Hbos bank charges claim

[ajs444]

I have tried claimimg bank charges back from HBOS,

letter sent and acknowledged over a year ago, case now on hold.

 

Throughout the last year they have taken more and more charges,

bouncing DD's for loans/mortgage on a regular basis,

thus putting me in deeper financial poop.

 

I wrote to them regarding the hardship guidelines and got their standard response,

to which I replied that they had not addressed the points in my letter under the FSA hardship guidelines.

 

I have since heard nothing from them in writing but received a phone call on Sunday from a very arrogant guy in their collections department.

He tells me they are taking my £1000 overdraft facility off this week requiring a debit card payment to clear the balance due to the conduct of running my account.

 

When I said I was disputing the charges he told me there was no way I was getting them back,

try taking us to court,

we are taking you to court,

see you in court.

 

Conversation got a bit heated but told I would never get charges back and they wanted £1055 to clear the account.

 

This has obviously caused great distress in our household and I am at a bit of a loss what to do, trying to open parachute account as I type,

should I go to FSA/FOS at this point in time?

[PGH7447]

Do Open a parachute account ASP and transfer your incomings into it. Report HBOS to the FSA for this conduct, but banks can cancel OD Facilities as it suits them.

 

Because you have already started a claim, they cannot do a great deal to you with regards to reclaiming back the outstanding balance they claim you owe, write them a letter stating that the charges they owe you far exceed what they claim you owe them and that until the court case is decided, this account is in dispute.

[ajs444]

Parachute account now opened, going after HBOS through FOS. Bank have replied they see no cause for hardship complaint, they are havin a larf!

£4050 in Bank Charges since November 2006!!!!

[sallysas]

They laughed at me over hardship criteria last year. This year I am going after them with compound interest and suddenly they became 'human' wanting to investigate my finances to see if they can help me via the hardship rules. I'm not playing that game now and I advise you not to let them try it on later if they should do so. They told me they would not have to look at my current claim unless I filled in a hardship form - rubbish (or something stronger). All the best.

[ajs444]

Had reply from FOS and also usual standard letter from HBOS, do they not have staff capable of stringing 2 sentences together???

Since I opened parachute account, Co-Op bank asked them for DD/standing order details, HBOS sat on their hands, salary into new account, no money in HBOS, low and behold further £105 in charges due to DD's being returned!!!!

 

I really hope they rot in hell!!!

[sea-sidelady]

Just keep adding all new charges onto your spread sheets.

[BoSBoY]

you can send them an income and expenditure form, however to have your case looked at under hardship rules your income generally needs to be less that what you pay out.

 

as for the account now being under head office collections, well; all they can really do is agree a repayment plan, they are not authorised to refund charges. You would have to speak to customer services. Because of the legal challenge I am going to assume you will have had charges refunded in the past meaning we wouldn't be able to refund anymore.

 

However rest assured not everyone who works for hbos is cold but if we are seem to be too lenient and not adhering to the guidelines it's p45 time for us, please bear that in mind.

 

Anyway i hope it all goes well and you and you get a resolution to your complaint soon.

 

Sadly each time the court rules against the bank they will appeal dragging the inevitable out for as long as possible.

 

My assumption here is that you may have some financial difficulties, what with the amount of charges added to you account, either that your repeat neglect the have funds available for direct debit payments ect. Please don't be mistaken, i am not trying to get at you or back the bank up here, i am merely suggesting that you might want to seek help or pay your bills by alternative methods.

 

Highly unlikely you'll be interested but hbos have a money management team who will give out impartial advice. You can call them on 08456039030, or you might want to call the national debt line on 08088084000

[Rooster-UK]

If you make a claim for refund of unlawful penalty charges, any additional charges made on your account after the claim is initiated can be claimed back as a seperate claim after the first one is settled. Regardless of what the banks say or claim, the banks don't make the law. The only thing to bear in mind is that the bank will probably close your account on a second claim. But that does not prevent you from claiming.

 

Regards, Rooster.

[ajs444]

New missed DD charges were infact £175, this will be added to my original claim, have cleared previous O/D through Provident Loan.

Never had any refund from HBOS before, this is first claim after moving from First Direct who were a dream compared to HBOS, now I have moved everything to my new COOP account they can do what they want. Under the FOS directive I believe I qualify under 4 points so there fore I am not filling in hardship form as it should be patently obvious to HBOS what my outgoings and income is from looking at my statements.

Thanks for your comments BosBoy but account is in control of Customer Relations, Dunfermline, where I assume you work, just down the road from where I stay.

[ajs444]

It's a wonder HBOS aren't claiming for hardship due to their stockmarket plunge.

Would be good if we as creditors could block any amalgamation takeover!!!

[ajs444]

Charges on HBOS account now up to £215, got call from collections asking for repayment, told them it was with FOS, still have to pay according to them.

Also told them charges were due to DD's not being paid because salaries being paid into new COOP account, HBOS delayed giving COOP information

re- DD's Standing Orders. Reply was "nothing to do with us", contact your Branch, who are basically as good as a chocolate fireguard.

I have honestly never spoken to such an arrogant bunch of B******s in my life as those in the Collections Department, I take it they are hand picked.

Hope it's not too long till they get their P45's.

I saw someone with a letter to collections with reference to FOS dealing with account, anyone point me in right direction?

[BoSBoY]

come on now ajs, you can't really mean that (p45's) they are doing what they are paid for.. i am sure they are hand picked but from the applicants applying for the role, would you rather speak to an indian collections team... that could very well be on the cards.. and i am sure their tactics will be much the same..

 

anyway if your account is in the red then it is most likely your ATS (account transfer service) paper work is at the bottom of the pile.. if they are even willing to offer that service. you be quicker calling everyone with you new details.

[ajs444]

No, I wish them nothing but bad luck, my next door neighbour works in collections and my description sums her up totally!!!

[ajs444]

Now up to £391 in O/D charges, cannot access account on line as it says it is closed.

Getting regular letters and phone calls regardine this, but they don't listen that I am going through hardship procedure through the FOS.

Have e-mailed FOS and asked them to try and stop further charges and deal with the case as they wont listen to me!

[sea-sidelady]

Your account wont be closed, but it will show as closed on line. It means if you need to contact the bank for any details now regarding your account.

 

You need to send the harassment letter to get the calls stopped.

 

Unfortunately any further charges will keep getting added on. But just keep updating your spread sheets.

[ajs444]

Cheers for that SSL, I was looking for harassment letter, do you have link?

[sea-sidelady]

Of course.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/37006-harassment-telephone-response-letter.html

[ajs444]

Since moving my account from HBOS in August I have naturally not used any of the account facilities, so imagine my shock when last month I received another bank charge letter for a debit card transaction. I had used an NCP car park in Edinburgh on the 17th October and as there was no money in the account they have charged me £35!!!!!

I phoned my branch who would not speak to me but transferred me to collections where I explained my plight, they duly transferred me to their Fraud Dept. who took all details and said they would investigate, also asking if I would be prepared to assist police in any enquiries. 12 days letter I receive letter stating NCP had refunded the transaction with no further explanation and matter now closed.

So I get a statement in today and low and behold £35 charge still there for a transaction that never happened!!!!

I am really fuming about this and my complaint is going on to my dossier at the FOS, finally convinced me that each department in the HBOS organisation do not talk to each other.

[ajs444]

Received letter from FOS yesterday and I have to wonder whose side they are on!

Despite highlighting the hardship criteria and qualifying for it on at least 4 of the clauses, they cannot proceed without me filling in the Bank outgoings/income form. All the info the bank need should be at their fingertips so I guess I have to comply to their request, although I object quite strongly.

Regards further charges, including the fraudulant transaction, I have to chase them myself, so as no one in my Branch will talk to me, I am in limbo.

[ajs444]

Finally submitted Outgoings/Income form and FOS have promised reply by January the 9th, here's hoping.

[ajs444]

Well, had a letter from HBOS this morning offering me £497.00 as a part offer!

All this figure does is clear the charges I have received on my account since I basically stopped using it in September 2008, as there was no money being paid in the money did not leave the account, so HBOS are not out of pocket!!

I have e-mailed the FOS for thir advice, will keep you posted.

[ajs444]

So after a long conversation with the FOS, they tell me this is the best offer I am going to get. The bank have answered my hardship case and are going to cancel the said charges. I said that what they are refunding was down to their mismanagement, being too slow in transfering DD's and SO's to my new account and also a fraudulant transaction. I also said that not a penny of this offer would go reduce the £4000 they have taken off me in the last 2 years and therefore would not reduce the hardship I am having in trying to pay back loans CC bills etc.

FOS said it was the best offer I was going to get and I was never going to get any bank charges refunded, and if I turn it down I have to give reasons to the FOS.

This whole operation has been a total waste of time and it shows how toothless the FOS is and also whose back pockets they are in!!

[ajs444]

Worrying thing must be this article which came from Motley Fool, seems FSA and FOS are all in banks back pocket!

Time there was a peasants revolution.

The Latest In The Bank Charges Case - 05/02/2009

[Neat69]

You should take them to court, if you meet the the FSA guidelines for hardship, your case will not be stayed by the court.

 

you might want to wait for one of the more experienced members to confirm this, but I'm 90% certain its the case.

[ajs444]

Well finally got revised offer of just over £1000 which cleared the disputed accounts overdraft and left me with just over £400. I have advised them that I still expect back the original claim of over £4000 plus interest, suppose I'll have to wait till the Law Lords make their decision.

A victory in a small way!