The banks have lost their test case against charges

[daffy654]

Does this mean we can claim back our charges(unfair) now?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7364422.st m

[New Judge]

Halfway down the first paragraph:

"But more hearings are expected which may delay the cases of claimants, who should not expect an automatic pay-out.

Mr Justice Andrew Smith said: "This does not necessarily mean they [the charges] are unfair."

This case continues the process which could eventually allow the OFT to decide what a fair charge would be for unauthorised overdrafts."

So apparently not immediately.

[daffy654]

Thanks new judge,I couldn't make head nor tail of what they were actually saying,i'm not usually this dense but I have a horrible tension headache that is making it hard to concentrate.lol.

[4GS]

I think that the banks are going to say that 'due to the credit crunch we're experiencing financial difficulties so we are unable to pay compensation'

[daffy654]

My bank changed their charging system a couple of months back.They used to charge �25.00 for unauthorised overdraft then another �25.00 every second day you were overdrawn.One week I paid out �75.00 to the robbing gits.I was only overdrawn in the first place because SKY TV tried to take out money by DD that wasn't due.They now charge �5.00 per day for the same thing so thats a maximum of �35.00 in any week.

[kev1]

A couple of months ago I went overdrawn to the lofty tune of �1.50 (the first time in 25 years) I was charged �30 which I told them to shove where the sun dont shine

I recieved a letter saying that if I considered �30 to be excessive they would waive the charge and they subsequently did.

What do these criminals think the ripped off public are going to say:

Oh, a charge for �30 for being overdrawn for �1.50 for two days, well there is certainly nothing wrong with that, I'm more than glad to pay

[Twenty20]

But daffy654 people know what the charges are before they get overdrawn.

In your own case, you need to contact Sky and get a refund from them not the bank if they took out money wrongly.

[daffy654]

I don't object to paying charges twenty20 if I have gone overdrawn,its the amount of the charge that I dispute. My bank won't even give me an agreed overdraft even though I have over �1000.00 per month going through the account and have banked with them for 20 plus years.Its nothing to do with a credit rating either,its purely because I am registered disabled and don't work.

[New Judge]

Yes Twenty20 most people are aware of the charges. The court case, however, is about whether those charges are reasonable.

The argument is really that the banks are imposing fines (albeit under the guise of "charges") for those who go overdrawn without pior arrangement.

Today's ruling suggests that whilst they are allowed to recoup legitimate costs in these circumstances, they are not entitled to financially penalise their customers.

[harper]

When the bank tried to charge me �30 administration charges, I wrote back saying that I considered my time as valuable as theirs , the cost of my reply was �30 and therefore I owed them nothing.Never heard from them again about the matter.