I have just been turned down, without a reason being given, for a Cooperative Bank Cash minder Account. I have a dreadful credit record, but I have certainly nothing I would call a 'history of fraud', I have never been declared bankrupt etc. Can anyone advise me of a bank account that I can set up, which will handle DDs and SOs and which will definitely accept me?

OK, just a quick update. I received a reply to my nice letter asking that they please refund this year's charges because I'm sinking, saying 'no, we don't refund charges and if you can't stick to the T and Cs you'd be better off banking elsewhere'. My binder of statements arrived yesterday (31/08/06) and I've been through and highlighted all the charges. I got slightly confused by the 'notification of charges' letters but in the end ignored them and will just list what charges were taken for what on what date according to the statements. I am including: Unpaid Direct Debit Fee Unpaid Standing Order Fee Returned Cheque Fee Misuse of cheque card fee Unauthorised Overdraft Fee and will try and work out what interest is relevant when I have gone back through the statements and copied down the date, type and charge for each instance to put in the spreadsheet (I don't really 'get' interest anyway so I'm not looking forward to working out how much interest I paid on charges! I had a look at the 'complex' spreadsheet and I'm none the wiser but I'll have a play around with it tonight). Then I'll send a copy of the spreadsheet with a prelim letter, probably this weekend. Does this sound OK? And what is the best way to send the prelim and lba letters to them - registered delivery?

I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!!!! Phoned Gary, lovely bloke, yes they've received it, it's all happening and I should receive a confirmation by post probably tomorrow. Thank you Maria (and you davisc02 - if I don't get my receipt I'll do what you suggest)!

Not a word as yet from the Nationwide, nor has my £10 cheque for the S.A.R. gone out of my account. I do hope they are not going to claim they didn't receive it when I sent a copy to both my branch and the Swindon office. I wish I'd sent it recorded now. I have had a couple of missed calls on my old mobile from undisclosed numbers, but that could be just about anything. I don't really use that number any more but it is probably the one the bank have. I don't want to talk to anyone on the phone in any case, I want it in writing. If they don't reply to my S.A.R. within 40 days and I just sent the request by regular first class post where do I stand? Surely if I claim a breach of the DPA they'll just claim a postal service *@&% up? I have the original letter on my PC but I don't suppose that counts for much. I'm probably just being paranoid anyway, right? It's the waiting ... it gets to us all ..... I worked out using the Nationwide's online banking thing that my charges for the last year come to £480, so goodness knows what they are for the last 6. I have just filled out my application for my 'parachute' bank account - Co-operative Bank Cashminder account and will post this afternoon

What is a 'deed of assignment' please? Is this documentation pertaining to the purchase of the debt by the DCA or the original creditor using them as their agent? Should I be asking for this in addition to a copy of the original loan agreement under Consumer Credit Act? I was about to send the default CCA letter in the templates library, but I have no idea if the DCA have bought the debt or are just acting for the creditor. Am I right in thinking that if the DCA do not provide me with a copy of the original agreement I am no longer liable to pay the debt and can request that the money I have paid them so far should be returned to me? Will the original creditor then persue me further?

Thanks. I'm really scared actually, but it is too late now ... the letters are in the post ... just hope that cheque for £10 doesn't bounce

Hello everyone. A bit of background - I have always been terrible with money, and terrified of banks. I lived beyond my means for many years and bank charges are nothing new to me. I am much more responsible than I used to be and I have been paying off my debts as best I can However a couple of years ago I lost my job and had a road accident which left me unable to work for a year, and caused some of my debts to go to county court and so on. I now am in full time employment again, although earning considerably less that I was previously. Slowly but surely I am sorting my life out. Earlier this year the Nationwide reduced my overdraft from 1500 to 1000 pounds because of my lower income despite me asking them to allow me six months to find that 500 pounds or to drop my limit by 100 a month to help me out. Since then I have been really struggling financially and after being paid late one month a lot of Direct Debits and Standing Orders etc which were due to go out on the 1st of the month were bounced. I also had a couple of cheques I had written for groceries to tide me over til payday bounced. I think I ended up with about 180 pounds in charges that month. This has further set me back as the charges roll over each month with more DDs and SOs going unpaid and more charges being applied and I am sinking rapidly. A friend on another message board told me about this site and the simple steps to recovering bank charges. I have always said how outrageous these charges are - being charged 25 pounds for a 6 pound Direct Debit for a magazine subscription that couldn't go through on that day but would have sailed out happily the next is just plain wrong. So today I have taken action. I have sent my own letter to the head office in Swindon asking the bank nicely to refund the charges they have made this year to help me out of the difficulties they have put me in (I doubt they will take any notice of this whatsoever as I have asked them in the past to waive charges and they have not, but in any case at no point did I state I would cease any action if they refunded this year's) I have also told them that I am requesting the details of all the charges etc under the Data Protection Act with a view to recovering illegal and unfair charges. I have also filled out and printed the Data Protection Act Subject Access Request form from this site and sent that to the Swindon Office with a cheque for 10 pounds. I have no idea whatsoever how much I will have paid in charges in the last six years. It will be thousands certainly. As I said, I've always been the sort of person who doesn't really like to think about it. I've thrown statements in the bin unopened and just crossed my fingers that I have enough money left to last the month for years. I know that's stupid, but I'm trying to deal with my stupidity and I don't think it is fair I should be charged illegally for it. I know this isn't going to get sorted out overnight, but I am determined to get this money back and think this site is just fantastic. So here goes! I'll keep you posted.