Letter to my MP re historic banks charges - Please check

[bill-k]

...Just linked in here Un1 - I'll paste & Copy if I may !! Excellent stuff, you and the guys !!

 

First thing I gotta do is find out who my bl**dy MP is these days !! I guess that shows how high-profile he/she is round these parts !!

[un1boy]

...Just linked in here Un1 - I'll paste & Copy if I may !! Excellent stuff, you and the guys !!

 

First thing I gotta do is find out who my bl**dy MP is these days !! I guess that shows how high-profile he/she is round these parts !!

 

Hiya Bill, please help yourself!! If your in manchester then edit it a little otherwise Tony will be getting the exact same letter, lol......

 

Feel free to use it, where would we be if we didn't share?

[un1boy]

Ps, try here to find your MP:

 

WriteToThem.com - Email or fax your Councillor, MP, MEP, MSP or Welsh, NI, London Assembly Member for free

[bill-k]

Hiya Bill, please help yourself!! If your in manchester then edit it a little otherwise Tony will be getting the exact same letter, lol......

 

Feel free to use it, where would we be if we didn't share?

 

Yes, indeedy, matey !!

 

Cheers for that, and the nifty MP-finder link. Having found the wretch, I am now well aware of how high profile he is. I just turn off whenever I see him on the TV. !! How sad. Michael Moore (Scottish Borders - Och aye, the noo !).

 

...So I won't be writing to N. Gallagher or M. Hucknall, MP !!

 

Just gotta translate your excellent stuff into Scottish !!

 

[bill-k]

Hiya Bill, please help yourself!! If your in manchester then edit it a little otherwise Tony will be getting the exact same letter, lol......quote]

 

Sorry - slow this morning. The guv'nor, of course !! Give him one from me !!!

 

[un1boy]

Hiya Bill, please help yourself!! If your in manchester then edit it a little otherwise Tony will be getting the exact same letter, lol......quote]

 

Sorry - slow this morning. The guv'nor, of course !! Give him one from me !!!

 

 

 

Oh god no, Tony Lloyd is my MP!! lol.....not the other one who's name we shall not mention!

 

I just couldn't remember my MP's surname until I checked!! lol

[bill-k]

 

 

Oh god no, Tony Lloyd is my MP!! lol.....not the other one who's name we shall not mention!

 

I just couldn't remember my MP's surname until I checked!! lol

 

As low profile as mine, then, eh ?

 

Yeh, sorry, mate - Sedgefield is in Birmingham, innit. Diff'rent accent altogether - and still nothing like his. Cherie's dad was the last one to proudly retain it - in the face of Warren Mitchell's "Alf Garnett." Gawd bless 'em both !!

[un1boy]

Haha, no problem!!

[tamadus]

Hey Tamadus - little mr site helper - how did that happen?!! congtrats.

 

I will, I'll draft a reply and post it here....I'll keep you all posted.

 

Pretty good result, don't ya think? Especially seeing as some people have had replies saying that their MP's agree with the charges!!

 

Thanks Un1 somebody crept up and painted me when I wasn't looking

 

Got a reply back from my MP enclosing a letter from Ian McCartney the secretary of state this morning, which I'll scan and post in here later today. It doesn't say very much though.

[un1boy]

Thanks Un1 somebody crept up and painted me when I wasn't looking

 

Got a reply back from my MP enclosing a letter from Ian McCartney the secretary of state this morning, which I'll scan and post in here later today. It doesn't say very much though.

 

Good job mate -I'm not that excited anymore because I know that the sec of state doesn't really say much!

[un1boy]

Ok guys, well I haven't heard anything yet - do you reckon chasing it up should work? Or should I leave it?!

[Guest willowb]

It's been about 3 weeks hasn't it? mmmmm if it were me I'd leave it 'til after the new year that way you have given them plenty of time to digest it all;)

 

Wxxx

[un1boy]

Yes it has Willow.....I was thinking the same - I'll send my MP a followup letter in the new year - a nice treat for him to start the year, hehe!!

 

Good to see you Willow, you've been a bit quiet around these parts recently!

[Guest willowb]

Oh you know! life, Christmas, nativity costumes, families.....and all the rest!!! I'm still keeping a finger and toe in though!

 

Wxxx

[un1boy]

Yeh I know what you mean....all a bit hectic at mo, still only another couple of weeks left!

[Guest willowb]

1 Week and 4 days:D :D lol

 

Wxxx

[un1boy]

I know, I can't wait!

[un1boy]

Hi everybody,

 

Happy new year! Hope you all enjoyed your xmas and new year.

 

sorry to be boring with my first post of the year, but I thought I would let you knwo the reply I received from my MP.

 

Very disappointing, I must say - I am working on my reply as we speak and will post as soon as completeyd for inspection!

 

I welcome your comments and thoughts about their reply.

 

PS Willow, I like your new Avatar!! (New Year, New Look?)

 

Dear un1boy

Please find enclosed a copy of the reply I have received from the Department of Trade and industry. I am pleased to see the Office od Fair Trading has already taken action on this issue with positive results. However, we will have to wait and see the results of their current investigation.

With best wishes,

Tony Lloyd MP

 

Here is the actual letter from the Secretary of the DTI……how disappointing, it looks like a template, so I will be replying to him asking him to comment on all issues I raised and answer my questions specifically.

Dear Tony (Written by hand)

(the following is typed)

RE: default and Penalty Charges levied by Banks

Thank you for your letter of 10 November to Alistair Darling, enclosing correspondence from your constituent, (Blanked out), about default and penalty charges levied by banks. I am replying as this matter is within my portfolio.

I know the whole issue of default charges levied by financial institutions is something that has been attracting increasing attention over recent months. The Office of Fair Trading has been looking at this issue in the context of the level of default charges imposed by the eight major credit card companies. The OFT wrote to the eight leading credit card issuers in July last year to advise them of their provisional conclusion that they are not entitled to recover more in default charges than a reasonable pre-estimate of their costs in dealing with the default, and requested them to change their approach.

The OFT produced a statement of the principles they think card issuers should follow in order to set fair default charges. This is intended to protect consumers from being charged unfair amounts, but also to enable banks to compete vigourously and fairly. The banks were asked to confirm by 31 May their response to this statement and their willingness to make any necessary adjustments to their credit card default charges. In response to this, credit card issuers have agreed to reduce their default charges – the majority by almost half.

As a result of the subsequent reduction in charges across the market, the OFT is satisfied that no further intervention is warranted in this area at this time and that this change has brought about substantial benefits for consumers. The OFT remains of the view that the broad principles do read across to the retail banking area and has decided to undertake further work on the application of these principles to bank current accounts. Tehis fact-finding exercise is expected to take up to March 2007, at which stage the OFT will consider whether a further detailed investigation of the fairness of individual bank default charges is needed.

(Hand Written) Approved by the minister and signed in his absence.

______

[phatram]

Thats pretty much the same one as I got.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/campaign/53156-darling-letters.html

A waste of time imho.

[un1boy]

omg, so it is - thanks for that!

 

I know it is a waste of time now, but my reply is going let them know that too.

 

It's rude to just ignore issues people have raised in their letters - he has ignored two thirds of my letter!!

[Guest ian cognito]

Just browsing through the web and found this, not sure if its already been highlighted somewhere, should the phrase bandwaggon spring to mind or do you think this is a genuine concern from an MP?

 

Liberal Democrats : Unfair bank charges contribute to poverty gap - Taylor

[un1boy]

Thanks for tha Jan - it is scandolous, none of them care anyway -they've all probably got shares etc in the banks thus the more money the banks make, the more they make too!

 

I cannot believe that the letter i received is EXACTLY the same as the one received by everyone else- I can't wait to get home tonight now and start drafting my reply!!

[un1boy]

Right, I think i am going to keep my reply short and sweet:

 

Dear Tony Lloyd,

 

Firstly I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and hope that you enjoyed your Christmas. Secondly, I would like to thank you for the time you have spent referring my letter to the secretary of state for the DTI.

 

I am disappointmed however that not only did I receive a reply from a DTI minister and not the Secretary of State as promised, but that the letter I received didn't acknowledge, let alone answer any of the points and questions I raised. Furthermore it is exactly the same letter as other people have received.

 

Again, I find this insulting and disappointing that I would take the time out of my very busy schedule to highlight some very serious issues regarding the unlawful behaviour of companies within the financial industry to the Government, only to be issued with what I can only describe as a photocopied, standard response from a minister whom has a duty to taxpayers to answer their concerns.

 

I have enclosed a copy of my orginal letter for your reference. I would apprecaite it if you could forward my request for the DTI to acknowledge the points and questions I have raised and provide an answer for them.

 

Please reply to me at the above address to confirm your actions.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

Mr Un1boy

 

_____

 

what do you thnk?

[bill-k]

That looks good to me Un1boy - well done, mate.

 

Make 'em squirm a bit, and work for their pittance !!!

[un1boy]

That looks good to me Un1boy - well done, mate.

 

Make 'em squirm a bit, and work for their pittance !!!

 

Thanks Bill, I am tempted to add a bit that I will keep replying until I get the answers to my questions, but I will leave it and see what they come up with now.

 

I am fuming - these Ministers just sending out letters that clearly have not even acknowledged my original letter; I bet he hasn't even read it, eh?

 

Ah well, I'll send it tomorrow - I again I am tempted to send it recorded, lol, but I won't. I've just got used to sending everything recorded now it feels weird posting something without going to the post office and queuing for half a day!! lol