I get paid on the 23rd and my charges are taken on the 14th. so I'm always broke 2 weeks before pay day. So I dunno how they work it out....

Just an update: Received what seems to be the standard fob off letter. " I am sorry that you have been so unhappy...etc" It is now 14 days since I sent the Prelim. Time for the LBA? Or wait until Monday which is 14 days since I know they received it. Thanks all

fantastic news!! Over the moon for you, well done!

An inspiration indeed! You must be sooooo happy. Well done!!:grin:

Update: Prelim letter and schedule of charges sent recorded today. Claiming £540.

So in that case it would run from Friday. It seems a bit picky worrying about the odd day here or there, but like you, I'm itching to get moving. Thanks for your help/waffle. It's a learning curve and every little bit of waffle helps. Isn't it funny how the process takes over your every waking minute!! L

Agreed - but take comfort from the fact that you are much further ahead than many of us! Luckily for me I had all my old statements as I needed them as evidence in my divorce hearing, so I don't have the interminable 40 days wait. Sent my Prelim letter 16/06/06. What do you reckon - does the 14 days run from 16? Or from 19th (God, was it only yesterday??), when I know that it was delivered? What did you do? It is a long wait, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - you're nearly there!

To cut a long story short, I had a call from Cap One last week informing me that my account was in arrears. (yeah, I already knew that...thanks) I think that the Customer Services Rep was all of about 12 years old, and boy, was he patronising. So that decided me, I'm going in. I think my claim will be somewhere in the region of £600. I've noticed from my statements that I have sometimes (often) been charged £20.00 for a "Reversed DD". Are they charging me because my bank has refused my DD! Has anyone else experienced that? That's on top of a £20.00 late payment fee, and a £20.00 overlimit fee! PLUS I get charged £35.00 from my current account for an unpaid DD. It goes on and on..... L

Strange, I was thinking the same myself on the bus this morning! They gave me a tiny credit limit, and once I got behind with payments, the charges went on (and on) it was impossible to catch up. Gonna take them on...about to start my own thread.

That's fantastic news!! I'm about to ask for a refund for a similar amount - so fingers crossed! L

Yep, it's gone recorded! Got an online tracking number so can keep an eye on it!

Maybe you're right, but I'm cautious by nature (or have learned to be where money is concerned). Would like to be brave and go for the full amount in one foul swoop - but have decided to claim for £4895 in one claim and then go for the other (much smaller amount) when this one has paid out. I haven't worked out what the second amount will be yet, but my guess is that it will be under £1,000. Thanks for all your help with this. The prelim letter will be with Abbey on Monday. Fingers crossed Gonna take on Capital One next, then Halifax.

Yes, I think I'll do the same - will amend prelim letter according so that I'm only claiming for the charges initially. Thanks for your help. Laura

Ok - nearly there...want to get this posted off today. Initial claim = £4,895. (Excluding interest) Final query = although I have excluded interest from spreadsheet, I notice that text in prelim letter reads: "I calculate that you have taken £XXXXX plus £XXX which you have charged me in overdraft interest for the sum which you have taken. Total £XXXXX . " So....do I insert interest calculated from spreadsheet here? Or wait until the inevitable court claim? Cheers Laura

Just found this in the FAQs: "If you have to issue a court claim, the spreadsheet will also calculate interest at 8% as allowed by s.69 the County Courts Act (1984) and which you will add to your claim at that point. NOTE: you do not claim the 8% unless you put in a court claim." So...i will exclude the 8% interest and send off prelim letter with spreadsheet itemising the charges only. Am I correct? Am i doing anything wrong? Sorry to be a pain - just want to get it right. Laura

I'm sorry but I am a bit confused. I notice in the the prelim letter for charges it states: "I calculate that you have taken £XXXXX plus £XXX which you have charged me in overdraft interest for the sum which you have taken. Total £XXXXX . I enclose a schedule of the charges which I am claiming with this letter" So do I send the spreadsheet with or without the interest added? many thanks again

Thanks again. I will put in the first claim for £5K and wait for the result. Then once done and dusted I will begin the second for the "mop-up". Will heed your advice about not signing away my rights to further pay-outs. I didn't want to wait 40 days for my missing 2 statements so I requested them over the phone saying I needed them for divorce purposes. I still had to pay £10 but will hopefully receive them sooner.

OK... My feeling is that I should charge as near to 5K as I can in the 1st claim (just in case it all goes wrong before i can do the second). Any ideas how long I should leave it between claims? Does it matter?

Do you know whether the limit is just for the charges? i.e interest added is not included in the £5k?

Thanks for your thoughts. I will do as you suggest and do some more research. Will keep you posted!

I have had an account with Abbey since July 2002. I began filling in the spreadsheet to calculate charges and interest and have so far worked back as far as April 2003 and it already amounts to more than 5k. I stopped counting because my understanding is that I shouldn't/can't claim for more than this. So please can somone advise me on 2 points: Do I "write off" charges that occurred before April 2003? Or claim onwards from when I opened the account until the total hits the 5K mark? Does it matter either way? I am missing 2 statements for Oct/Nov 2004. Does this matter, as I'm already way over the amount I can charge for anyway? What do you all think? Please help if you can. I didn't sleep last night -a mixture of anger and worry. In 2003 I paid £600 in charges for 3 consecutive months. I almost feel embarrassed to admit that.

I really don't know. As I say I applied over the phone. The rep kept asking me if I was sure I wanted I Step account (they obviously think it's a bit rubbish too..). When I explained to him that my record record was poor which was why I only wanted a Step, he then confirmed that he had run a credit check and that the computer had said "yes" to other accounts too. However, I declined the other accounts. As long as I can get to my money and pay my bills I'll be happy. I guess I could always trade up when I feel more confident about my ability to manage my money.

My understanding is that you can't make bill payments online, which is a pain. Also the Solo card is not as widely accepted as Electron. Also interesting - I applied for this account over the telephone. I had heard that they don't do credit checks. However the rep did do a check and despite my appalling credit record, they were prepared to offer me any account except the Advantage Gold! I was stunned! :o

I have an appalling credit rating (again due to Abbey). At the weekend I opened a Step account with Natwest. http://www.natwest.com/personal02.asp?id=PERSONAL/DAY_TO_DAY/CURRENT_ACCOUNTS/STEP_ACCOUNT It looks OK, no cheque book, but pays DDs etc and you get a cashcard. Better than nothing for the time being.

Today I too have taken the plunge, and have sent off DPA letter. I have had a current account with Abbey for more than 4 years, bur only have statements for last 6 months to hand. Last night I worked out that in the those 6 months I have paid more than £1500 in charges. So goodness knows what the total will be. I feel sick to the stomach knowing that so much money has been wasted - things have just got so out of hand. I am very nervous and worried about the process, but on balance, it's nothing to the sleepless nights my financial difficulties have caused; I am determined to go through with it. A couple of questions if anyone can help? When should I expect to receive my statements? Shouls I open a new bank account immediately? Cheers, and good luck all.