My mate just got back £4805 in bank charges

**Diestl** · 26 July 2006, 19:57

Originally posted by davisc02

FEckin can't believe it, got his statements, sent a couple of letters, raised a court claim for £120, 2 weeks later nearly 5k in his bank.

Can you elaborate on the story a bit?

**VectraMan** · 26 July 2006, 20:02

Why was he claiming for £120 if owed £5K?

**IR35 Avoider** · 26 July 2006, 20:05

If I understand correctly, the 5K is a refund of excessive charges, e.g. things like 20 pounds for a letter to tell you you've gone £1 overdrawn. What I don't understand is why anyone would get themselves in a position to incur these charges, and keep on incurring them for year after year. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of time in 20 years of personal and company banking that I've been charged these kinds of fees.

**davisc02** · 26 July 2006, 20:10

Because of the OFT ruling where they said banks and finance companies unpaid dd/unauthorised overdraft/bounced cheque fees are unlawful he sent off for 6 years worth of statements, got them all back because by law any credit card/banks etc have to give you all the information including statements within 40 days. He went through all his statements and totted them all up and came to just under £4000 . Sent a letter basically saying he wants his money back, the bank told him to feck off, he sent them a letter before action, again feck off, put in a claim online for 4K plus interest at 8%and about 2 weeks letter they settled.

Basically the banks don't want to go to court because they would have to give a breakdown on how all their charges are made up and we all know it doesn't cost £35 to bounce a cheque.

Just started the process myself, had a few bad months in my pre-contractor days.... have a look here they've even got a step by step guide and standard letter templates that you send. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk

**davisc02** · 26 July 2006, 20:14

Originally posted by IR35 Avoider

If I understand correctly, the 5K is a refund of excessive charges, e.g. things like 20 pounds for a letter to tell you you've gone £1 overdrawn. What I don't understand is why anyone would get themselves in a position to incur these charges, and keep on incurring them for year after year. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of time in 20 years of personal and company banking that I've been charged these kinds of fees.

You are one of the lucky ones. Yes a lot of the charges are down to mismanagement and overspending but there is also a lot of genuine stories where they lose their job and then get on a downward spiral i.e wages just about covering overdraft etc and basically the banks just prey on the weakest people

**MarillionFan** · 26 July 2006, 21:03

**DimPrawn** · 26 July 2006, 21:06

God you lot. If I ever had a cheque refused from my platinum account it wouldn't be a refund I would reach for. Oh the shame. Think of the good family name.

**MarillionFan** · 26 July 2006, 22:58

I was thinking the same. You have to be a complete wank3r to knock up those kind of charges.

**Mailman** · 27 July 2006, 09:10

No you dont.

Thats like saying, you have to be a complete w*nker to be a contractor (well, actually thats probably the truth

).

Some banks are real bastards with how they apply their charges because they arent afraid to charge you charges on top of your charges every couple days etc. So it ends up being a downward spiral that many people cant get out of.

Mailman

My mate just got back £4805 in bank charges