Advice about being ripped off by a bank?

My wife is being ripped off by Nationwide Bank. About a year ago she needed to use her overdraft facility which she had used on many occasions prior to this. She went about 拢20 overdrawn. The bank then started issuing fines saying she did not have the overdraft any more as she is supposed to formally renew it every year in writing. She was never told this. We argued this for a while both in the branch and in writing but to no resolution. In the process they issued more and more fines and she ended up 拢90 overdrawn so we just decided to pay it in cash and close the account. However they refused to close it saying since we wrote the letter and settled the balance more fines were issued so she now owes more money. The fines have been coming fast since then and they are now saying that it is out of there hands and has been passed on to the courts. Can anybody give me any advice and I would like to know of ways I can let as many people know about this as possible i.e. good websites etcAdvice about being ripped off by a bank?
You are going to have to get an attorney. Since it has gone to court you will need one.





Take care!


Kali :-)Advice about being ripped off by a bank?
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
no doubt about these banks, they will find ANY excuse to keep extorting money from their customers. it's despicable!


ignore the letters and simly don't use the account, then go to an ombudsman and make a formal complaint regarding the fees and charges that you are being hit with. then send the bank YOUR bill for having to write letters, make calls etc in order to contest these charges, see how they they like it!
try %26amp; claim these daft charges back..have a look at martyn lewis's website www.moneysavingsexpert.com - he is a good guy for the people..and doesnt like banks!! you might find a tip or two on there!
basically the bank when you signed for the OD would a said or it would a been in small print about the 12 month period you have to reply for it.





ever bank has that in place after 12 months they cancel it and you re apply








banks are rip offs but your best friend if loaded





regards x kitti x
I know what you're going through. I have had my bank account for 6 years. It started as a student account and, then I added my husband onto it. Tada-one year later I have an overdraft and was charged fees. The bank said I should have renewed it every year.
i'm afraid misskitty was right, every overdraft should be formally reviewed and renewed each year, if you still have the original paperwork for the overdraft agreement it should say this in small print.


the reason why you're getting charges upon charges is because they are not calculated as people so commonly think they are. they go from the middle of the month. so....if you go overdrawn in the middle of february you will be charged for that at the end of march,say you get paid at the end of each month, you will be charged again at the end of april for being overdrawn from the middle of march etc. and if a dd makes you go overdrawn, you'll get charged for an unpaid dd and then charged on top of that for going overdrawn, so its like a vicious circle. i think it very poor customer service for nationwide not the freeze the charges when you complained, as you said you went to pay off the charges and close the account, so they should have frozen the account and then given you a final amount to settle the account, it sounds as though they failed to do this, in which case, they are at fault. i would advise that you find a copy of the original paperwork that was signed. as if it clearly states on there that the overdraft has to be renewed, you may not have a leg to stand on, but if not then nationwide have to give you a reason why they have chosen to withdraw the facility. the least they should have done is to write to yourselves and offer the chance to have the overdraft reviewed, they shouldn't have withdrawn the facility without even advising you. if i were you i would demand a copy of the original documentation which your wife signed and then a copy of the letter they should have sent to advising you of the facility being withdrawn. because they should have sent you this letter. but good luck with it hun. i would advise having a chat with the financial ombudsman. because by the sounds of it Nationwide haven't followed every procedure required by the fsa. xx
Contact watchdog...the tv show.
Banks are the biggest crooks! Close your account! They can't stop you!
Better get a lawyer to work out a deal to end it once for all. I really can't think of any better way, especially that they have brought it to court.





On the other hand, if you have all the evidence to prove that the bank has neglected to inform your wife about it's policy, and the bank has abused its own policy and drawn your wife deeper in debt, I think you have a good chance of getting justice to your side.





Still, get a lawyer. A good one.
Why not put your case to the court and if it is as you described it here then perhaps they will order Nationwide to refund the illegal fines, pay costs and even perhaps compensate you.
Get yourself onto the moneysavingexpert.com forums and post this there. There will be a load of people who will be able to help you out and point you in the right direction.
This type of behaviour is currently being dragged through the court process to test its legality in a test case. During this period, the courts have agreed that banks can halt all proceedings against them until the result is known. If it comes up the it's illegal, then the banks will legally have to pay you back, otherwise, there wont be a lot that can be done.