[Archived] Bank Charges/credit Cards/store Cards Etc

[stuwilky]

We've got one over here called ING that offers a much higher rate for a savings account than most banks.

We have them as well. they started off competitive, but now are just the same as the run of the mill savings accounts.

[ihtd]

Can i just ask, can i claim back my bank charges for going overdrawn as i have spent something like £58 in the last two months on this. If i can claim them back will it cost me anything and is there much work to do.

[jim mk2]

Cheques are another bugbear. They invlove massive amounts of manual processing (compared to a debit card), so why should I, as somebody who hasn't used a personal cheque in years, be forced to subsidse those people who are unwilling to use a debit and/or ATM card ?

Because many people, particularly the elderly, do not like credit cards because they perceive them as buying on the "never never" - on old term for HP - and have no idea how to use them either. Pin numbers are a difficult concept for 80-year-olds who cannot remember their name some days.

To ban the use of cheques would be to disenfranchise alot of people.

[SouthAussieRover]

Cheques are another bugbear. They invlove massive amounts of manual processing (compared to a debit card), so why should I, as somebody who hasn't used a personal cheque in years, be forced to subsidse those

Why should cheque writers subsidise those who use plastic.

Merchants are charged a fee for processing debit transactions and pass the cost on to customers via the price of the goods.

[thenodrog]

Indeed Don. Goods and services should be charged as necessary with the users of plastic made to pay a small but necessary surcharge.

........... and a frickin hefty surcharge for the dozy sods (usually wimmin btw) who insist on paying for a round of drinks in a crowded bar with plastic! How geeky is that? The pubs and bars should ban em outright cos on busy Fri / Sat nights they cannot possibly sell the same amount of drinks when each transaction takes twice as long.

...........put it another way and by definition if this catches on then we can all only drink half as much!

[Gav]

Can i just ask, can i claim back my bank charges for going overdrawn as i have spent something like £58 in the last two months on this. If i can claim them back will it cost me anything and is there much work to do.

You need to first ask your bank for the last 6yrs bank statements, they will probably charge you £5 for the privilidge. That starts the ball rolling, next read the website and in 6-8wks you'll get all your bank charges back regardless of the reason you were charged in the first place.

JUST IN TIME FOR OUR EUROPEAN TOUR

[stuwilky]

........... and a frickin hefty surcharge for the dozy sods (usually wimmin btw) who insist on paying for a round of drinks in a crowded bar with plastic! How geeky is that? The pubs and bars should ban em outright cos on busy Fri / Sat nights they cannot possibly sell the same amount of drinks when each transaction takes twice as long.

Ive done that. But only where establishments have those stupid cash machines that charge £2.50 for a cash withdrawal. There are very few "free" cash machines where I generally drink and I flatly refuse to be charged for my own money.

But anyway.

Anyone want to join the lovely first direct? Got some vouchers offering free money if you fancy a change of bank!

[LeChuck]

Last week I was charged £19 for paying a credit card payment a few days too late...I see some people have said that a simple phone call to the bank (HSBC if it makes any difference) can result in claiming this back.

Could someone please fill me in on how I'd do this...more specifcally, what I would say?

[Hannah]

You need to first ask your bank for the last 6yrs bank statements, they will probably charge you £5 for the privilidge. That starts the ball rolling, next read the website and in 6-8wks you'll get all your bank charges back regardless of the reason you were charged in the first place.

JUST IN TIME FOR OUR EUROPEAN TOUR

What a bugger I just spent ages shredding my old bank statements from the past 10 years! Only got the past two years now!! Oh well - still be worth looking into!

[stuwilky]

Last week I was charged £19 for paying a credit card payment a few days too late...I see some people have said that a simple phone call to the bank (HSBC if it makes any difference) can result in claiming this back.

Could someone please fill me in on how I'd do this...more specifcally, what I would say?

Often it works if you are a good customer by asking them to remove it.

[92er]

What a bugger I just spent ages shredding my old bank statements from the past 10 years! Only got the past two years now!! Oh well - still be worth looking into!

If you go on the web site, they might well say you can ask the Bank for earlier statements because you think you have paid unfair charges. i certainly have seen it somewhere.

[Jordan]

FFS, Got in from work, thought I would have a read of BRFC's and notice this. I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS BANK CHARGES ALL DAY!!!!!

Fully agree with what Glenn and Modi are saying however I work for a Bank so I have to agree. When customers open an account with a Bank they are made aware of the charges and the criteria which can cause them and they ultimatley sign and agree to these T&C's.

I do however agree that the unfair area is when a charge takes a customer overdrawn which subsequently creates another charge and so on and so on...possibly Banks should have a limit on how many times they can change a customer a month.

[Tris]

...possibly Banks should have a limit on how many times they can change a customer a month.

My bank changes me all the time - from annoyed to really annoyed to incensed, and sometimes depressed.

My biggest gripe is this - in a world where I can buy goods and services with a few clicks on t'internet (and the money vanishes from my bank account balance within seconds) ... when I transfer money between accounts or pay credit card bills online, several days elapse between cash leaving one account and turning up in the other.

There is no excuse for that whatsoever.

[Paul]

when I transfer money between accounts or pay credit card bills online, several days elapse between cash leaving one account and turning up in the other.

There is no excuse for that whatsoever.

I'd agree. I bank with Abbey and if I transfer money between my own accounts the transaction is instant. If I make a payment, to say my credit card, provided the online details are provided by 5.30pm the payment is made the following day. This is very good by comparison with other banks but still slow by comparison with paying with a CC online.

[Paul]

Last week I was charged £19 for paying a credit card payment a few days too late...I see some people have said that a simple phone call to the bank (HSBC if it makes any difference) can result in claiming this back.

Could someone please fill me in on how I'd do this...more specifcally, what I would say?

I get this from time to time if I've been busy. I ring up and ask for the charge to be removed. If they refuse I ask them to review my record (which is very good, full payment every month). if they still refuse I point out I'm an exemplary customer and do they want to close the account? Works every time.

My experience is that if you have a good or reasonable record both banks and credit card companies will respond to this sort of call. Both mine have a policy of allowing one free late payment per year, but you have to ring up and ask.

The one that really makes my blood boil is NOT showing bank charges online. I manage all my bills, banking, credit card, phone, etc on line. I never receive a bill these days it all comes by e-mail and works really well. Except the friggin bank. I do all banking online and don't read the bank statements as that can be checked online. One month we exceeded our overdraft and got hit for £120 in charges, which the bank took the following month BUT gave notice of on the paper statement for the previous month. As I was banking on line it was therefore a month before I noticed these. I phoned to complain only to be told because I hadn't complained within seven days I couldn't get a refund. After a very heated conversation around the point that if I am encouraged to bank online all the information must come that way I eventually got a refund but it was hard work.

[Glenn]

My bank changes me all the time - from annoyed to really annoyed to incensed, and sometimes depressed.

My biggest gripe is this - in a world where I can buy goods and services with a few clicks on t'internet (and the money vanishes from my bank account balance within seconds) ... when I transfer money between accounts or pay credit card bills online, several days elapse between cash leaving one account and turning up in the other.

There is no excuse for that whatsoever.

I'd agree. I bank with Abbey and if I transfer money between my own accounts the transaction is instant. If I make a payment, to say my credit card, provided the online details are provided by 5.30pm the payment is made the following day. This is very good by comparison with other banks but still slow by comparison with paying with a CC online.

Ooh ! I know the answer to this (and I'm sure Jill will correct me if I'm slightly wrong). It's because the entire antiquated system still relies on bits of paper being sent around the country. One bank physically sends the request to the the other, who check the account and should there be insufficient funds need time to decide wether to pay it or send the request back to the other bank.

It's certianly how it works for cheques and it seems a similar system muct be used for inter-bank electronic transactions.

Obviously in-bank transactions can be done much quicker as the bank itself can cheeck both ends of the transaction without replying on another bank to get back to them.

[Gav]

Just had my charges returned, £330 in time for Europe.

[FourLaneBlue]

Cheques are another bugbear. They invlove massive amounts of manual processing (compared to a debit card), so why should I, as somebody who hasn't used a personal cheque in years, be forced to subsidse those people who are unwilling to use a debit and/or ATM card ?

False reasoning. You're not suggesting that the bank would pass on the savings made through admin to their customers and not just pocket it themselves are you?

Besides, I don't always want to send my card details when ordered via mail order, also agree with Jim that there have people using cheques for generations who may not wish to change.

Edited August 23, 2006 by FourLaneBlue

[American]

Just had my charges returned, £330 in time for Europe.

You should be so proud that you're that much of a deadbeat!!

[Gav]

You should be so proud that you're that much of a deadbeat!!

[Eddie]

Bit of a different issue but I am having huge problems with Orange at the moment about getting a charge back. They took £150 from me when I started my contract on the premise that they would give it back after 3-6 months of my phone contract. This was because I hadn't lived in the UK for the last 3 years and so I suppose they had fears that I would run off with their phone. Well it has now been about 8 months and depiste talking to them on the phone and having them say about 3 times that they have put the money back into my account it still isn't there. Very annoying.

[Tris]

Bit of a different issue but I am having huge problems with Orange at the moment about getting a charge back. They took £150 from me when I started my contract on the premise that they would give it back after 3-6 months of my phone contract. This was because I hadn't lived in the UK for the last 3 years and so I suppose they had fears that I would run off with their phone. Well it has now been about 8 months and depiste talking to them on the phone and having them say about 3 times that they have put the money back into my account it still isn't there. Very annoying.

Orange customer service used to be the very best. It's gone to pieces - and it won't surprise you to learn that the decline started when France Telecom bought the company!

[stuwilky]

Bit of a different issue but I am having huge problems with Orange at the moment about getting a charge back. They took £150 from me when I started my contract on the premise that they would give it back after 3-6 months of my phone contract. This was because I hadn't lived in the UK for the last 3 years and so I suppose they had fears that I would run off with their phone. Well it has now been about 8 months and depiste talking to them on the phone and having them say about 3 times that they have put the money back into my account it still isn't there. Very annoying.

You dont happen to have the deposit conditions in writing anywhere do you?

If you do send them a copy along with a covering letter referring them to whatever section it is and giving them 14 days to pay the money back to you or you will take them to the small claims court.

Costs £35 (i think) but you can claim that back from them.

But they do need to be in breach of their conditions.

And if you really want to you could probably get out of the contract as well and get a better deal by holding them to have breached their own terms.

[Eddie]

Thank you, I'll give it a go, I do have it in writing.

[blue phil]

This was because I hadn't lived in the UK for the last 3 years and so I suppose they had fears that I would run off with their phone.

Now if they'd have looked for you in Fantasyland .....