Oh look … it's yet another weblog!

Reclaiming My Bank Charges … Part 2

Last week, after 3 weeks waiting for a response from Alliance + Leicester to my request for
all the details of the excess bank charges levied to my account, I actually received a bit
more than I was originally expecting. I thought that I’d get maybe 2 or 3 pages listing
only the charges, but what I actually got were full copies of ALL my statements.

Essentially, there were 28 pages (29 if you include the covering letter) listing every single
transaction since the account was opened in December 2005. Which means, should A+L
use any delaying tactics after I’ve asked for my money back (which is highly likely) and
the situation turns to legal action, I have now got all the info that may be requested
by the county courts and/or any lawyers that might get involved.

Last time I posted an article here about my A+L bank charges, it was a random selection
of account statements over a ten month period from August 2006, in which I found a
total of £452 in charges for unauthorised overdrafts and bounced DD payments.

The full amount of charges from all my statements comes to a not so grand total of £503.
I was expecting it to be a fair bit more than that, but at least I now know exactly how
much I can claim back from the corporate greed A+L have exercised against me.

Now, I’m off to compile a list of the actual charges, and a letter (using a template letter
from MoneySavingExpert.com) to give A+L upto 14 days to pay me back my money.

As always, I’ll keep you posted on further developments.

Best Regards,
DJGM1974 – a.k.a. Greg Mitchell.

Reclaiming My Bank Charges … Part 1

Ok folks, this is quite a long article I’m posting here, but please bear with me . . .

Back in December 2005, I opened a new bank account with Alliance + Leicester,
for reasons of which would mean a long story about my previous employers,
the money they owe me, which I’ll probably never see again!

Anyway, over the course of the 19 months or so my A+L bank account has been
open there have been numerous charges applied, for direct debits that’ve been
bounced, causing my account to go overdrawn, thus resulting in a charge for
an unauthorised overdraft. Even though I never intended to go overdrawn
in the first place! Not at all! Deary me, no!

Anyway, to cut a long-ish story a bit shorter, while you’re currently out of work,
and trying to start a computer repair business with a friend, bank charges are
very much a hinderance. And since in recent months, there’s been a lot of
stuff about bank customers rebelling against their banks and claiming the
charges back, I thought it’s probably time I should do the same.

So, I grabbed a random handful of my A+L account statements covering about
ten months since August 2006, and I found that during that time, the total
amount of charges was £452!!! And that’s only for that 10 month period!

I know I’ve had a fair few charges on my account in the other months since
the account was opened in December 2005, so I’m sure the grand total is
probably quite a lot more than £452. Gawd knows how much more!

So, this week, I have ventured upon the first phase of my plan of action against
what is essentially profiteering and corporate greed, and get my money back!

First up, I opened up what is referred to as a “parachute account”. The reason?
In case A+L say, “Ok you can have your money back, now feck off!”, and close
my account with them. Which would be very unfair, but it could happen.

Secondly, I’ve sent a letter requesting details of all the excess charges that’ve
been applied since December 2005. Then, I’m going to add them all up, and
politely demand it all back. The lot! Every last penny of it.

(Well, I’ll certainly not settle for any less than 90% of it.)

I know that I’ve got every right to do this, and I can even threaten to take A+L
to the small claims court if they refuse my request to refund the charges, and
it is very likely they’ll do that. They know they’re in the wrong, and so they’ll
probably try everything they can, to avoid paying me back my money.

If you’ve read this far, thanks for bearing with me.

Now, if you have a bank account that’s had excessive charges applied at anytime
within the last 6 years, you too have the right to do as I’m doing now, like many,
others, write to the bank, find out exactly how much you’ve been charged,
and politely demand it back. And the end of the day, it’s your money,
don’t let these greedy corporate (barstewards) steal it from you!

Check out … MoneySavingExpert.com – Reclaiming Your Bank Charges … there’s
plenty of valuable information there, and template letters you can use should you
decide to take action against your bank, and reclaim what is rightfully yours.

I’ll keep you posted as to what happens with my situation.

Best Regards,
DJGM1974 – a.k.a. Greg Mitchell.