Bank being unfair - help needed!

[x-kirsty-x]

Im putting this here rather than the bank sticky cos more people will see it here. Anyway, basically this is the situation I'm in...

I claimed my charges back and the bank refunded them but closed my account. I had a £250 overdraft which they said I could pay back in instalments.

I wrote to them asking how to go about setting up monthly payments. They wrote back saying they'd be in touch shortly.

4 weeks later I got another letter saying the same as above, they were still looking into it.

The next day I got a letter (from a different department) saying if I hadnt paid the full amount within 7 days they would take further action.

I wrote back saying Id complained to the FOS and asked them to either waive the £250 or tell me how to pay it monthly.

They didnt acknowledge that letter but sent me one today saying they want the full amount immediately or they're referring me to a debt collection agency.

I've tried ringing them and sorting this out but they always say they'll look into it and they never ring back. Its got me so frustrated

 

[jenna]

im not sure what you can do hun sorry
Although i did read somewhere that banks cant close your accounts anymore because its illegal or something Dont know if its true. Hope you get it sorted

 

[Melanie]

The exact same thing happened to me Kirsty, I went to the CAB and in one phone call from them it was sorted out and they sent me the details to set up a monthly payment the same week as the phone call.

 

[x-kirsty-x]

Well I've just rang their debt collection department and said I'll pay them £50 a month for 5 months until the overdraft is paid off.

I dont really have the money to do that but at least its sorted now. I thought I'd won when I got my charges back but it looks like its them who's come out on top.

Someone should do something to stop the banks walking all over customers, its caused so many people nothing but stress

 

[Anna B]

They cannot demand that you pay it back immediatly, as effectivly, an agreed overdraft is a loan, with similar terms and conditions attatched to it. They are also not supposed to be able to close down your account, but as they already have, there may be little you can do about it, but if it were me, I'd still look into appealing against their decision.

Which bank was it?

 

[FeeFee]

Anna as far as LLoydsTSB is concerned they can its in the VERY VERY SMALL print at the bottom of the term and conditions, this is the ONLY reason i havent claimed my charges back because we have a £1500 loan and a £2000 overdraft that at the moment due to over payment of benefits we are living in, i couldnt afford to have them close the account on me, but could deffinately do with the £1000 back in charges they owe me

 

[Tara & Liam]

you should have told the credit collection people that you could only afford to pay £5 - £10 back at the most a month. they cannot make you pay anymore. at the end of the day they can take you to court and as long as you have all the figures to say that that is a reasonable offer you will be okay. My SIL pays back £1 a month on a £500 bill.

 

[x-kirsty-x]

Its Alliance & Leicester. Even saying their name makes me angry

I said to them I would give them £10 a month and not a penny more but she said the longest repayment period is 6 months so I just offered £50 a month to get them off my back.

It was illegal for them to close down my account just cos I got my charges back and I was going to fight them and claim compensation but I've had enough of it, I'll let them win. At least once its paid off I wont have to deal with them ever again.

Only thing is they'll put a note on my credit file and it'll be there for 6 years

 

[Emmylou]

A & L did this to me.....they closed my account after sending me a cheque for the charges I had claimed, then didn't even write to me themselves to ask me to repay what I had spent of my overdraft......just handed it straight to debt collection agent.......

Bar stewards!

 

[Minime]

I thought it was unlawful to close your account?

 

[x-kirsty-x]

I thought it was unlawful to close your account?

I keep telling them that on the phone and they keep telling me it was a 'voluntary closure' whatever that means.

Probably trying to make it look as though I closed it down myself

 

[Minime]

Have you tried the money saving expert forum? Normally somebody responds quite quick as I'm sure they cant do that to you.