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Update to my original thread (can't find it...oops!) [MODERATED: Threads merged] Sent my prelim. letter almost 6 weeks ago now, I gave the 14 day deadline as advised in the FAQ's and waited patiently. Next, the usual response came through, sorry your not happy etc.etc.etc we'll offer £40 as full and final settlement. I scoffed wrote another letter back as letter before action, 14 day deadline again only this time I didn't send the letter recorded, sat and waited and nothing happened. Coincidently, the second 14 day deadline fell on the same night as the Tonight program aired. After not hearing anything this time round and before I watched the program, I was starting to think I should just accept the £40 and be happy....it's a bl**dy good job my sister rang me to remind me it was on because it got me fired up again to get this money back. The next day, I drafted a letter expressing my discontent with Halifax at not responding as I held them in such esteem etc.etc. basically laid it on thick about how all my financial and insurance business is done with them etc and how I expected so much more from such an organisation! Did this as a cover letter and reattached the original that they had 'ignored', set another deadline of 7 days but this time, sent the letter recorded delivery, e-mailed it to 2 addresses and faxed it to 2 different fax numbers, all gratefully obtained from this wonderful site! The deadline passed last Tuesday but for one reason or another, I hadn't got organised to start the claim. Today my mum told me that a lady called Tracy had called my mum's house, from Halifax personal banking, to speak to me (haven't lived there for 2 and a half years...and yes...ALL my details are up to date with the bank!!), I was in work and she asked for my work number...I'm thinking now, my own home no. had been tried, noone in, so they dug through the archives for my mum's! Mum said I couldn't take personal calls at work so she said she'd pop a letter in the post....remember now that my deadline had passed on Tuesday, a 2nd deadline I was kind enough to give (!!), which, if not adhered to I was going to submit a claim. Low and behold, when I get home from work today, there's a letter from the Halifax apologising for the delay and length of time in responding to my letter, apologising for the fact that I was not happy with the offer of £40 and that although they couldn't offer me a full refund for the charges, they were keen to reach an amicable solution and were prepared to offer me £118 as full and final settlement.......................... ...........hmmmmmmmmmmm.....£118 IS the full amount I was asking for!!!!!!!!! Again the usual claptrap of managing the account, right to close etc was added in but all in all, not bad for the price of a couple of recorded deliveries!! A small drop in the ocean to what some are claiming but my own little victory all the same!! It is now my mission to spread the word to anyone who stands still for long enough, whether they want to know or not!! Starting on my partners account next....BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have returned from my hols today to find a letter from the bank 'always giving you extra', you know the one...sorry to hear you're unhappy...you are responsible for managing your account...we reserve the right to close...etc etc...blah blah...oh and as a 'gesture of goodwill' because we wouldn't be doing this for any other reason as we are in the right, we'll offer you a third of what you're asking for back...£40 instead of the £118....as full and final settlement...HA! Ok so the end bit is my own interpretation but that's what translates between the lines! I know 118 quid isn't as much as some are claiming...but as Tesco like to remind us..."every little helps" ;-) What baffles me is that the obnoxious guy I dealt with in the first place basically informed me that I had used up all of my goodwill in the one charge I managed to have removed a few months before! Then there's the argument that circulates these pages so often...if they were in the right, why would they offer anything atall?! I've had a quick scan of the FAQ's...am I right in thinking my next course of action should be to accept, but sign nothing then demand the remainder within 7 days?? i Got that from the FAQ's but I'm unsure whether this should now be my letter before action or should I word my own? How should I accept the offer?? Make a phone call or send back the form they've given me? Don't want to put my mark to anything that they could say is final?! Any advice greatly appreciated...as always Hel.

Well...I've waited paitiently and all charges have been taken. Prelim. letter is printed and just about to stick a stamp on...so the journey begins....£118 should come in handy for my hols

Do I send the DPA letter to the complaints department?? I'm on a mission now.....haha!!

I had a rather interesting conversation with the Halifax yesterday, I have incurred charges due to the length of time it takes a debit card transaction to leave my account, ie, I made a card payment on Wednesday of last week (£7) and one the next day, Thursday (£11), both payments did not leave my account until the Friday along with a cheque, hence the total of all 3 sent me over my overdraft limit by £37. Halifax are now trying to charge me £118, £30 for each item to be paid and £28 for the unauthorised overdraft!! My question is, shall I continue to push to have the charges removed before they are taken, which I know they can do as they have done in the past as a "goodwill gesture", or should I let it run it's course and reclaim?? Oh and the 'get a little extra help...' guy on the phone had the most ridiculous solution to avoiding these charges in the future, apparently I should ask, before I enter my pin, when the money will be taken from my account, if I can't be given an answer or I'm told it is not immediately, I should walk away and shop somewhere else (it gets better....), when I responded (don't know why I felt the need to justify...) that I had to by formula milk for my baby and that wasn't an option, i was politely informed "that is a product that is widely available in various outlets"!! How practical...I'll bear that in mind for the future....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!