I rang them again this morning and spoke to a guy in the lending department, he was very nice and agreed to waive the charge as a goodwill gesture and because it was such a small amount!!

Thanks for your advice tigga_1961. I don't think they will waive it though, but I am going to ring again tomorrow and see if I get to speak to somebody else, as the woman I spoke to today didn't seem to care!

Natwest are charging me £28 for being accidently 76p overdrawn! I have always been declined in the past, if I tried to use my card in a shop, when there was not enough funds in there. This time I wasn't, so didn't realise I had gone overdrawn! I went into the bank and they couldn't do anything, as the manager was off, so I was given a number to call, to complain and try to get the charge waived. I called them, but they wouldn't waive it! I am on benefits, so cannot afford this charge, also when they go to take the money next Wednesday, I will not even have £28 in my account, so then I will get charged again! I really don't want to close my account down, as I have quite a few direct debits coming out and standing orders each month. Plus I have such a poor credit rating, I can't see me getting another account, especially with the state I will be in with Natwest, when they charge me a second time for not having the original charge money in! Please help, I really don't know what to do!!! :cry:

What a shame!

Was just wondering what time generally banks take the charges from your account? Natwest were due to take a £28 charge from my account today, but at just gone 5pm this evening, it was still in my account! They couldn't have forgotten could they?

Natwest are taking this charge out tomorrow and OH and I will only have £20 left to live on, until next Friday (10th April). We are almost out of electric and have no food in, apart from tonight's dinner. I'm thinking of asking to borrow some money from my mum, but I already owe her £50, that I borrowed from her in January and she, although comfortable, isn't rich!! Feel so down and stressed!!

Have only just read this post! I only have a basic current account, as I requested that, when I joined back in January. Ooops no, have just looked and it is a Current Plus account!

I only have one direct debit currently and have just (back in January) opened the Natwest basic bank account. Do I really have to open another one, just to avoid this charge?? I am already in debt with Barclays and Mbna and only paying them £1 a month. Won't this make things much worse for me, if I have another debt with someone else? I don't actually get the benefit paid into my account, as it is a joint claim with my partner, so he gets the money and gives me some to pay into my Natwest account. I think I'm going to have to pay this charge and just make sure I never go overdrawn again!

Well, Natwest have turned down my verbal appeal to have the charge waived. I was given the customer relations number to phone and phoned it, but there was just a really long recorded message about how the banks have gone to the High Court, concerning the fairness (or something) of their charges and are awaiting the result, so all customers calling to complain about these charges are told that the case is pending and you can't even speak to anyone! I suppose I will end up having to pay the charge and feeling even more depressed than I do now, from lack of money!

Thanks for all your replies, I will try the bank first, but don't hold out much hope at all!! This is all too much, now I have also just received, in the post a request to pay another £29, that I haven't got, in the next 7 days! This isn't to Mbna though. I don't anymore money until the Monday after next and my partner gets a little Wednesday and Friday, but we will badly need food, electric etc. I just don't know what to do!!! :(

Yes, currently I am on Income Support. My partner is too and also receives DLA.

Natwest has charged me £28 for a direct debit which came out, when there was not enough money in my account. I have since sorted out all my direct debits (making sure the money is in there when they come out), but I cannot afford to pay this charge! The amount is due to come out on the 31st March and I currently have less than £60 a week (this is shared between my partner and I) to live on. So, if Natwest take this charge, then I will have about £30 to pay my bills and the two of us to live on, for a fortnight! I don't really want to take the bank to court over this, but do you think if I wrote them a letter, saying that they will be literally taking food, electric away from us, they may drop the charge? :-|

That's actually something I haven't been doing (staying in touch by writing)!! Better start! I will also send both Mbna & Barclays the £1, on Monday when I get some money. But, I will have to ask my OH to send them cheques, as the postal order I was sending them before was costing me too much. I also recieved a very pretty postcard from Mbna today, informing me that they would be calling...again from next week! Thanks everyone for putting my mind at rest!

I think I got tne card about three years ago and was paying it ok, until I got depressed and went a bit mad last year. I stopped paying my minimum payment, as it got too high back in October last year. My debt is about £6,900 and I offered them the token £1 back in Jan, but they refused it. I am also in the same boat with Barclays, I have a loan and unpaid £1,000 overdraft, but haven't heard anything from them in weeks, although I stopped paying the loan back in Jan! :? I think now, that you are right about the baliffs not coming round, unless I get taken to court and don't pay the court...which I wouldn't do! I have been advised by CCCS to offer the same £1 to the courts. Thanks for your replies, I was feeling so sick!

Mbna have just written to me saying that I can do one of four things: 1) Call and make a payment of my oldest arrears (£151.40), which I haven't got! 2) Call and they might be able to give me an interest free reduced payment of approx. £69.98 per month. Which I can't afford! 3) Call and discuss the possibility of settling my account with a payment of £2,799.19. Which I definitely can't do!!! OR... 4) Wait for a Collection Agent to contact me, if I don't do any of the above, by next Wednesday! So, as I can't afford any of the other options, when the bayliffs turn up, what can they take?? All I own of value is a motorbike (OH and I's only form of transport) and a camera, which was a birthday present from OH and they are not getting! Everything else, tv, video, stereo is my OH's, most of which he bought from his catalogue and is still paying for! I am so terrified of bayliffs and can't sleep properly, knowing they will be coming round in a few weeks! Please help, I'm so worried they will take our only form of transport (and pride and joy) and/or my partner's belongings!