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 03/07/19. 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

I've got a situation that I need a bit of advice on. I took my car in for an MOT (Mitsubishi FTO), went off into town and returned 2hrs later to find out it has failed and get this they had managed to have an accident! The guys in the garage had taken it upon themselves to take my car out for a test drive, forgot to secure the bonnet and BANG! bonnet flies up causing lots of damage. Am I able to claim compensation and if so how do I go about it? cheers

The Black Donkey Strikes again!! Just received this letter in response to my Letter Before Action Received letter today Dear Mr XXXX Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your account I understand that -You feel that the charges you have incurred are contrary to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. -You are unhappy with the amount of charges you have incurred as a result of being overdrawn and from returned items. -You have requested that all charges incurred should be refunded for the past 6 years. When you become a customer, we give you details of any charges for the day to day running of your account. Details of our charges are also availiable from our branch staff, telephone helpline or website. For the vast majority of our customers banking with us can be completely free as charges are not made for services such as debit cards, cash machine withdrawls, balance requests, statements, cheque books and internet banking. We also do not charge for processing Direct Debits and Standing Orders when they are paid through our customers' accounts. One of the few services we apply charges for are when a customer does not have enough money in their account to meet payments they have requested us to make. I f customers think they may exceed any limit they have, we urge them to contact us to discuss their requirements. Any requests for further lending are then assessed in line with our usual credit policy. Similarly, when we return an item, we are preventing a customer from exceeding their limit, and again as we explain clearly to our customers, this process incurs a charge. Typically, we do not levy customers an excess overdraft fee the first time they go overdrawn without agreement, as long as it hasn't happened in the past twelve months and we limit excess fees to a maximum of three occurrencies in any one month. As a business we are entitled to set charges to cover additional work. These charges are not hidden and are notified in the guide to banking charges leaflet we produce. We advise our customers to ensure cleared funds are availiable in their accounts to meet payments due. You will also note that in the front of each cheque book we request that funds are availiable before cheques are issued. You incurred charges because you did not ensure funds were availiable in your account to cover the payments set up by you. It is your responsibility to operate your account within any agreed limits and within the terms and conditions. You accepted these terms when you opened your account and when you agreed your overdraft. We did not agree to pay your account in excess of the amount agreed without charges being made. Accordingly, I am unable to agree with your request to refund the charges. We do expect your account to be run in line with the terms and conditions of its operation. This means that you must ensure that cleared funds are deposited into the account the working day before any payments are due. If you do not feel you will be able to run your account in accordance with the terms and conditions, we may have to consider withdrawing certain facilities, such as any debit cards, overdrafts and cheque books. If you are unhappy with my decision and feel that you have something to add which might change the outcome, please get in touch. If we cannot agree on a solution at that point, I will help you refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independant arbitration. Yours sincerely Stacey Cope (Miss) Assistant Manager Ok so its back to the pretty much same old standard letter as befor minus a couple of sentances, is this the norm? I'm feeling very angry at the moment with Lloyds, perhaps they are so overwhelmed that they are sending out standard letters left right and centre. Still moneyclaim will be filled out on 23rd May. Can anyone tell me how long it would be after submitting the claim before a court date is set as its holiday time soon for me. Thanx

Sent off Letter Before Action Yesterday, Recorded Delivery. We'll just have to wait to see what happens now.....

Received letter today Dear Mr XXXX Re: Account Charges for Overdraft Excesses and Returned Items Our 'local' branch recently asked us to investigate your complaint. I'm sorry that you feel we've let you down. I understand that -You feel that the charges you have incurred are unlawful. -You are unhappy with the amount of charges you have incurred as a result of being overdrawn and from returned items. -You have requested that all charges incurred should be refunded for the past 6 years. When you become a customer, we give you details of any charges for the day to day running of your account. Details of our charges are also availiable from our branch staff, telephone helpline or website. For the vast majority of our customers banking with us can be completely free as charges are not made for services such as debit cards, cash machine withdrawls, balance requests, statements, cheque books and internet banking. We also do not charge for processing Direct Debits and Standing Orders when they are paid through our customers' accounts. One of the few services we apply charges for are when a customer does not have enough money in their account to meet payments they have requested us to make. I f customers think they may exceed any limit they have, we urge them to contact us to discuss their requirements. Any requests for further lending are then assessed in line with our usual credit policy. Similarly, when we return an item, we are preventing a customer from exceeding their limit, and again as we explain clearly to our customers, this process incurs a charge. Typically, we do not levy customers an excess overdraft fee the first time they go overdrawn without agreement, as long as it hasn't happened in the past twelve months and we limit excess fees to a maximum of three occurrencies in any one month. As a business we are entitled to set charges to cover additional work. These charges are not hidden and are notified in the guide to banking charges leaflet we produce. We advise our customers to ensure cleared funds are availiable in their accounts to meet payments due. You will also note that in the front of each cheque book we request that funds are availiable before cheques are issued. You incurred charges because you did not ensure funds were availiable in your account to cover the payments set up by you. It is your responsibility to operate your account within any agreed limits and within the terms and conditions. You accepted these terms when you opened your account and when you agreed your overdraft. We did not agree to pay your account in excess of the amount agreed without charges being made. Accordingly, I am unable to agree with your request to refund the charges. We do expect your account to be run in line with the terms and conditions of its operation. This means that you must ensure that cleared funds are deposited into the account the working day before any payments are due. If you do not feel you will be able to run your account in accordance with the terms and conditions, we may have to consider withdrawing certain facilities, such as any debit cards, overdrafts and cheque books. Alternatively, you may wish to consider alternative banking arrangements. In case you haven't received a copy of our leaflet called 'How to voice your concerns' I've enclosed one with my letter. This tells you all you need to know about resolving your complaint with us. If you are unhappy with my decision and feel that you have something to add which might change the outcome, please get in touch. If we cannot agree on a solution at that point, I will help you refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independant arbitration. Yours sincerely David Just Assistant Manager OK SO THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON OFF MY CHRISTMAS CARD LIST!!

Cheers Alan, Postman has been today with a Special Delivery for me so I'm thinking its what I'm wanting. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to see now........

Have spoken to a lady on the phone just chasing them up (who was very nice) and somebody will call me later today. The letter was the one out of the library but was not sent recorded delivery. It is all on file with them though as I had a request for my passport through and a letter comfirming that they had received it on 13th of April. The 40 days ran out Monday (from the original letter) but as this was a Bank Holiday I have allowed a couple of days grace (am I too kind?) Thanx

Please help, sent letter to A+L on 22nd March and now 42 days later I am still no nearer getting my DPA request. Received letter on 13th April stating that they had received a copy of my passport. As I understand it they have 40 days from my initial contact to process my request. Can somebody please advise me as to where I go from here. Thanx

Got the DPA request through and statements last Saturday posted off standard approach letter on Thursday and received a letter off my branch manager on Saturday morning saying he'd passed my concerns onto relevant department and somebody would be in contact within 5 days.....

DAY 28 OK took the letter in person to the branch and requested a receipt off the Customer Advisor which she gave me. They now only have 12 days in which to get my request sorted out.

Cheers Alan

I'm going to send a letter to my branch informing them that they have 14 days left from my initial DPA request, how's this? Dear Sir/Madam ACCOUNT NUMBER: xx xx xx xxxxxxxx Further to my letter dated 21st March 2006 and subsequent telephone calls on 3rd of April and 10th of April 2006 I still have had no written correspondence from yourselves. You have by law 40 days to comply from the date of my initial letter and as of today, you have only 14 days left before I go to the Information Commissioner with a complaint to get this matter resolved. yours faithfully,

Ok. Just got off the phone to my branch asking them what was happening with my DPA request. The assistant informed me that they had faxed off my request to the DP Team and somebody should have got in contact with me. She also told me that there would be a charge for the request of my statements (which I knew) and asked the blatently stupid question of have you not got them? I explained that I enclosed a cheque with the letter for £10 which would cover the cost. Her reply was 'I'll chase this up for you and give you a ring back tomorrow morning' we shall see...

Ok so now it’s DAY 18. I am pursuing Lloyds and A+L. So far this has happened. Last Monday (27th) received call off A+L asking why I wanted the Data Protection Request as this was not necessary and would cost me £10 and that I could save this just by requesting statements and nothing else. I informed them that they had already cashed the cheque and I was expecting all documents within 40 days still. I was then told that the cheque had been credited to my account (when it clearly stated the purpose of said cheque in the letter!) and they admitted this mistake. I received on Friday a Proof of Identity form, they are now requesting me to send a copy of my driving licence or passport to confirm my identity which I shall do tomorrow, obviously a ploy to stall or put people off who can't be bothered. So back to Lloyds, I phoned them up after speaking to A+L (bit livid at this stage of things) asking what had happened, as I hadn't received any feedback/ acknowledgement off them regarding my letter. Eventually got through to the branch who have passed via fax to DP Dept. Got told yesterday I will receive a call off the branch by 11am tomorrow. The wait continues....