Claim for charges taken from benefits

[steven4064]

Got all the statements this morning in over 50 seperate envelopes!! Postie nearly had a fit!

 

Even GE Money (who are not normally known for their sense) managed to send all the statements in one envelope.

[overchargedandangry]

Well at 1st class rates, that still only cost them less than half of a penalty charge - one has to wonder whether they have even heard of the phrase 'common sense'!

 

Got mine all in one big envelope yesterday

[Vital Spark]

From how far back are people, on here, being able to access their account information?

 

Lloyds are claiming that they can only get information going back 10 years.

[steven4064]

Hi VS

 

It varies considerably from bank to bank - even NatWest are different from RBOS (who own them)

[steven4064]

As part of this process we wrote a letter to the Job Centre and local tax office. Today we received an astounding answer from the job centre where they say

We have no authority to become involved with any disagreements you have with your bank, you have entered into a contract witthem and by doing so accept their rules and regulations including any charges levied.

The SSAA1992 and TCA2002 both say that any such agreement is void. Oh well!

[jontah 2006]

Got all the statements this morning in over 50 seperate envelopes!! Postie nearly had a fit!

 

Even GE Money (who are not normally known for their sense) managed to send all the statements in one envelope.

 

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news?articleid=3103510

[steven4064]

Thanks for that.

 

I read on one thread that someone got over 50 copies of their statements

[jontah 2006]

Thanks for that.

 

I read on one thread that someone got over 50 copies of their statements

 

i wondered if it was your good self!!!

[steven4064]

i wondered if it was your good self!!!

No

[jontah 2006]

ok

[stonedecroze]

Thanks for that.

 

I read on one thread that someone got over 50 copies of their statements

 

 

Howard told me when i queried similar response that due to postal rules re weight they can only fit 5 statements in each envelope per first class stamp. Apparently they are unaware of the Post Office small packet service, or can`t be *rsed to go down to Post Office to post them.

[steven4064]

Mine from Goldfish all came in one envelope as did the ones from NatWest.

[kennythecelt]

As part of this process we wrote a letter to the Job Centre and local tax office. Today we received an astounding answer from the job centre where they say................................

 

Hi Steven

re letter from job centre. Need that answer be the end of it from the job centre. Perhaps this was from someone who had not fully thought it through, perhaps dealing with complaints or such like. Would a letter to someone up the command chain be beneficial? Just a thought. Sometimes the same question to differnt parts of an organisation illicits different answers, although you'll be aware of that.

[steven4064]

I did a sort of pincer movement - local jobcentre and Minister for Work anad Pensions - hoping the messsage might percolate from both ends and meet in the middle. Well, it was a plan! (did the same for tax credits - local tax office and chancellor of the exchequer)

[kelley]

Hiya Steven,

Can you give me any advice??

I have been given the link to your thread and have read with interest......95% of all my charges were taken whilst I was on income support.

However when I started my claim I had not mentioned this before as I was unaware it was illegal to take money from social security benifits, is there any way that I can include this in to my claim and maybe add arguments to the lifting of my stay??

Heres the link to my thread Kelley V's HSBC

Any advice on this would be appreciated

Kelley

[cazza69er]

good luck with it all steven think your doing a fantastic job so far, i can relate to kelley, will be watching with interest

[steven4064]

Hiya Steven,

Can you give me any advice??

I have been given the link to your thread and have read with interest......95% of all my charges were taken whilst I was on income support.

However when I started my claim I had not mentioned this before as I was unaware it was illegal to take money from social security benifits, is there any way that I can include this in to my claim and maybe add arguments to the lifting of my stay??

Heres the link to my thread Kelley V's HSBC

Any advice on this would be appreciated

 

Kelley

Hi Kelley

 

Sorry not to answer before but I have been away. You could include it but it is probably better to include a statement that you are on benefits and the charges have caused and are causing severe hardship. Therefore the stay is unfair on you as it prolongs the period of hardship.

 

You might find this of use which I've cut from another thread -

 

This direct quote is taken from the FSA Press Release, dated 27th July:

 

"The FSA also expects firms to continue to help their customers avoid incurring unauthorised overdraft charges in the first instance and to continue to deal with hardship cases."

 

and this in the FAQ's:

 

"Consumers who are in very difficult financial circumstances - 'hardship cases'

 

Banks and building societies will have to conduct a filtering process to ensure that cases of genuine hardship are still dealt with during the waiver period. Cases of hardship would still be entitled to be referred to, and dealt with by, the FOS."

 

Clearly, where a bank fails to deal with a case involving "hardship", the FOS will be expected to intervene - AND the FSA may also consider withdrawing the waiver.

 

Full press release:

 

FSA grants waiver to firms on complaints handling

[kelley]

Ahh Im no longer on benefits now, after they charged me a whack of fines i had no choice but to go back to work sooner than planned,

Thanks for getting back to me

Kelley

[Vital Spark]

Aye, but surely Kelley can still reclaim what was taken in charges while he/she was still on benefits.

 

Got for it Kelley and we'll watch with interest.

[alex_the_lad]

Hey Steven - just wanted to say that you're doing a top job. I'm on benefits and Abbey used payments of these to clear a build up of bank charges - so I'm looking at ways to use this angle if my claim gets stayed. I hope it's okay to use some bits from your POC above?

 

One minor point (I'm sure you're already on top of it) - in your POC above you mention that you're claiming back court charges, but if you're on certain benefits these are exempted - there's a from EX160 that you have to complete for th court and submit with the N1 along with proof of the benefit.

[steven4064]

THanks Alex

 

You are absolutely right - the PoC is cobbled from bits of others - I missed that.

[vinegarvera]

Subbing Y'all:)

(Sorry in holiday mode)

[overflow]

Hi Steven

 

Good Luck with this and my signature gone on as well.

[kennythecelt]

Steven

might be of interest. Case was at Luton

 

BBC NEWS | Business | Judge calls halt to bank charges

[steven4064]

Thanks Kenny

 

This is not directly relevant in that the claimant was not on benefits but it is relevant in that she used the 'hardship' deffence to stop the bank taking charges whilst the case was stayed.