Cleo v Yorkshire Bank

[hilaryfrances]

Hello cleo, hang on in there girl, you will get through it believe, I went through the same for years. It is with you 24/7 isnt it? You can close your account and make an arrangement to pay your overdraft in instalments, I did this and providing you keep up the payments you are OK.

[hilaryfrances]

Hello there, I know what you mean. They are relentless and just dont care, I spent hours on the phone in tears to them, just about begging them to give us a break. It actualy got to the stage with us that they took my entire salary for one month in charges. I then took stock, wrote to all my creditors with a list of our income and outgoings and made reduced payments offers. (We were in danger of loosing our house as well). I then contacted Yorkshire bank with the same list and told them I wanted to close the account, make sure your salarys are paid into your new account first as they will not hesitate to keep your money to clear your overdraft. Tell them that you can clear the debt at whatever a month. You will then have to pay their debt collection agency every month. It took me two years to clear my debts this way. I now only have one I am still paying so dont expect your problems to end quickly, but at least you will know that each month you are slowly getting out of debt and not sinking further into debt. If you look at any debt guidance advice they tell you the pay anything off with the highest interest first but I did the opposite as it felt good to tick the small debts of the list as they were paid. I then put that money towards the larger debts each month. Dont despair, you will get there, I promise. Unless you have been through this then people just dont understand just how your life can become out of control. Let me know how you get on. Hilary

[hilaryfrances]

Thats the spirit Cleo, fight back!

[hilaryfrances]

for goodness sake DO NOT TAKE OUT A SECURED LOAN, they will have your house as well. The banks are not in business to do you any favours, believe me. The days of the friendly, helpful bank manager are well gone

[hilaryfrances]

What a great idea, I am pleased you have done that, it is more ammunition in your arsenal. They will keep on charging you whatever, I suggest you close this account as soon as you can and move over to your other one. I think Yorkshire bank are one of the worst offenders. They help you to get in a mess and then come down on you like a ton of bricks. They are like a runaway train once you are on it it is hard to get off the blooming thing. They are relentless

[hilaryfrances]

do not be frightened by them, move your payments and salarys, close the account and then tell them you are willing to make monthly payments to clear your overdraft. Banks seem to have forgoten they are in business to provide a service. The longer you delay the worst mess they will get you in

[hilaryfrances]

Well done Cleo, I told you not to be frightened of them. I am not an expert but in my opinion you should close this account now and tell them you will have to pay the overdraft in installments as you can no longer afford to bank with them. This way you will know that you do not have to pay any further interest, so long as you keep up promised payments you will be OK. You are dealing, for the most part, with a computerised system which is why it has not registered with them yet you have already taken action.

[hilaryfrances]

Hello again Cleo, if I were you I would put something along these lines.

Dear ratbags, ( or Sir/Madam)

I have been forced to move my business to another bank as I can no longher afford to bank with yourselves because of the high penalties you are placing on my account.

 

I would ask that you close this account forwith and I shall have to come to some arrangement with you to allow me to pay my overdraft off in installments.

 

We are suffering from financial hardship, this situation has not been helped by the charges you have taken from us and as our account is now in dispute I trust that you will see this as an acceptable way to clear our overdraft debt with you.

[hilaryfrances]

what do you mean Cleo, you forfiet court? your claim still stands, I have not banked with them for 4 years now but I am still claiming, although like every one else we are awaiting the result of the test case.

[hilaryfrances]

hey Cleo, hows it going?

[hilaryfrances]

yes you must put in writing all your outgoings and come up with a realsitic sum that you can afford to pay them, dont promise the earth to people, I used to do this, and you end up making promises you cant keep. If you pay each month then you will be OK but if you dont keep up your repayments they will come down on you like a ton of bricks.l Well done Cleo you are on the road to getting rid of these sharks now

[hilaryfrances]

Cleo, please stop worrying, you have done the hard work now, I know that sometimes we feel that we must respect people who we see are "clever" but with banks you are no longer dealing with with people, the whole banking system is computerised. That is why it appears ruthless. "Computer says no!" is closer to the truth than you can imagine. Once you have got your payment plan set up you will be well on the road to getting rid of Yorkshire Bank. Just think, each month you will be slowly getting out of debt rather than sinking deeper and deeper. Good Luck, Hils

[hilaryfrances]

Believe me I know what it is like having been through it all myself, now. I was in a terrible state, worrying all the time, crying when another letter came from them, and feeling helpless. You have taken control back now and you will will come through it. You are a winner

[hilaryfrances]

Sure Will Caro, Sure Will

[hilaryfrances]

see! every bully has to back down eventually, there is always someone bigger, on our own we may be small fry but together we will win.

 

United we stand divided we fall

 

Bet you are felling better already arent you Cleo?

[hilaryfrances]

yes georgie, it is funny isnt it, having "virtual friends!" we will win out in the end though if moral justice has its way and then we will all meet up on in Barbados as we will have so much money with the interest we are earning we will be rich!!

[hilaryfrances]

Packing as we speak, now where is that extra extra large bikini?

[hilaryfrances]

Cleo, you cannot give them what you do not have and they know that so stop worrying, Write again stating the amount you can afford, (by the way I do hope you are keeping dated copies of the letters you are sending) They will not take you to court what ever they threaten because a judge will see that you have made a reasonable offer to pay them and once again they know that. Send copirs of their and your letters to FOS and if you are still not convinced then go to the citizens advice bureau as georgie suggests. Your letter to the Leeds office should go as follows, As I had been put in a bad finanacial situation by Yorkshire Bank I was unable to afford to bank with you due to the charges spiralling out of control. I have had no choice but to close this account and use another bank. However, I do acknowledge that I still owe you money and as I am unable to clear this debt in one go I am willing to pay (£) a month util the debt is clear. Put a copy of your outgoings and income in with this letter. HH

[hilaryfrances]

good news about your hubby job Cleo, hopefully your luck will change now

[hilaryfrances]

caro you still not sleeping hun? you must start going to bed earlier otherwise santa wont come to your house and you may turn into Dracula

[hilaryfrances]

Ill say you have made progress, other day they said you could not have a payment arrangement didnt they? You must fill in the form as they asked and make a realistic payment offer, please do not promise them more than you can afford. It is tempting to do this as you will want to get this paid and off your mind but you do not get brownie points for overstretching yourself. You have turned the corner and are now in the winning straight. WELL DONE THAT THERE WOMAN!!

[hilaryfrances]

I hope you are feeling happier now and a lot more confident, I hope you have a fabby Christmas and a brilliant New Year, free from Yorkshire Bank pinching your brass

[hilaryfrances]

Have you started paying them back their overdraft yet? otherwise it looks as if you will not have to start paying until after Christmas

[hilaryfrances]

sounds to me as if the banks are loosing the test case, I dont think anyone has had an offer for a while now

[hilaryfrances]

I think you need help from one of the site team for this, perhaps if you sent Caro a pm and tell her they have made you a partial offer. Hils