What bank staff may tell you - I recently received a charge for non payment of a DD, when I received the letter I went straight into my branch to advise that I had not authorised a DD from this account which apart from incurring interest and bank charges as a result of the interest taking it over my overdraft limit on a regular basis I did not use the account and would certainly not set up a DD. I was told by the manager that if there was an error on their part they would refund the charges. I checked with my insurance company who confirmed that the DD was in my partners name but may have had the wrong bank account number. When I went back to the halifax to explain this and asked whether the account name and number had been checked before the DD was refused and I was charged she replied 'we only use the sort code and account number, we do not confirm the account name as I could have been paying it for someone else'. I again stressed that I had not used the account for payments of any kind for over two years but she was not interested and said they would not refund the charge despite me telling them immediately I received their letter that it was incorrect. So warning, anyone who gets hold of your sort code and account number can set up a DD without the name being checked for added security. You can imagine my horror as I have already been a victim of credit fraud via a home shopping service at a previous address and even though the person responsible was questionned by police the crown prosecution say they didn't have enough evidence to convict her.

Talk about kicking you while you're down. I first went to see my new Halifax branch 3 years ago when I separated from my husband and new I was going to be experiencing problems to ask for a consolidation loan for my current account and visa card, they refused to help. I then started to have the problems I had expected and began to get charges and like others used cheques to buy food and petrol for work. I again went to see my local branch to try to get help but got no joy. I took out another credit card to pay off some of the money I owed and as you can imagine over the last 3 years my bank and credit card debts have spiralled out of control. My other two credit cards accepted minimum payments for a while after being contacted by CAB and stopped the interest but halifax continued to charge interest. I was off work with stress last January after being a victim of home shopping fraud at a previous address and was harrassed on the phone during that time by the Halifax. I was advised by CAB to go bankrupt, which I refused, knowing that this would affect my future and that once my divorce settlement is sorted I would be in a position to pay back my debts. I have stacks of letters I have sent to the Halifax over the 3 years, some copied into branch, complaints and collections but lack responses. I am now again being harrassed by telephone 2/3 times a day/evening, weekends and bank holidays and am at the end of my tether. I have advised them that they will be getting full payment of all amounts owed in approximately 4-5 weeks when my settlement comes through and that I have a letter to confirm this but they say they cannot wait and want an immediate payment and wont leave me alone, they say they will just keep ringing. My partner, a nightworker has specifically told them not to ring as he is the billpayer but they take no notice. Of all the lenders I deal with they are definitely by far the worst, they are uncaring, insensitive and very impersonal. I had been banking with them for 9 years prior to my separation and have never in the past had a bad credit rating. I am coming to the end of my divorce proceedings at last and once I feel I can cope emotionally I intend to fight for my money back. They have made my life a living hell and my family has suffered imensly as a result.

Like yourself, I feel now that enough is enough. I have been going through a lengthy divorce, suffered badly at the hands of several banks, mainly the Halifax, and am being harrassed 2/3 times a day, most days including weekends and bank holidays when they say they can't wait the few weeks until I get my settlement and want an immediate payment. I too have no money, DD haven't been paid, including our mortgage, but we have again been charged excessive fees from the banks and also now from our other lenders, car insurance, mortgage etc., you know the score. I am so angry now that I am going to have to do something about it. I am so stressed that I burst into tears at the mere mention of finances and the CAB previously advised me to go bankrupt saying it would only stay on my records for 12 months, I don't think so, do you. Any advice greatly appreciated and great to know we're not on our own.

I have also had an extortionate amount of charges and interest incurred by Halifax over the last 3 years of my lengthy divorce. I am again being harrassed by then 2/3 times a day/evening, including weekends and bank holidays to the extent that I sometimes have to unplug the phone as I am so stressed by it all. I went to my local branch for help when I first new I was going to have problems to ask for a consolidation loan for my current account and visa account but they refused. Now I owe more than ever and have a very bad credit rating despite being with them 9 years previous to my separation and always previously having a very good credit rating. Any advice, I have only just come across your site, will keep reading, great to know I'm not on my own as we are struggling as a result of excessive penalties.