Sue V Halifax ***SETTLED IN FULL***

[dollies01]

Hello you wonderfully brave people! I admire you all so much for what you are doing and thankyou for motivating me to do the same.

I have today, sent my dpa letter to the Halifax. Ive just read on another thread that Halifax send out copies of all statements after this request. which seems odd as when I have requested a duplicate statement in the past I have been.......yea you guessed it........CHARGED!

I use internet paper free banking, so I never have anything come through the post from the bank, which is why Im even more angry at the 39.00 pound charge I incur for every unpaid cheque and direct debit., after all I dont even cost them the price of a stamp!

I have all of last years transactions archived on my pc and the total in charges for that year was 702.00, so I hate to think what the over all for the last few years has been.

I have always incurred charges because of charges, Ive even been charged 39.00 for a 4.70 cheque because I was a pound short!

I will keep you posted on how I get on.........good luck to you all

[Bookworm]

Oooh, there's an angry girl!!!! GOOD!

 

Welcome, and keep us posted, we looooove stories that end well!!!

 

.

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi sue good luck in your quest

 

ive just sent my lba off on the 5th june,

I also have paper free online banking and have claimed back since march 2005, i was maybe too eager and should of followed the dpa request but i had all the statements on my pc, its too late now i know as i just did the preliminary letter as i knew how much they took from the statements. I cant remember if i was charged before march 2005, even as it stands its a substantial amountthat i am claiming.

[dollies01]

I keep having this horrible wave of fear that by asking for dpa I am buying the bank time to find a way out of us claiming!

Am I being greedy claiming more than the years worth of charges that I have details for??!

If there are two choices you can bet ya bottom dollar I will choose the wrong one! lol

 

Halifax tried to take two lots of 39 pounds from my account yesterday, and because there wasnt enough, they have given me an unauthorised overdraft fee of 28.00 pound!..............How come they can't do that for failed cheques and direct debits ??! I really wouldnt mind paying charges so much if they just paid the bills that were failing!

Strange also that fees for non paid cheques and direct debits come out your account seven days later, but unauthorised overdraft fees dont come out for a month.

[pmhread]

Nohing greedy in claiming back your own money Go get em!

[Bookworm]

I think you misunderstand the charges structure: the 2 lots of £39 would have been for either passing or bouncing your cheques and d/d (either way you get charged) and on top you now get the unuathorised monthly charge. It's not an either/or situation, it's ALL of it! And it's timed so that the £28 charge, unless you're very very vigilant, will automatically put you in the red again onto the next month, which in turn,... if they bang the charge on 31th of may, it takes you into june, there goes another month "overdrawn" , ok? but THAT charge will not go on until the end of JULY, whereas the May charge will go at the end of June. At that point, you may well think you have paid your charge, but you forget they'll still charge for the june "overdraft" and so with a bit of luck, they'll be able ot take you o/d again at the end of July when they take their charge... which will then generate.... I'll stop now...

 

PS: There is no way for them to "stop it" as you fear. Unless they find a time machine, It would take an act of Parliament to revoke the law, and that would take a lot more than 40 days.

 

Now buck up, stay angry, it helps focus. Re-read my little explanation above, it usually helps staying really realy p!ssed-off at them.

[dollies01]

thanks for that! I DID understand that those two farty cheques of twenty odd quid have now cos me 39 pound each plus 28 pound overdraught fee, what I meant was...........well really doesn't matter. You are right, they are a bunch of total knobbers preying on those that can least afford it. Im all brave and wobble free now lol

[harrygee]

hi Sue,

 

Just like you getting started claiming back from Hailfax, letter sent off today recorded delivery for list of bank charges over the last 6 years.

Some months I was paying out £200+, ok some of these were my fault but not at the cost of £39 + £28 over my over draft fee, why does it cost them so much money to print off a letter and post it 1st class ?

 

Good luck with your claim

 

Harrygee

[dollies01]

Hiya Harry

 

Technically its sometimes our own fault, yea ......but no but yea but NO!

Life is a struggle enough, having enough to pay bills, buy clothes, food and have any standard of living, without Halifax dipping into our accounts to help themselves to whatever amount of money they deem justified.

 

I feel so much better realising that I am not alone in this vicious circle of failed direct debits and bank charges.

 

Please keep in touch and let me know how you are getting on!

good luck!

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

hi Sue,

 

Just like you getting started claiming back from Hailfax, letter sent off today recorded delivery for list of bank charges over the last 6 years.

Some months I was paying out £200+, ok some of these were my fault but not at the cost of £39 + £28 over my over draft fee, why does it cost them so much money to print off a letter and post it 1st class ?

 

Good luck with your claim

 

Harrygee

 

harry gee because they think they can get away with it!!!

thats what happened to me, hence my figure and theres more to add on monday

 

oh the joys of being in control at last

 

good luck with your quest im following your post with interest.

[blinkyblinkyblonk]

Hiya Harry

 

Technically its sometimes our own fault, yea ......but no but yea but NO!

Life is a struggle enough, having enough to pay bills, buy clothes, food and have any standard of living, without Halifax dipping into our accounts to help themselves to whatever amount of money they deem justified.

 

I feel so much better realising that I am not alone in this vicious circle of failed direct debits and bank charges.

 

Please keep in touch and let me know how you are getting on!

good luck!

 

sue, i second your remarks, its like reading something i would of wrote lol

 

 

good luck in your quest

[dollies01]

I've just got off the phone to Halifax, as its been a week since I sent my DPA letter and had no response.

Nice Irish lady answered and I asked If they had recieved my letter for a DPA request.........the line went quiet and I heard in hushed tones

"heres another one"

lol @ her

Anyway a few clicks of the computer later and she says no they've had no letter but she can action it now. I obviously agree, and then she pipes up with

"oh, there is your letter, we have sent you a reply asking if you agree to the five pound charge"

I said that I was more than happy to pay the charge (as stated in the letter) and so the statements are being prepared now...........how exciting is this?!?!?!???

[pmhread]

hahaha... sounds like your already spending the money in your mind.

[dollies01]

Beginning to wonder if my statements are being handwritten by a three year old......I still haven't recieved them and the money cleared out my account ten days ago.

Gonna give them til tomorrow then call again.

Im assuming this is a delaying tactic, as Iv'e had to request statements before for the Inland Revenue and always recieved them within three days!

I hope they don't take the full forty days to turn up, the Postman is getting a bit overfriendly, cos I keep pouncing on him lol

[dollies01]

Still waiting for my statements, I've rung Halifax twice more since the last time, and both times have been told that the statements have been ordered, but will be re-ordered and I should receive them in seven to ten working days.

On Friday it is forty clear days since I initially requested the statements but only thirty days since the money to pay for them cleared out of my account.

I did tell the agent that there was a forty day deadline to comply with this request, but still I wait.........and wait..........and wait....................

[dollies01]

After thirty eight days of waiting for my bank statements, five times being told they had been ordered, I have telephoned the Halifax again today to remind them that their forty days are up on Saturday. I was passed to the cash card dept which seemed odd, and then onto the business centre, who stuttered and ermed, and asked to call me this afternoon with an explanation as to why my statements have not been sent, he mentioned a glitch in the system.

Does anyone know how this phone call is likely to go? and what my response should be?:-|

[strude]

It sounds to me that they are stalling, just stick to your gunsand tell them that if you don't get the statements by the 40th day you will contact the data people to report them.

Tell them that you will not discuss this fruther over the phone, they have just 2 days to comply.

All the best

[Bookworm]

Quite right.

 

Would they accept a glitch in YOUR system (!) not to charge you if you were late in paying or didn't have enough in your account? What do you think?

 

They reap what they sow... They don't give you any leeway, why should you? Not your problem, they had 40 days to comply, which was ample time for them to sort whatever glitch they had. So don't accept any lame excuse. And tell them that in future, any communication must be in writing.

[dollies01]

Thanks for your advice..........Man from the business centre duly called he sounded abit like Julian Clarey, but thats by the by ! lol

Anyway, he said that the statements had been sent out on the 24th of June. I explained that I hadn't recieved them, and if it were the case, how come I was told twice more that they had been re-ordered and they hadn't arrived either.

He then said, that he believed there was some kind of fault with the automated system of requesting archived statements, but would ask for it to be done manually, and that the statements would firstly be sent to himself, and he would ensure they were be forwarded to me, and that he would call to check that I had got them.

He asked why I wanted them, and I told him that it was to claim unfair bank charges back, but that it really was none of his business, as I am legally entitled to this information and that if I didn't recieve them by Saturday I would report them to the information commissionaire. He stated that it would take at least five days for them to reach him. I just reiterated that they were due by Saturday and it was upto him to comply or not, but I will not be willing to wait another week.

Heres hoping eh!???!

[Momystique]

Hi Dolly

I have had a very similar conversation today with a man from the customer services department. Funny enough my statements have also gone missing. They should have been sent out on 23/06/2006. Apparantly it's going to take a further 5 days for the statements to reach me too. The man I talked to gave me his email address and promised print off a report and send it to me via email if I didn't receive the statements by Wednesday of next week. I wonder if they think all this stalling is going to put us off. Well........ you sound like a pretty determined lady and gunning for them, so I guess not eh? I'm trying to stick to the nice approach hoping that it will work in my favour but I can do nasty if I have too. Let us know when you receive your statements. The race is on!

[harrygee]

Finally sent my letter ofrequesting disclosure on the 10th of July have checked with bankand have been informed that it has been received and is being actioned.

In the meantime the sodscharged me £30 for going £3 over on my over draught + of course the £28 did speak to to one of the agentsand they have deferred the charge this one last time really generous ofthem

[mechs]

Harry can you please start your own thread you are hijacking someone elses

Thanks

[Momystique]

Just letting you know I received mine today in 33 envelopes lol.. Bank charges equate to £2010.00. Spending it in my head as I type

[dollies01]

Well done !!!...............Im still waiting, and just incurred another £39 pound charge cos a 4.53 direct debit failed. It was my donation to Hampshire air ambulance, how silly am I gonna feel eh?!

Im sure I read on a thread somewhere that if the banks don't comply with DPA requests we can estimate the charges outstanding and continue the claim anyway. ??

So. Momystique, what have you got planned?!...........something frivilous and decadent I hope?!!!!! lol

[Momystique]

Hi Dolly

I spoke to a complaints manager called Jules Hurl who was able to give me the exact figure I'd been charged over the last 6 years in bank charges on the phone. He ran a report, which took about 30 seconds flat. The figure was correct because I checked it against my statements the following day. So....... if you don't receive your statements give them a ring and ask them for an amount on the phone. BTW I'm also certain his email will be [email protected] I also have the name of a complaints manager called John Thornton, his email will be [email protected]. I believe he is off work for the next couple of weeks.

 

Good luck and let me know how you get on