We bail them out and then this?

**centurian** · 25 October 2009, 18:48

Originally posted by uky kozak View Post

They are definitely not doing themselves any favours. I will definitely be switching.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ox/8322859.stm

It's because they know that their £30 per overdraft letter charges will be deemed illegal soon - and this makes up quite a chunk of their profits.

So they're finding ways to make up the shortfall.

**BolshieBastard** · 25 October 2009, 19:26

Dont ******* spend what you havent got then you wont get charged!

Its not rocket science!

**BrowneIssue** · 25 October 2009, 19:50

Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post

Dont ******* spend what you havent got then you wont get charged!

Many years ago my wife's employer cocked up the payroll and it ran a few days late. The direct debits & standing orders sent my wife overdrawn. That ended up costing me the best part of £300: as fast as I put money in her account, NatWest would send another £25 letter plus "unauthorised overdraft" fines, interest and other sundry charges. Eventually, after about 3 weeks of trying to top the account up I just put £500 in there to make it stop.

She had gone about £8 overdrawn.

A few months ago my bank cocked up my rent direct debit and it got paid out twice. Normally I keep a £2,500 float in my current account for such cock-ups but for once I had not for some reason. It took me a month to get the bank to grudgingly pay me a discretionary £25 "full and final settlement without prejudice" despite their own terms and conditions saying they pay £30 for cock-ups. They did not repay me the interest they charged. I suspect it has gone on my credit record too.

Sometimes it is not the account holder's fault.

Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post

Its not rocket science!

Nor are apostrophes.

Edit: the banks are c***s.

**Zippy** · 25 October 2009, 19:56

BrowneIssue's story is a lesson in why you should minimise the number of direct debits you have. You'll get the money back if you are charged twice but try getting back your bank charges

**swamp** · 25 October 2009, 20:03

Why not just get a few K overdraft facility? It acts as a big buffer against the bank charges and the interest over 1 month is low.

**BrowneIssue** · 25 October 2009, 20:14

Originally posted by Zippy View Post

BrowneIssue's story is a lesson in why you should minimise the number of direct debits you have. You'll get the money back if you are charged twice but try getting back your bank charges

Oops. Contrary to what I said above, the rent was a standing order (a common condition of the rental contract), not a direct debit, so no Direct Debit Guarantee applied.

I had been asked to fill in a two-part form:

==============================

Please cancel the Standing Order to Mrs Landlady, Thieving Bank

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Please start a Standing Order to Landlady, Mrs, Toerag BankCo

==============================

My bank did the 2nd bit but not the first.

I had to ask the landlady to refund me the rent; the bank wouldn't accept liability. Bastards.

**centurian** · 25 October 2009, 20:28

Originally posted by swamp View Post

Why not just get a few K overdraft facility? It acts as a big buffer against the bank charges and the interest over 1 month is low.

But the HBOS changes are that everyone who goes overdrawn, even slightly, and even if within limit gets charged £1-2 per day. If you go over limit, it's a tenner per day.

**OwlHoot** · 25 October 2009, 20:30

Originally posted by Zippy View Post

BrowneIssue's story is a lesson in why you should minimise the number of direct debits you have. You'll get the money back if you are charged twice but try getting back your bank charges

Absolutely. That's the reason I refuse to have any direct debits other than my mortgage.

Barclays now have something called a "reserve" where by default you are opted into a system that allows you to exceed your overdraft for £1 a day (per amount over - not sure of the details). But you can also opt out, so that any debit card transaction that would take you over, like an attempted cash withdrawal or debit card payment will simply be refused, presumably free (apart from bounced cheques).

If HBOS similarly allow their account holders to opt out, like Barclays, then fair enough - In that case it's just an idiot tax on those too stupid to realize the trap in store for them or too lazy to opt out.

**Moscow Mule** · 25 October 2009, 20:36

BI, I don't know why you've accepted that sort of behaviour from your bank. There is an ombudsman if they won't play ball.

We bail them out and then this?