This topic was closed on 10 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 2019-03-08. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

We've spoken to the letting agent and they are clearly stating that we must give 60 days notice and that they'll give it to us in writing (being very snotty) The contract we signed had a section under 'Ending This Agreement' saying: 'Agreed Notice Period: The tenant agrees to give the landlord at least 60 days notice stating that they intend to vacate at the end of a certain term of the tenancy or at any other time after the certain term has expired' Is that legal? Are they able to hold you contractually to the 60 day's even after the 12 month contract has expired? Please do reply, as we'll be calling a meeting with them about all this - so we need all the back up to our argument as we can get! Thanks in advance!

hi guys, just wanting to get something clear in my head! My partner and I are currently privately renting and we signed a 12 month contract - which has now been expired for 6 months, so we've been paying on a month by month basis. We sent a letter giving the letting agents 30 days notice of our intention to vacate on the 9th Jan.. (so really we gave them slightly over 30 days) but we've just received a letter stating we have given 60 days notice and we can't vacate until the 22nd Jan. Now, financially we can't stay that long - and we have planned to be out by the 9th Jan.. so can we argue the 30 day notice is all we want to give? Or do we HAVE to pay them up to 22nd? If our contract stated 60 days for the 12 months we signed up for, does that hold us - even if we're paying on a month by month now? If it doesn't, what can we argue 'rights' wise? thanks in advance! Jess

Hi there, My partner's bought some CD decks online and has arranged an 18 month credit agreement with the credit company Hitachi (through the online store) to pay for them. He's now realised that he'll have to wait 14 days before the decks will be sent to him as there's a 14 day cooling off period set by Hitachi (as apparently people sign up to credit when they get drunk!) and the online store won't get the money for them so won't send the decks out (which is only fair!). What my other half would like to know is - Is it possible to get Hitachi to waive the 14 day period, as he'd like them delivered sooner as he's fully aware of the fact he's signed up to the agreement. If it is possible - is ther anything he can send to Hitachi to prove it? Thanks in advance!

Hey, thanks for the response.. was beginning to think that no one was reading it! So you think I should file straight up, no letters to A&L or anything? Plus, the interest will have increased, so should I claim the original amount, or the new interest amount? Yeah, I'd read that post as thats where I saw the fact my local court was still hearing them! This place is great!

Hi, I'm wondering if you guys can help me.. I started my claim against A&L last year, and got to the stage of filing with the courts, but I received a letter from A&L saying that the claim would be stayed if I tried to carry on as the test case had started the week that I was due to file. Well, I stopped at that point due to a slight loss of confidence, and also I wasn't able to afford the £120 court fees at that time! Well, I've recently read that my local court is still hearing these cases, and so I'm thinking of proceeding as I'm now able to afford the claim too! My question is.. how do I go about reinstating my claim against A&L.. should I start again, or can I send a letter stating the intention to carry on despite the test case? Any help is greatly appreciated as the money I get back is going to pay for laser eye surgery and my wedding next year!

Hey all! It's been a while, and I've still not completed my claim as the OFT test case started just before I had to file my claim in my local court. But I'm going continue as I've read that my local court is still hearing these cases at the moment. Anyway, I received a very random phone call today! I was just finished at work, and noticed 2 missed calls on my 'new' mobile.. so I wait for a little while, and it rings again.. I'm told by a nervous sounding girl that she's ringing from a company that specialises in reclaiming bank charges.. and according to them that I appear to have been affected by the charges. *At this point I'm a bit wary as not only have I not given out my number to any such companies, but how the heck do they know who I am or that I am indeed affected by them? :-?* Anyway, I tell them that I've already started this process myself and that makes the girl put me on hold and pass me onto someone else. I wait. Then a man comes onto the phone and tells me that the girl is new, and goes on to tell me the same thing she started on. After hearing this, I ask.. 'Are there any fees for your service?' To which I am told.. 'Yes, there's a small fee of £59.99 for the claim 'pack'.' *Now I'm incredibly suspicious* I tell him that I'm currently in the process of reclaiming my charges myself, and he says 'What, yourself? You'll not win, you have no legal standing on your own. Whereas we have more and will win and get you your money back in 30 days.' I've told him to ring me back tomorrow, as I thought I'd tell you lot about this so I can see if anyone else has come across these calls? They appear to be cold callers, as he had no idea who I was or anything. I couldn't make a note of the 'company' name, but some thing's telling me that unscrupulous people are clawing at people who want their charges back. Any one else heard of these calls? //Jess

I wouldn't have thought I'd ever be so happy at a bank forcibly closing my account, but I am! A & L have finally given up! They've decided to shut my account, after I was overdrawn by £200 (due to their charges of course!) Of course they've defaulted me aswell. But I just know I'm going to have the last laugh. They've been charging me £150 - £200 a month for far too long now! Of course I do NOT condone or say that letting it get to this stage is wise, or clever.. but for me, its a relief! this has been going on for too long, and I'm planning my claim now. (I've had a parachute account which I'm moving to.. so they've not ruined everything, but of course.. I wasn't fully prepared!) Well, now it all begins, A&L will PAY!

Well, it's been a long time, and I've only just returned to a semi comfortable way of life! Needless to say, due to no internet access, and not really having a place to live, my claim against A & L was put on the back burner. Unfortunately for them, they've continued to charge me repeatedly, and for unreasonably large sums of money.. which I'm am now about to add to my claim. I've also found that they have become incredibly unreasonable with defaults now. In the past 4 months I've had them threaten me with a default 3 times! Funny that they never did this before I started threatening them! Well, I'm starting my whole process again, as I need to add yet more money to my claim, and I'm now in a situation whereby I can afford the court costs and I look like my work situation is indefinate! So apologies that I've not updated sooner.. but we moved back into our own place the same weekend of Christmas! Also with only 56k to use for the net.. I'm painfully browsing the site again! w00t! I've been happy to see the profile of reclaiming bank charges is on the up! Even Watchdog are interested now! Especially with all the profits of the large banks being publicly announced! Thanks and Hullo again! //Jess

Thanks for the warning.. I'll hold off, on the court claim for a bit then. Would you say there was a limit to how long I can leave it though? Thanks!

Well, the LBA time is now up, so I'm looking at the court paperwork. I've found that the fee's for the claim will be £80, but I've just started a claim for jobseekers as I lost my job a fortnight ago So, my question is, firstly, should I wait to hear that my jobseekers claim is accepted and then fill in the 'exemption from fees' form? Also do I send that form in WITH the N1? That would then mean my claim would only cover the charges and the interest then surely? Everything is frantic here, we've lost our house 'cos the landlord wants it back, and money is non exsistent! Times always seem to get rough!

Well, I've sent the LBA letter (I'm assuming they recieved it on around the 6th) so I'm currently waiting for the 14 days to expire. So I'm looking to be starting the court claim on around the 20th. I've recieved a letter dated the 10th from 'J Wright' explaining that they aren't going to refund my charges as 'the charges have been raised correctly in line with the terms and conditions of your account' The letter is also talking about the OFT commenting on the late payment charges was only to do with credit card payments. So it looks like A&L are still not learning, even though I've seen how many people are winning their claims! Also, can you send the paperwork for filing a court claim via the post? As I'm not going to be in this house for much longer.. Thanks!

Thanks alot! Lets get this ball rolling!

Okay, so I got my statements, and I've worked out the amount I've been charged, I've used one of the templates for the letter, and I've filled out the spreadsheet for the charges schedule.. my question is, At this stage, do I inform them of the amount of interest? Or should I remove that column on the spreadsheet? Many thanks!