This topic was closed on 09 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 09 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 09 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

Just as I was thinking about money claim online.... Today Smile sent me a cheque "as a goodwill gesture" for my charges. So yes I am SMILING now! Thanks to all for your support.

Letter from Customer SAervices A&L 21 June 2006 "Thank you for your further enquiry regarding charges that have been debited to your account, which I understand remain the cause of dissatisfaction. I have reveiwed the circumstances in which the charges were raised and have carefully considered the points you have made. Whilst I appreciate that you are unhappy with the situation, I can confirm that the charges were applied correctly in accordance with out chraging policy and unfortunatley, I am unable to alter our original decision on this occasion. I accept that you may be disappointed with this response but regret that I can offer no further assistance regarding this matter." This is basically the "you don't have the balls to sue us" letter...isn't it? Or should I quit now whilst I am ahead? I still have about 46.50 outstanding from an original 84.00 worth of charges. Is it worth taking them to court for such a small amount? I do not believe that A&L would close my current account since I have an ISA and a savings account with them and they must be raking it in with them.

Sorry, I didn't make it clear in the previous post. I sent them the LBA on 20 May. and received no repsonse or anything after 14 days. I'm gonna err on the side of caution and send them another LBA recorded delivery and then start the court procedings when they don't reply.

Well 14 days are up and no response... Maybe I'll send them a recorded letter, just to be certain they got it. Wouldn't wanna let them get off on a technicality would I? OR should I just procede to court and assume the letter arrived?

NOW they are definately gonna get it! I wrote to them "can i please have my charges refunded" letter. Chris Hopkins (Smile Complaint Team, Customer Services, PO Box 600, Delf House, Skelmersdale, WN8 6GF) wrote an undated letter back "there are no account details XXXXXXXX. As such I've not been able to proceede with your request for a refund" 's a bit suss as not 30 days previously they sent me all the bank statements I asked for with that exact same account number. Nice try Smile, but you can't stall the wheels of law... So, I just sent them the LBA letter by return! since my "can i please have my charges refunded" letter said "if you do not respond or you do not respond pisitively within the 14 day period I will send you the letter before action". At the font of the LBA it says that"I find it difficult to believe that you hold no record of my account since you were kind enough to supply me with statements from thisvery account at the beginning of May 2006... I respectfully request that you check your records again. Given that you have failed to respond positively to my request forrefund of charges you give me no choice to proceed with the following: Letter Before Action." Bring it on...

OMG, they totally caved! whilst completely disagreeing that the charges were unfair they agreed to refund the whole lot coz "having reveiewd the history of your account I can see that in general your account was well managed and the charges detailed in your letter represented uncharacteristic breaches of our T&C". he continues "a protracted discussion regardign these charges is in neither parties interest so I have enclosed a cheque for £XX.XX as a gesture of goodwill" Off to the bank to pay it in tomorrow. I'm RICH, rich beyond my wildest dreams (and I have some prety wild dreams I can tell you)! Thank you all for your support... FA

I am sending all my correspondance to the Manchester Balloon street address as this is the one on the cheques. I think the Skelmersdale address is for CoOp bank (who OWN Smile) good luck...

I found in the FAQ bit, Vampiress made one in excel that I used. I have posted off the LBA letter to A&L and the please give me my money back letters to Smile and Cahoot. Thanks for the reassurance.

OK I found the letter from Marie Williams, Customer Services, Alliance and Leicester - here it is slightly abridged "Firstly there has been no consultation between the banking industry and the Office of Fair Trading about current accounts. If there is any industry wide consultation on this matter, Alliance and Leicester will participate as appropriate. I have checked our records and can see that you had three charges raised on your account" they continue "Although these charges have all been raised correctly in line with our charging policy, I am willing to make a further refund of £25.00 in lieu of your last overdraft charge. I must inform you that this is a gesture of goodwill and any charges raised correctly to your account in future will have to stand. I hopw we will now be able to draw this matter to a close andif I do not hear from you within the next 8 weeks, will assume this is the case. Howver in accordance with regulatory requirements, I am enclosing our leaflet which explains the steps you would need to take if you should wish to persue this matter further, including the ultimate availability of the FOS." Well stripe me sideways - I thought the WHOLE reason WHY all this claiming back had arisen was because the OFT and banks had had a 'little chat' in light of some digging that WHICH? had done... I am determined to get the rest of it back good will getsture or no they are thieving scumbags and it's my money... Onwards and upwards.

I got the "we are sorry here's £25" letter yesterday, with the this is a good will gesture and you will have to pay in the future threat. I'll find the real thing and post it here when I've waded thru the piles on my desk... I have 8 weeks to accept this - although the money is already in my account & I have spent it! I will write them a VERY NICE letter thanking them for the partial refund then ask for the rest of it back(£46.50)

£46.50 in charges of which £38 put me further inot debt. how do you calculate the interest on the debt? NOT the court interest just the how much MORE debt in interest did they make me pay?

Thank Lueeze They have itemeised my charges and because I have all my statements in Excel I just wanted to make sure they were singing from the same song sheet as I am. it's £70 of which £45 made me more overdrawn. How do you calculate the interest? This is the extra OD interest not hte counrt interest. I wanna be sure I claim it all.