Bank charges are so unfair

I've been overseas and didn't take my bank card with me. On arriving home, I discovered that virtually all of my direct debits had either not been paid, or, worse still, paid with horrendous charges slapped on. These charges accounted for the fact that they were charging me a "Daily Rate" whilst the account was overdrawn. However, when I checked my transactions at an ATM, I discovered that they had paid a direct debit which doesn't belong to me! It also appears that they have "No documented proof" who the direct debit belongs to! Obviously this will be sorted out in time and my money refunded - but in the meantime I'm being hounded by companies who haven't received my direct debit payments or have had cheques returned! I've spoken on the phone to them a couple of times, but messages simply aren't passed on - so I would suggest that when dealing with these people, insist on a written response - make them work for their money like most of us have to!

Absolute rip off! why don't the banks pay in the credits due on that day BEFORE thay take the debits? because they make more money from us and they have one huge monopoly!!! virtually no one can live today without a bank account and they all know that, so they operate one huge cartel making BILLIONS of £'s a year profit on the backs of all hard working people. Why doesn't the banking ombudsman deal with this issue?

I've just cancelled my account with Empirestores. I placed an order on 8th July which still isn't complete, but I have now told them to cancel all outstanding items. I apparently had a statement informing me that I was meant to have made a payment on the 4th August which I didn't receive, but they couldn't care less, told me it was sent and that's that. I've paid my account in full and will never shop with them again, I was a customer with them for well over 19 years and have always paid on time, this is a first and they couldn't care less that they have lost yet another customer, all for the sake of £15. I will of course be taking it further.

Hi Geoff, I have had letter from the Halifax saying that my bank charges are justifiable because I agreed to their terms and conditions ( I have followed Martin lewis's instructions to the letter).Please could you tell me if it is easy to threaten court action, did you just send a letter to the Halifax saying you were going to take them to court or did you start a claim online? Thanks

Banks aren't a charity. They are there simply there to make money, from your money, in the most direct way possible, by robbing it from your account the moment you give them the slightest excuse to do so, willingly, knowingly, intentionally or not.

The greasy, slimey individuals who run these institutions are making a fortune from the unfortunates in our society, because we let them do so!

50 years ago most people didn't have bank accounts. Everything was paid for in cash. You were only ever allowed a bank account if you had sufficient funds. Overdrafts, even the smallest possible, were never allowed. You always had to maintain a positive balance *At All Times*.

Overdrafts if they were agreed had a very strict time limit and programme by which you had to clear them altogether.

Today's people who live by credit have destroyed their wealth. Britain's populatio n will eventually become really really poor because of this. Start practising to become a third world country. It will soon be a reality here.

After Bank ,

I am going through the same process with my bank who are horsing about if you get my meaning.
When I qouted The Office of Fair Traiding,they wrote back saying that they don't agree with the ruling given and are arguing with them.I have asked for written details of my charges for the last six years and they have told me it may take up to 40 days and will cost me £10:00.
Don't know if they think they will put me off but they won't.
My arguement is over a matter of £20 which I inadvertantly went over my limit over Christmas partly because I was changing service provider on the net and partly because money went in and out at totaly different times to what they normaly would have.For this they are charging me £60:00 Up untill then my account was fairly well in order.This is not the first time my bank has charged overinflated charges.I had this once before when I was out of work and a single Dad.They were less than helpfull on that occasion.

I was very annoyed that HFC Bank (HSBC) claimed that my bank cancelled a direct debit for credit card repayments. HFC insisted they were not at fault and only when I threatened making a formal complaint did they agree to refund GBP 12 in "late payment" charges.

They seem to be milking us with these charges. When I paid the "missed" payment they added a GBP 1 surcharge. Probably to pay for the daily Indian call centre messages I received over four days. In some messages left I could hardly understand what was being said.

How many customers actually fall for this scam I can only imagine. Do not let the get away with it!

er hold on
moneysavingexpert.com type in "bank Charges" in the search engine and follow the instructions. I did and I got a full refund. I also involved the banking Ombudsman and that cost the bank £500.00 the day he contacts them. So a bank manager friend of mine. It took six months and 4 letters but they refunded me after my last letter advised them they were in the small claims court if they did not refund.
Charges in the Uk are actually invalid. Read all about the OFT and complaints. Don't let these thieves get away with it I didn't!

I recently got charged £120 in bank charges I went into the bank and asked for an itemised printout justifying the costs of the charges strangely, 5 minutes later the manager came out and said as an act of good faith we will waive the charges on this occasion.(funny that eh)

I had the same problem with Abbey - recently when then refused a bill payment from my account, although I had a cheque clearing that day and 2 bacs payment also on the same day which were cleared funds. I made a complaint and the India Call centre gave me £10, I did not think that this reflected all the agro so I wrote and guess what they apologised and put into my account a further £25. This is a drop in the ocean as I believe that most of my bank charges occured through this happening. Appently they deal with DD's, Bill Payments etc at 1 minute past 12 and do not credit your account untill 9am the same day. Therefore you are likley not to have cleared funds to meet your outgoing payments which culminates in these excessive bank charges.

What annoys me most about the charges is that they are taken from the less well off !

When I was skint they did me once. Now I always have sufficient cash I never have problems. It is just plain wrong.
Robbing the poor to pay the rich?
Hmmm.............

On the news today,a woman threatened her building society with court action over £6,000 charges on a late payment that was her banks fault.The building society caved in and settled out of court immediately.She did the same with her bank who were very slow in answering over her bank charges.The result was the baliffs entered the bank and demanded payment.On the second visit by them the bank paid up.

These overcharges are illegal.The banks may not like to admit it as they make a fortune out of it but if taken to court now they are more than likely to lose.