Royal Bank of Scotland

Yes unfourtunatly I have , and I have to say it was with RBS who quite frankly are a bunch of theives!
Firstly I would go in or ring their customer services and dispute the charges, especially the over the limit one! Try and do it in a calm yet assertive manner. Explain that you are trying to get your finances back on track but they are activly hindering you in the process.
Agree that it will never happen again {until the next time } and throw yourself on their mercy if need be. If the nicely nicely approach doesnt work ask where they stand on the recent spate of reclaimed unfair bank charges and tell them that you will be excerising your consumer right to vote with your feet. Forgot to add, there is always complaining to the banking obudsman!!
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact/index.html

If threatening to close the account still doesn't do it then I would ask around other people to see who has had a relativly good experience with their bank and open an account with them.
When you close the account with RBS, take the time and have the pleasure of explaining to them exactly why they've lost your buisness!

To be honest I don't have a huge amount of faith in banks anyway but RBS does seem to consisitently come out as very poor.

There are some members that are expert in this area e.g. Nattie who works for NatWest.

I recently got a late payment charge from MBNA, but managed to get it reversed by simply asking.

With regard to changing bank account some are offering £100 if you switch and will manage the whole process for you. e.g. Alliance & Leicester - Current Accounts - £100 Switching Incentive

scotchlass said:

Before I say anymore I admit that I am very bad at budgeting just now but this bank IMO is just greedy (no wonder they have profits of 6 billion). A missed direct debit means that RBS charge me £38.00 (they apply it to the account the day after, taking you over your limit), if then there are still no funds in the account for the second attempt, there goes another £38.00 charge. Then because I have gone over my overdraft that month (due to the charges) I am then charged a further £28.00 to be taken out on a specified date as per my statement.
Without going into too much detail I am not earning (I used to work but I am now a stay-at-home mum) and I am just at my wits end trying to sort this out.

Anyone been in a similar situation that can offer advice? Are they allowed to do this? (Yes I know I have gone over the agreed limit but still... £38.00!!)

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There are many bank charges forums around that will have template letters about getting all your bank charges back. RBS work the same as NatWest. Unfortunately, the FOS are not dealing with any bank charges complaints due to the OFT test case. Sites such as moneysavingexpert/legal beagles/penalty charges/ consumer action group are campaign groups that can help with this regards.
Not sure if Tony is planning a reclaim guide but these site certainly do. I know admin and the owner of the LB site, so they will be able to help.

When I was a student and in a fairly tight financial situation, I normally found that a relatively polite and apologetic letter explaining the situation worked quite nicely...

However, if you really are hugely unhappy with your bank, then explain this to your branch and tell them that you are considering leaving. Bank managers have to explain closed accounts up the administrative chain...so you definitely have a bit of leverage there.

Paul Carcone said:

When I was a student and in a fairly tight financial situation, I normally found that a relatively polite and apologetic letter explaining the situation worked quite nicely...

However, if you really are hugely unhappy with your bank, then explain this to your branch and tell them that you are considering leaving. Bank managers have to explain closed accounts up the administrative chain...so you definitely have a bit of leverage there.

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Paul, if someone threatened to close their account, I would getting an account closed form so quick that before the reason was mentioned it would be shut. There is no leverage in threatening to close an account becuase of charges. I wish it was as simple as that. Banks are not as flexable as before.

nattie said:

Not sure if Tony is planning a reclaim guide but these site certainly do. I know admin and the owner of the LB site, so they will be able to help.

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We are waiting to see what the outcome of the OFT test case is. Ideally, the ruling will be that the banks have to do all the leg work and repay excessive charges without consumers having to jump through so many hoops. I haven't been following it very closely, but hopefully we will know soon.

Tony said:

We are waiting to see what the outcome of the OFT test case is. Ideally, the ruling will be that the banks have to do all the leg work and repay excessive charges without consumers having to jump through so many hoops. I haven't been following it very closely, but hopefully we will know soon.

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Which outcome? Current terms and conditions have been made which is under appeal and historicals are due this month also due for appeal. There is still claims that can be made under the FSA Waiver, annex 2 on hardship.
Furthermore, business accounts are not covered by the OFT test case as the first ruling made that charges are not penalties in law under the UTCCR 1999.
There are still credit card claims not covered where the OFT has ruled that £12 is the limit in which they would not take action(that amount has no legal basis and is not part of the OFT test case).

Scottishlass, I know most of the consumer sites where you would pay £0 for claiming the money back and would not be giving away any returns. I am not a fan of these claims management companies.

nattie said:

terms and conditions have been made which is under appeal and historicals are due this month also due for appeal.

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The outcome of that... perhaps we do need a guide. I'll PM you.

Scottishlass, I know most of the consumer sites where you would pay £0 for claiming the money back and would not be giving away any returns. I am not a fan of these claims management companies.

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I received an unsolicited call from one of these bank charge reclaim companies this week. It was one of those random diallers and a recorded message. I normally put the phone down, but I was intrigued. Anyway, when I got through to the operator the call went something like this:

Operator: "Hello, this is Anna, have you had a lot of bank charges in the last few years"
Me: "Not really, I was just..."
Operator: Click

Tony

Interesting one this because the law changed in May making it illegal for any 'claims management companies' (and I use the term loosely) to act without being properly qualified and registered.

Just write to them telling them you no longer require their services and to return any paperwork they have and destroy your personal details and see what they come back with. If they are solicitors, they will no doubt have you tied to them and will tell you so, if they are just someone who got lucky with their own charges and saw a way to make a fast buck, they won't have a leg to stand on.

I have seen so many people doing this, and using forum such as this to help them complete the claims, that I suspect they've disappeared quietly while the test case is going on.