as the spreadsheet. You put this together with your spreadsheet and this is added to your claim paperwork. The way I did things was to download the various templates, open them, fill them in and use 'Save As' to save the filled in template, this meant that I still had the original template if I ever needed it again.

 

Need any more help just knock.

[alice-rose]

Thankyou very much squarebob.

I'll have a good look at that - I may need to ask for a little help as i'm not the worlds best with computers.

From your description - I don't think the spreadsheet I used is the correct one - so its a good job you came to my aid ! many thanks for your very kind help.

[squarebob]

Since the birth of Windows, life has become easier for those using computers, trouble is technology is moving so fast, that us 'Silver Surfers' are getting left behind. Who would of ever thought of being able to download something from a computer, fill it in, and do what you like with it. Anyway Alice I have been through the S.A.R stage, the 'Fob-Off' letter stage, the NI Stage, the offer from the bank stage, the acknowledgement of service stage and finally I am in receipt of the bank's defence, all six pages of why the bank is in the right and I am in the wrong. Now it is just a question of waiting to see what happens next.

 

Need any help, just shout.

 

Have a good day

[alice-rose]

hi squarebob,

i have just gone to the reclaim unfair charges from banks and credit card companies site, which you posted in an earlier link - Brilliant Site.

and I have found the 1st spreadsheet you recommended.

Excel Variable Interest Spreadsheet.

I have a problem that there only 3 boxes for each month, and some months I have 4 or 5 bank charges - I can't seem to be able to type in more than 3 amounts for each month.

Am I being very dim ?

Also does this spreadsheet just detail the figures,

do you then have to complete another form itemising the figures.

 

I have been looking at a spreadsheet on the CAG and it itemises the bank charge, as well as giving the amount. I think this is the 'simple' version (this would obviously be the one I would be attracted to) ! !

Will this version do - and does it alter the interest that has been accruing for you on a daily basis ?

sorry for all the questions.

this is the first time in my life i have ever done a spreadsheet, so need to tread carefully,

will have to reserve the silver-surfing for when i get a little more confident as my knees are knocking too much right now !

Thankyou Squarebob for your kind help.

alice x x

[squarebob]

Oh Alice you little devil!

 

Here's what you do, my son showed me as I had the same problem.

 

On the Spreadsheet it is the Total amount of charges etc for each month that goes in each box. Now if you look at one of my earlier postings I mentioned that there was also a template for manualling filling in your charges, this is the list that itemises every charge and when and what for, this list then goes with your spreadsheet and becomes part of your claim. If your claim is done online, then this has to be sent to the court with a covering letter which you will find in the templates library. If you go the NI route, then just put everything together x 3 and take it to your local court.

It all looks daunting, but if an old one-finger typist like me can do it, so can you. Beauty of all this technology is that you can rectify your mistakes.

 

Good Luck

[squarebob]

Alice, I have just checked the template, it shows Two boxes per each month, so I checked with my filled in spreadsheet and here's why; You put your total charges on the top line and the bottom line produces the interest for that total. And when you get to the end of year you will have a Total figure for your charges and a Total figure for your interest, the further back you go, the higher the amount of Interest.

Have a play around with the spreadsheet until you get the hang of it.

 

Have a nice day.

[alice-rose]

hi squarebob,

you really are a sweetheart.

thankyou so much for all the time and trouble you have taken to explain this to me. very much appreciated.

I'm currently in the process of completing a Form N244, (trying!) because i entered the wrong calculation and interest on my mcol claim form, and seeing as this will be my second attempt, I want to get it all word and figure perfect - so this is why i have been panicing a little.

thank goodness there are so many kind caring people.

thanks squarebob.

alice x x

[squarebob]

Well Alice the order of the day is 'Don't Panic'.

 

Just take your time filling in all your forms etc, if you need any help etc, there are plenty of useful threads and links to help you.

The beauty of computers is that you can save and change your work as you go. In my case I filled in my form on the 9th of May, but due to nerves and wanting everything to be perfect, I never took my claim to court until the 24th of May, and even then I started to have second thoughts. But my claim must have been as near perfect as possible as the bank's solicitors never mentioned that my claim had anything missing, mind you they never said that I was going to get anything either.

 

So Alice, take one step at a time, we are all here to help (if we can).

[alice-rose]

thankyou for your kindness again.

your reassurance has been a great help to me.

alice x x

[wobbles5063]

Quick up date on my thread ... Sent off Prelim letter to my husband bank, along with the list of charges .. just hope I have used all the correct spreadsheets and percentages, sent this by signed for post, should arrive on there desks tomorrow. Starting my 14 day countdown now and expecting a fob off letter.

[wobbles5063]

Well that was quick ... got home this evening and there on the doormat was a response to my Prelim Letter from A&L only sent it to them on the 19th June. Letter is a usual response one, telling me they are enclosing their complaints leaflet (this was missing) and saying obviously they do not feel that they have unfairly charged me and regret they cannot agree to refund me any fees blah blah blah.

 

Quick question though .... do I still wait until the end of the 14 days or as they have responded so quickly can I move onto the next stage? Really wasnt expect a response from them just yet!!!

[jansus]

all the advice I have seen says stick to the timetable as laid out in FAQ and step by step instructions, even if they reply early. It is the tried and tested route.

 

jansus:)

[squarebob]

Why wait? I know some people say stick to the timescales, but whose? Yours or theirs! No, you set the timescales, after all it is you who is asking for your money back, if it was them, they'd be soon dipping into your bank account.

 

Time will still drag, so why prolong the agony.