Alliance and Leicester Bank Charges. Help!

JayBenoit · 09-03-2010, 16:10

Alliance and Leicester have charged me £100 for being overdrawn by 77p for the last month. (£5 a day)

I hardly use the account other than for 1 DD (Cineworld card) that has always been a set amount until recently when it increased by £1.50. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of this increase, didn't have enough in the account and went overdrawn by 77p. I only realised i'd gone overdrawn a month or so later after my redirected post had reached me.

I had a 'premier' current account with them but once I stopped my wages going in at the end of last year I was incurring £5 under funding charges, so I called them and downgraded to a regular c/a. At no stage did I realise I would get charged a fiver a day for being overdrawn!

They offered to waive £25 of it as a goodwill gesture but I asked them to review the case instead as I think it's a ridiculous amount to charge for being overdrawn by such a little amount.

Is there anything I can actually do? I emailed the financial ombudsman but have not received a reply and doubt I will. Great service! Hopefully someone here can advise.

Thanks for any and all help!
J

doesnotcompute · 09-03-2010, 16:17

So wait, you screwed up, you didn't inform them of your change of address, so the fees were increased because of the delay, but the bank has offered to waive the fees.

What, exactly, is it that you want?

Barny79 · 09-03-2010, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by doesnotcompute

So wait, you screwed up, you didn't inform them of your change of address, so the fees were increased because of the delay, but the bank has offered to waive the fees.

What, exactly, is it that you want?

I concur

JayBenoit · 09-03-2010, 16:32

The bank offered to waive £25 of the fees. Total was £100

Regardless of the length of time I was overdrawn my main gripe is how, in this day and age, they can apply such ridiculous fees to an account that has gone overdrawn by 77p!

And of course whether I have a leg to stand on. I missed the whole bank charges issue and refund of a few years ago as i've never really been overdrawn before, i've certianly never faced this type of excessive fee.

Any advice much appreciated.

doesnotcompute · 09-03-2010, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBenoit

The bank offered to waive £25 of the fees. Total was £100

Ahh, you didn't tell us that bit.

Quote:

Regardless of the length of time I was overdrawn my main gripe is how, in this day and age, they can apply such ridiculous fees to an account that has gone overdrawn by 77p!

It's in the T's and C's of business that you agreed to when opening the account, changing the account and are as sent to you periodically when they change. That's how they can apply it.

If you push, gently, and are a valued customer (clearly, you're not, you admit not using the account) then perhaps you will get a better goodwill gesture.

Otherwise, suck it up.

MaddyPaulus · 09-03-2010, 17:29

What do the T&Cs say? Surely they are available on the A&L website?

Quote:

Originally Posted by doesnotcompute

Ahh, you didn't tell us that bit.

The first post is unedited and the OP did tell us that bit!

doesnotcompute · 09-03-2010, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaddyPaulus

What do the T&Cs say? Surely they are available on the A&L website?

The first post is unedited and the OP did tell us that bit!

You're right, I must have skipped the first line.

splobber · 09-03-2010, 17:42

moving to finance

homerjhandley · 09-03-2010, 17:44

Pay up and close the account and go with a bank with a decent overdraft fee!

Churchmouse · 10-03-2010, 15:19

The banks have all been in the process of reviewing and changing their overdraft fees in the wake of the bank charges court cases. Most are moving from a "£30 for being overdrawn plus 19% interest" model to "£x per day you are overdrawn". This benefits people with humungous and habitual unauthorised overdrafts (the bulk of the complainers - because minor infringers were often let off charges if they asked nicely) but it hits those who overdraw for a day or two for small amounts very hard indeed.

Sorry, but that's the brave new world the bank charge campaigners have brought about. Some will think it's better and fairer because you know exactly what you have to pay if you break the rules, some will hate it, but that's the way it is.

09-03-2010, 16:10	#1
JayBenoit Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London Posts: 97 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Alliance and Leicester Bank Charges. Help! Alliance and Leicester have charged me £100 for being overdrawn by 77p for the last month. (£5 a day) I hardly use the account other than for 1 DD (Cineworld card) that has always been a set amount until recently when it increased by £1.50. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of this increase, didn't have enough in the account and went overdrawn by 77p. I only realised i'd gone overdrawn a month or so later after my redirected post had reached me. I had a 'premier' current account with them but once I stopped my wages going in at the end of last year I was incurring £5 under funding charges, so I called them and downgraded to a regular c/a. At no stage did I realise I would get charged a fiver a day for being overdrawn! They offered to waive £25 of it as a goodwill gesture but I asked them to review the case instead as I think it's a ridiculous amount to charge for being overdrawn by such a little amount. Is there anything I can actually do? I emailed the financial ombudsman but have not received a reply and doubt I will. Great service! Hopefully someone here can advise. Thanks for any and all help! J

09-03-2010, 16:17	#2
doesnotcompute Ampallang Wearer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: A British expat living in The Netherlands after 2.5 years in California. Posts: 1,978 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	So wait, you screwed up, you didn't inform them of your change of address, so the fees were increased because of the delay, but the bank has offered to waive the fees. What, exactly, is it that you want? __________________ Doesnotcompute

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09-03-2010, 16:32	#4
JayBenoit Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London Posts: 97 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The bank offered to waive £25 of the fees. Total was £100 Regardless of the length of time I was overdrawn my main gripe is how, in this day and age, they can apply such ridiculous fees to an account that has gone overdrawn by 77p! And of course whether I have a leg to stand on. I missed the whole bank charges issue and refund of a few years ago as i've never really been overdrawn before, i've certianly never faced this type of excessive fee. Any advice much appreciated.

09-03-2010, 17:42	#8
splobber Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Lake Titicaca Posts: 59,964 Thanks: 6 Thanked 50 Times in 21 Posts	moving to finance

09-03-2010, 17:44	#9
homerjhandley Got Hr0n? Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sector 7G Posts: 4,129 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Pay up and close the account and go with a bank with a decent overdraft fee!

10-03-2010, 15:19	#10
Churchmouse Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 49 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The banks have all been in the process of reviewing and changing their overdraft fees in the wake of the bank charges court cases. Most are moving from a "£30 for being overdrawn plus 19% interest" model to "£x per day you are overdrawn". This benefits people with humungous and habitual unauthorised overdrafts (the bulk of the complainers - because minor infringers were often let off charges if they asked nicely) but it hits those who overdraw for a day or two for small amounts very hard indeed. Sorry, but that's the brave new world the bank charge campaigners have brought about. Some will think it's better and fairer because you know exactly what you have to pay if you break the rules, some will hate it, but that's the way it is.