Bank charges, have I got a leg to stand on?

[anonymous-user]

OK i have just came home and looked at my internet banking and noticed i have gone over my 100 pound overdraft, which is annoying as I have just moved a load of money out into my savings account.

I used my card 3 times on Friday Parking, dinner and train. On Monday I took 210 pounds out of the Cash point. Checking my 'Available balance' on the Halifax website saying it was -91 pounds. (the available balance normally states the transaction amount instantly, even though it doesn't show up on my statements till its cleared)

The 3 transactions from Friday have now popped up and taken me 8 pounds over my overdraft. For this i have been charged 35 pound per transaction and another 35 pound for the privilege of them charging me.

I was quite happy to be 91 pounds overdrawn as i get paid on friday but now i have been charge a total of 120 quid for 8 pounds of overdraft!!!

I don't mind paying 35 quid as i have clearly gone over but that much is insane, if they can do nothing about it i am going to go in and close my account.

What can i do?

[Shaw Tarse]

Speak to bank manager?

[anonymous-user]

Shaw Tarse said:

Speak to bank manager?

I'm going to but the bank is shut at the moment. Will go in tomorrow just wondered if i should bother arguing my case or suck it up and pay?

[Rach*]

Sometimes if you speak to them nicely they'll take some or all off if you're not a habitually naughty person
Otherwise have a look at www.moneysavingexpert.com

I think the bank reclaiming thing is on hold while the courts decide fully about what is lawful and reasonable.

[Lurking Lawyer]

kevr6 said:

What can i do?

Chalk it up to experience and be more careful next time....?

[sav57]

I thought disportionate bank charges were unfair and therefore unlawful. There was a test case going through the courts about this. Anyway a polite request to your bank manager may do the trick.

[Shaw Tarse]

Lurking Lawyer said:

kevr6 said:

What can i do?

Chalk it up to experience and be more careful next time....?

Depends on Kev's banking record.
A valued customer may get some recompense!

[Mrs Grumpy]

If you phone the Telebanking centre and speak nicely to them, they may refund some of your charges, depending on your bank's policy.

The charges are per transaction, not by how much you have gone overdrawn. When making payments by card, if they are reasonably small amounts, they are under the retailer's 'floor limit' so do not need to be authorised by the bank before going through, hence these payments can sometimes take you above your agreed overdraft limit.

[Mrs Grumpy]

sav57 said:

I thought disportionate bank charges were unfair and therefore unlawful. There was a test case going through the courts about this. Anyway a polite request to your bank manager may do the trick.

The court case was to decide if the charges could be looked at by the OFT. The decision was that they can be, so they are. No decision as yet.

[Lurking Lawyer]

Shaw Tarse said:

Lurking Lawyer said:

kevr6 said:

What can i do?

Chalk it up to experience and be more careful next time....?

Depends on Kev's banking record.
A valued customer may get some recompense!

Certainly worth a try - if he's obviously not a serial offender, the bank may waive some or all of the charge on a goodwill basis.

[BB-Q]

I just got charged £60 for going 18p over my overdraft limit due to my bank authorising a £104 payment.

I believe the test case came out not in the banks favour. Their charges are unlawful and you can claim them back. Just don't expect them to love you for it though!

[JonRB]

kevr6 said:

I was quite happy to be 91 pounds overdrawn as i get paid on friday but now i have been charge a total of 120 quid for 8 pounds of overdraft!!!

Yeah, I had that with Lloyds a few months ago. I wrote and complained, as I've been a customer for over 25 years. They sent back a form letter than basically said "yeah, and?"

Edit: And the charge put me O/D again as they are applied at the end of the month, so they got to charge me again due to being overdrawn due to their charges.

Edit2: I now pay £2.50pcm for a text alert service that tells me when I exceed my overdraft limit as, provided I can get the account back within the limit by 3.30pm the same day, they won't penalise you.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 17th December 20:59

[Tunku]

I've always found in this sort of thing, that a quick word with your bank will get an apology and a refund. Go for it, don't be the wuss they make inordinate amounts of money off, be one of the customers that makes them work for their money, and remind them who the money actually belongs too. Works every time. Remind yourself that anyone who works for a bank is a money theiving bd.

[Herman Toothrot]

Kick up a fuss and threaten to close your accounts. I went £19 over on one account on holiday and so transfered £100 in from another account but didn't realise doing so put that over £30 as well,... doh spent more on hols than thought. Anyway I was presented by a £25 fine on one account and £19 on the other, so I said not on close the one account, think its completely out of order as the £19 over was for 3 hours! They cancelled all charges and appologised.

[Killer2005]

Tunku said:

Remind yourself that anyone who works for a bank is a money theiving bd.

Oi

[Lurking Lawyer]

BB-Q said:

I believe the test case came out not in the banks favour.

The OFT won at first instance - the court decided that bank accounts are subject to the unfair contract terms regulations. The banks have appealed - the Court of Appeal judgment hasn't been handed downyet.

[Nolar Dog]

Here's a novel idea.

Don't spend more money than you have.

[haggy]

Killer2005 said:

Tunku said:

Remind yourself that anyone who works for a bank is a money theiving bd.

Oi

What....as bad as cardealers?

[JonRB]

Nolar Dog said:

Here's a novel idea.

Don't spend more money than you have.

Here's an equally novel idea; nobody likes a sanctimonious twunt

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 17th December 21:16

[Frik]

JonRB said:

kevr6 said:

I was quite happy to be 91 pounds overdrawn as i get paid on friday but now i have been charge a total of 120 quid for 8 pounds of overdraft!!!

Yeah, I had that with Lloyds a few months ago. I wrote and complained, as I've been a customer for over 25 years. They sent back a form letter than basically said "yeah, and?"

Edit: And the charge put me O/D again as they are applied at the end of the month, so they got to charge me again due to being overdrawn due to their charges.

Edit2: I now pay £2.50pcm for a text alert service that tells me when I exceed my overdraft limit as, provided I can get the account back within the limit by 3.30pm the same day, they won't penalise you.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 17th December 20:59

Tighter than a ducks arse are Lloyds. I forgot to pay my credit card bill with them a few months ago and despite me paying as soon as they started pestering me with (automated) telephone calls, they decided in addition to draw the minimum payment out of one of my bank accounts without telling me.

This in turn lead a standing order to default for which they then charged me. The CC part were kind enough to refund my charges for late payment but the bank side refuse to reimburse me the £30 they charged me for doing something I had no knowledge of.

Unhappy Frik.