I cannot seem to find anyone who can help with Scottish Power for Gas and Electric, they waited a full 8 months before billing me and whilst i'm now able to pay my electricity by meter (even though they have recently charged me for 1,700 more units than i've actually used) my gas bill is sky high and it's making me ill thinking about how i'm going to pay it - especially with christmas etc.... coming up. Is there any fund that we know about that will help? Kind regards Cara

I have a slightly same liney issue, in that I haven't got a loan with them as this was paid off, but due to the bank charges being levied against my account (am a single parent on income support and a student) they would write the box standard letter "you are overdrawn please contact us and we may be able to help", so i'd ring, they'd say "sorry nowt we can do". The obviously meant that I was overdrawn then the charges took me over my overdraft then they'd charge me again for going further into my overdraft (because they'd charged me), plus the charges for not paying my direct debits, because all my money had been used up on charges. To add insult to injury they'd write saying "We've paid all the items that you requested out of your account today, unfortunately this has taken you overdrawn and therefore we have to charge you." However on checking the account, it wouldn't be payments that i've requested (such as direct debits etc...) but their bank charges! Eventually after 12 months of this they closed my accounts. My current account overdraft was paid off, however I had a student account with them and they closed that at the same time and are now demanding that I pay back the £600 overdraft that I had on that account which I obviously cannot afford to do. They have since started getting a solicitor to write to me requesting payment - how does this affect a claim for bank charges which I am currently going through at the moment, do they take this money out of the money they owe me in charges or will they counter claim when my claim goes to court? Cara xx

Hi, I'm Cara from East Yorkshire, found this site through moneysavingexpert website. I am at the initial stage with a claim in at Lloyds Bank. Found a great letter that you can send if you have 12 months statement to estimate over the 6 years, noting the laws that the bank charges are against and giving case details that confirm this. Sent the letter, estimating the charges on 2 accounts to be at £3,455 over the 6 years and noted that if they felt this was inaccurate they should send me a full legal breakdown of the costs incurred (negating the need for me to pay the £10 for my statements). Gave them 14 days to reply. They replied yesterday (14 days to the day) and it was obvious they hadn't even read my letter. Their response didn't have my account details on it or the amount that i was claiming and it went on to say that if i wanted to apply for statements i could do so for a £10 fee. it even had a computerised signature on it. The letter basically said that these were not default charges but service charges as i had not broken any agreement but had requested to go beyond my accounts financial ability (actually i hadn't requested it, the bank charges they charged me took me over my ability to pay, thus creating me even more charges for being further overdrawn than previous, and so on and so forth, never ending spiral). As they have gone taken the 14 days and then stated they are not refunding any money, do i rewrite to them or do i just simply start the Small Claims process on MCOL???? As am on Income Support i know i'll get it for free (no court fees). So probably quicker just to stick to my guns than to argue it out with them i guess? Also, do I pay the fee and get the 6yrs statements or as I have already given them a figure do I insist that if they feel this is inaccurate they need to send me their cost belief to me??? Advice would be great - the money would be very handy this year as am at college studying and could do with a bit of a relax in the stress department! Cara xx