Claiming from a Barclays business account - help

[bex1408]

Hi

 

Wonder if anyone can help with info about claiming from a business account. I've read through the basics and am happy with the process, but am a little confused as to some of the charges.

 

On the statement i'm looking at i have a renewal fee of £2000 and at another point in time i have a renewal fee of £150 - what is this and is it reclaimable?

 

Thanks

[slick132]

Hi Bex and welcome.

 

Have you looked here yet

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/64975-business-claims-basic-guide.html

 

The charges people are generally claiming back are:-

 

Unpaid charge

Account Control Fees

Paid referral

 

As regards the renewal fee, i can't think what this could be but if it cost ME £2,000, I'd remember it. Perhaps it's do do with renewal of loan or overdraft but I still don't think the FEE woulf be that big.

 

Regards, Slick

[bex1408]

Thanks Slick

 

I've just looked thru that link. I think we'll continue but ignore the renewal fee. I just called one of the no win no fee companies for advice and they say it's a service charge - i'd love to know how it's calculated but never mind eh?

 

Thanks again

[slick132]

Bex, why not call Barclays or pop in to your branch to ask.

 

No win, no fee. NO WAY!

 

Are you otherwise clear on the charges you'll be claiming back.

 

Slick

[bex1408]

I think so - the only thing that i'm a bit bothered about is the overdraft interest? It's quite high so well worth claiming back i think.... am sure there's a good spreadsheet somewhere to help me with this though?

 

Thank you

[bex1408]

I know the answer to this is going to be but i'll ask anyway

 

Commission charges are service charges and so they are not reclaimable?

[slick132]

Correct:)

[bex1408]

Doh

 

Here's another - i know i told you i had an idea - turns out i was wrong

 

Overdraft lending fee?

[slick132]

I'm guessing here but if it's an arrangement fee for setting up or renewing an o/d, then it's not reclaimable. If it's a charge made because you've gone into or increased your o/d in excess of agreed terms, then it should be reclaimable. Not one I've heard of though.

 

Anyone else know?

 

Slick

[bex1408]

Hi Slick

 

I've been doing a little more thinking over this commission charges thing, it's really eating at me lol.

 

In the early days (2001ish) they used to specify what their commission charges were on the statements, they don't do this since 2003ish days. I think i want to write and ask them for a break down as it's obviously information they hold and i think that this is where they are hiding all the a/c control fees or returned direct debit info.

 

I have my original statments and so i'm going to send an SAR but i'd like to specify that this is exactly what i am after and wondered if you had any suggestions on how to word it? I know HSBC do a similar thing with their "total charges" and that business customers are having to find out what this is in order to reclaim their charges so i think it could be a similar situation

 

Thanks Slick - i really appreciate your help here - it's new territory for me

[slick132]

Hi Bex,

 

I'm really pushed for time at the mo but will have a look at MY statements later and come back to you.

 

If you have your own statements I don't see what more you'll get from Barcalys and I've not seen other doing this. See ya later, Slick

[bex1408]

Thanks Slick - genuinely appreciated

[slick132]

Hi Bex,

 

Looking through my B's Small Business a/c state's, there are entries as follows:-

 

There's a quarterly Advance Notification of Charges which shows how the quarterly chgs are made up. Look here for entries like Paid Referral Fees, Account Control Fees which you can reclaim.

 

Up to September 2002, my normal state't ALSO showed the separate reclaimable fees but from 2003 onwards, the state't ONLY shows a single "Commission Charges for the period blah/blah.

 

Look out for the separate Unpaids Out Fees which can show any time when they bounce a pay't - these aren't shown on the qtly Advance Not'n sheets.

 

So before you go back to B's with an S.A.R - (Subject Access Request), see what you've got.

 

Come back, Slick

[bex1408]

Thanks for coming back to me Slick. I don't have this breakdown of charges - they must have been thrown away (too trusting eh).

 

This is the info that i'm after though - so should i ask for copies of the quarterly advance notification of charges in my SAR.

 

Thank you

[slick132]

Bex,

 

I have to correct my reply to your post #6 above.

 

Commission Charges is the name B's give to the total quarterly chgs made to your a/c. Non reclaimable items are, eg, Automated Entries, Standard Entries, Maintenance Fee.

 

Reclaimables are A/c Control Fee, Paid Referral Fee which show on the quarterly summaries. Also Unpaids Out or Unpaid Charge which show on the ordinary state't any time a pay't is bounced.

 

So if you think you have charges from 2003 onwards ( before then they are itemised on the normal state't when the qtly chg is made), apply to B's using the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request).

 

If you do this, ask for state's for all years since the a/c was opened. Then you can d/w the more recent chgs and decide if you should go back beyond 6 years as well.

 

Slick

[bex1408]

Thanks Slick - i had a feeling they were hiding something in there - there were so many unpaids and no charges visible - another cheeky way of the banks hiding them i suppose.

 

I'll make the SAR today - thanks again for all your advice.

 

Bex x

[bex1408]

Aarrgghh

 

The SAR doesn't apply to business accounts? should i just call and request the information??

[slick132]

Hi Bex,

 

The link I wanted didn't work but here's an extract you need from the thread by Karnevil headed Business Claims - basic guide- Consumer Action Group which I gave you in post #2 above.

 

Requesting your transactional history

As a business you, or your accountant, should already have access to all your statements. However things happen so if you do need to submit a request for the information from your bank the following should guide you.

 

Sole Trader/Partnership – The Data Protection Act applies in the same way as for a personal account.

 

Ltd Company – Unfortunately, the right of subject access under the Data Protection Act 1998 only concerns personal data, so you won't be able to use the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request). There are no statutory provisions for right of access to business data..

Maybe someone knows of a more recent link for business a/c's.

 

I have a copy of the guide saved. Let me know if you want a copy - you could PM me your email addy.

 

Slick

[slick132]

OK Bex,

 

I've emailed to you. Let me know if any probs.

 

Slick

[slick132]

Bex,

 

Further to earlier posts, this is the link you need from the Banks Templates Library - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/105213-guide-business-claims.html

 

You should be able to access it ok now.

 

Slick

[bex1408]

I can indeed - thanks Slick... you are a star