What sort of compensation can I claim and will they pay?

[Bradders33]

Hi all,

 

Sorry that this is a long one, but I've been in tears and really need some help.

 

I need advice, it's not about bank charges per se but about a letter I am going to compose for compensation and I am wondering how much I should ask for and if I would get it.

 

I have a mortgage with Nationwide, it's a fixed rate at £845 a month. My fixed rate was coming to an end and whilst I am waiting for my new fixed rate mortgage with Abbey to complete I rang up Nationwide as I am not massively au fait when it comes to mortgages and wanted to know what date my mortgage payments would go up from, as I have a separate bills a/c so I needed to know how much money to pay in should I happen to be switching to the variable rate on 1st August. The Nationwide call centre advisor told me that 1st of August would be my last DD payment to them at the FIXED rate and that if my Abbey mortgage completed in say the 2nd week of August, then I would owe Nationwide the new variable rate on a pro-rata basis, IE: they's just take for the two weeks at the higher rate.

 

So, I go and pay my usual amount in to my bills a/c, to cover all of my DD's including the usual mortgage amount, then lo-and-behold instead of taking £845 Nationwide take £1035! which makes me overdrawn, which then incurrs me £50 in charges; £25 for paying an item with insufficient funds and £25 for being overdrawn.

 

I rang up Nationwide upset and in disgust and they say that they will listen to the phone call where I was "alledgedly mis-informed" and get back to me, they called me a few hours later and said they they listened to the recording of the phone call and I WAS mis-informed and that if I send them a bank statement they will refund me the £50 bank charges.

 

But that doesn't help me one iota at this present moment, as the extra money they took swallowed £100+ for the 3 remaining bills due tomorrow. So I had to find that money and transfer it to my bills a/c... Plus an extra £50 to make up a shortfall to incurr further charges, so I am the best part of £350 short this month now.

 

I have been in tears, it may seem trivial, but I have a big 30th b'day party next week, I have been looking forward to it for months, I have people travelling from as far Liverpool and Russia to be here, but now have no money to pay for it, although I have never done it before I am going to have to withdraw a cash advance from a credit card now, this whole debarcle has left me so skint and incredibly upset, my husband is livid, if we had known that Nationwide were taking more money we would have budgeted for it.

 

I spoke to the FSA and asked if NW had broken any banking codes and if I could claim any compensation, the FSA said that they haven't exactly broken any codes, but they have a duty of care and they have to treat customers in a fair and just manner. But that I am entitled to lodge a formal complaint, separate from claiming my bank charges back and they gave me timescales of when NW have to respond or I can refer my complaint to the Ombudsman.

 

But I don't know how much compensation to ask for, being seriously out of pocket is one thing, but the distress, worry and tears they have caused is another, they've ruined my party plans and will incurr me intersest on my credit card as I have no other place to find that money by next week.. So what do I ask for and do I have a hope in hell of receiving anything from them?

 

Your advice is gratefully received.

 

Bradders. xx

[PeterAnderson]

Bradders - Hi,

No expert here but this reply will bump your post.

 

I think that perhaps why no one has replied is in the title 'compensation' what we are claiming for here are the refund of penalty charges + 8% interest from the date of the charge to date of judgement (but you can only attempt to claim this when you hand in your court N1)

 

There have been people here who have managed to claim for distress etc but you can only do this once your claim for charge has been successful.

 

What I suggest you do now is go to the Nationwide forum and start a new thread with a title such as "Bradders V's Nationwide - PLEASE HELP !!"

just cat and paste what you have already written into the new thread

This new thread will put you in the right place to get help.

 

But before you do please read thoroughly the FAQ's and Step-by-Step guide.

 

Then have rummage through Wiki here

 

Hope that helps and best of luck