Rachie77 v HSBC bank charges

[RACHIE77]

Hi there everyone!

 

I have just skipped across here from Martins fab site MSE - hello to all you MSErs out there & everyone on Consumer Action Group!!

 

I am hoping to start a claim against HSBC, I am a bit nervous of doing it but I know over xmas and the new year we were getting charged at least £100 a month on each of our accounts, of which we have three so £300+ a month was really stinging us - I went to the bank and told them this and they waived ONE fee of £50.

 

Any advice welcome - anyone who has a word of caution to add please let me know!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Rachie xx

[RACHIE77]

I have just sat down and trawled through one of our 3 accounts and the total charges for that account is £1,031

 

Thats just charges... Am I supposed to be including debit interest as well? I didnt as I thought that was a reasonably low amount?

 

Rachie

[neilloffhagen]

If you want to work it out you can claim the interest the bank charges you for the charges themselves. Most people haven't bothered, as it is usually only a small amount. As for any word of caution, just make sure you've read the FAQs and know the seriousness of what you're starting. All should go well, but there is on absolute guarentee all will work. so far it has, but things can always change.

 

Neil.

[RACHIE77]

If you want to work it out you can claim the interest the bank charges you for the charges themselves. Most people haven't bothered, as it is usually only a small amount. As for any word of caution, just make sure you've read the FAQs and know the seriousness of what you're starting. All should go well, but there is on absolute guarentee all will work. so far it has, but things can always change.

 

Neil.

 

Oh blimey I am worried now!!

 

I will read the FAQs tho and would be grateful for any help that anyone could give me here to enable this to go as smoothly as possible....!! Just tallying up the second account, am currently nearly at £1,000 again on this one so it looks like the combined total of the 3 accounts will be over £3k.... Its got to be worth a try??? ??? (still feeling a very nervous but also very sick at the amount of money i have paid out in charges in the last few years!!! )

 

Rachie x

 

p.s thanks for replying Neil

[neilloffhagen]

Hi Rachie,

Oh blimey I am worried now!!

Didn't mean to worry you - you have little to loose by going ahead. Main thing is your time, a few envelopes and recorded delivery costs, and if it gets that far the small claims court costs. These are set, so you can't get unexpected bills at the end of the process. If you win, which you will, you'll get the court costs back. In the outside chance that the bank defend and you loose it would cost around £100 (I think) as you're after over £3000 in your claim. This money has to be paid up front when you submit the claim. There are exceptions if you're on benefits.

I will read the FAQs tho and would be grateful for any help that anyone could give me here to enable this to go as smoothly as possible....!!

Keep reading and ask any questions if there is anything you don't understand. In the FAQs there is a step by step guide which should help you get an idea of everything involved.

 

Neil.

[RACHIE77]

I made the trip to the post office yesterday and posted the first letter.... I am very nervous now and have all fingers and toes crossed for some sort of reply.

 

Not sure if I did the correct thing but sent the letter recorded delivery to the local branch. I have a couple of accounts and the total of fees charged in the last 6 years exceeds £4k....

 

I would really appreciate some support here as I feel like I am on my own as my OH doesn't really know as much as I do about this topic... Am worrying about it all too, what will happen if they shut my bank account? what can i expect etc?

 

Thanks for reading this

 

Rachie

[overcharged_consumer]

Rachie,

 

STOP PANICKING!

 

You'll be fine. Have you read around the forums and seen all the HSBC settlements? They do not want to go to court so providing you follow the steps, stick to your timetable and are willing to go to court if necessary then you'll have no problems at all.

 

Have you opened another account elsewhere in case they close yours? If not, do it now. From reading around here it seems that HSBC don't generally close account following a claim. However, there have been instances where it happens although this is generally only where someone has made a follow up claim. Once it's concluded just make sure you conduct your account sensibly and they'll have no reason to close it down.

 

Keep us updated with each stage of your claim and we'll keep on encouraging you.

 

Really, you'll be fine.

 

OC

[overcharged_consumer]

Oh, one other thing. Even if it does get to court and even if you do lose, your liability is minimal. It'll cost £120 to file a claim and a further £100 allocation fee IF it proceeds to court BUT THAT IS ALL IT WILL COST YOU. You are not liable for their costs.

 

The best part is that when you win, you'll get the £220 back anyway!

 

OC

[caro]

Hi there, you have come to the right place. You need to open a parachute account just in case your account is closed. I assume it is the preliminary request for payment you have sent, so you have given them 14 days to respond which is fine. Spend the time you are waiting for replies reading through the FAQ's, step by step instructions, and the forums so that you are really familiar with how it all works. Once you are more conversant with everything you will feel a lot more confident, and start to feel really good. Guess what - you are taking control of your bank account and it feels great.

 

Obviously if you have any probs that aren't answered elsewhere you can always ask. Good luck.

[RACHIE77]

!!Thank-you ~ Thank-you ~ Thank-you!!

 

I really appreciate your messages of support and encouragement. I applied for a current account with the RBS and was accepted and have the forms at home so I think I will make it a priority to get them sent off, just so that I have something to fall back on - just in case!

 

I have read through the FAQs and some of the past cases but my mind is boggling with all the information that it all becomes a bit of a blur.... Yes, the letter I sent yesterday started with

 

I now understand that the regime of 'fees' which you have been applying to my account in relation to direct debit refusals, exceeding overdraft limits and so forth are unlawful at Common Law, Statute and recent Consumer regulations.....

 

I hope that is the right one?

 

They would have recieved the letter today and 14 days after this is the 29th of June. I did this deliberately as it co-incides with being paid at the end of the month so will be able to stretch and pay the court fees if needs be.

 

I can't quite remember from the threads I have read and the FAQs but do HBSC tend to be settling before court action as the norm? I have quite a big claim so maybe they will act differently and be a little more reluctant to pay back fees? Sorry if I am asking questions that have been asked a thousand times, I am just a little nervous but thats getting better thanks to all the help!

 

Thanks again!!

 

Rachie

 

p.s I'm glad you could see I was paniking - LOL!!

[caro]

Read other threads in the HSBC forum and this will give you a flavour of what they tend to do. I can't help you on that one as I'm not with them.

[HSBCrusher]

Hello Rachie.

 

Take a look at my thread (let battle commence)

Remember that this is nothing but a game of chicken.

They cannot win (exceedingly unlikley anyway) so every penny saved for them is worth it.

Keep to the steps in the FAQ, they do work, don't loose your bottle.

They are counting on that.

 

Try not to be nervous, be indignant. This money has been robbed from you.

Remember- the system works. It has done for thousands of people!

 

All the best with your claim!

 

Crusher:D

[RACHIE77]

Thanks Crusher, have looked at your thread and I must say its really interesting that the banks treat each case so differently... I guess that maybe that way there is no second guessing what they are going to do?? The nerves have subsided a little now, I guess they are saving themselves for the 14 day marker! LOL!

 

Thanks for everyones support, I couldnt do this without you!!

 

p.s. I have looked at the survey results page (this one) but am not sure what the headings refer to, what does DPA average mean and what is the customer service score for? I assume it is a ranking relating to how the complaint was dealt with??

[RACHIE77]

I have just had a thought and am wondering if I have now made a mistake..... :o

 

Me and my OH have 3 accounts with HSBC (2 individual and one joint) and have written to the local branch with 3 seperate letters to make the claims, does this mean I will need to pay 3 court costs or can I combine the claim into one?? Heeeelp!

 

Rachie

[Spiceskull]

Hi Rachie,

 

Ideally you should make three separate claims, especially as the first is for about £4K - adding another may well put you over the £5K limit.

 

It would be prudent to do one claim at a time, and wait for one to be settled before starting the next - the last thing you need is for the bank to join the claims and take them onto the fast track.

 

However, and as has already been pointed out, repeat claims against the bank may well result in account closure - it has for me, so another account is vital for you.

 

Good luck, and keep us posted...

 

To see the steps I took to recover unfair bank charges with the help of Consumer Action Group, please read my thread Spiceskull v HSBC.

[RACHIE77]

Thanks spiceskull.... The 4k is the total for the 3 accounts. Two of the accounts are each approx 1k each and the other account is approx 2k.

 

I have asked them in the past to combine them into one 'joint account' to avoid getting 3 sets of fees each month but they refused saying that my accounts were too overdrawn and each was over its overdraft so couldnt combine the accounts.

 

I sent all 3 letter off individually stating the indvidual amounts so in essence I guess they are all seperate claims, the reason for this was that two single accounts are in two single names (mine and my partners) and the third is in joint names so I assumed we would not have been able to combine the claim, it is only now I am thinking I should have written one letter from the both of us claiming for the 3 accounts we have with HSBC.... Is it too late to combine this claim or should I continue with seperate claims?? I am confused now!!

 

Rachie

[RACHIE77]

Hi there, please can you give me some advice, I am starting to get very confused, well I think I got confused before I started actually but for some stooopid reason I think I sent the wrong letter first!!!

 

This is what I sent.... http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/92-letter-before-action-consumer.html

 

Okay, so the more I look at it the more I am sure that I sent the wrong letter first! What shall i do? Should I just assume I am on the second step without doing the first? should i just give them another 14 days and then not keep to my original plan??? ooops!

 

Heeeelp! :o

 

(no reply/correspondence received from the bank to date and 14 days is up on the 29th June)

[RACHIE77]

I have done it wrong and now dont know what to do - apologies for starting a new thread but wanted to get your attention as I am worrying slightly here!

 

Could you check out my dilema here (last two posts in thread!) http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/hsbc-bank/11024-newbie-i-have-just.html#post84374

 

Thankyooooooou in advance

 

Rachie

[callumsgran]

Hi, stop panicking! we all make mistakes!!! send in the prelim letter (the first one) give them the 14 days then send another lba. all you've done is put yourself back another 2 weeks, but it will give you a bit more breathing space ok?

[bze lizzy]

Hi Rachie,

 

Thanks for the encouragement I've been getting it wrong too. It seems you like me, need help with using this site at least now I don't feel like the only one.

 

bze lizzy

[callumsgran]

You'll be ok girls, it gets easier as you go along! rachie did you get the responses in your other thread ok?

[philb120]

If it gets to the stage where you have to take the claim to the moneyclaim website I would put all three lots of charges together- less hassle that way. The only thing you have to be careful of is to make sure the total does not go above £5000.

[RACHIE77]

Hi everyone,

 

Just as I was about to start again I got a reply...

 

Dear xxx

 

Thank you for your recent letters requesting a refund pf all your bank charges going back six years.

 

In order that we can consider your request please provide a full itemised breakdown of the charges to include date, description of the charge and the amount applied. Please also include any proposed new charges that you will have received a pre notification advice for.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to write.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Mr Colin Langdale

Senior Service Quality Officer

 

Hnmmmmm.... I guess I should just do as asked??

[RACHIE77]

Hi everyone,

 

Just as I was about to start again I got a reply...

 

Dear xxx

 

Thank you for your recent letters requesting a refund of all your bank charges going back six years.

 

In order that we can consider your request please provide a full itemised breakdown of the charges to include date, description of the charge and the amount applied. Please also include any proposed new charges that you will have received a pre notification advice for.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to write.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Mr Colin Langdale

Senior Service Quality Officer

 

Hnmmmmm.... I guess I should just do as asked?? How do I proceed from here? I think I have all the info on a spreadsheet on my PC but the PC is broken at the moment and should be fixed this weekend??

 

Thanks for your help everyone!!

[Janet-M]

Yes just send them the spreadsheet but still stick to your time limit you set in the prelim also include the spreadsheet again with your LBA ,That way they can't say they haven't recieved it.