A little problem too many... (Lloyds TSB)

Member Name: jesika_jay

Product:	Lloyds TSB
Date:	23/07/02 (220 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: unfriendly, unhelpful, money grabbers

I have just been into my local branch of Lloyds TSB to sort out a little problem. I have just come back with the little problem not only still unresolved, but even worse than it was this morning!

This is going to be a bad review for Lloyds TSB which they thoroughly deserve. I am not a happy person. This unhappy person will be closing her Lloyds account the minute this problem is resolved. Here's why:-

Ok, it all started when I opened a student account with an overdraft limit of £1250. Basically, to cut a long story short, I went about £30 over my agreed overdraft limit as I was using a debit card, and you know how it is!

I was not aware of this until I received a statement in the post about 3 weeks later saying I was £80 over my limit. That's funny, I thought, I'm sure I wouldn't have gone that much over. Looking at my statement, I saw that the purchase I'd made of petrol had taken me £30 over the limit. So what about the other £50 I hear you wonder? £50 on my statement for going over the limit! £50?? Surely that couldn't be right, I mean, they hadn't even notified me I was overdrawn, let alone notified me of any charges! Surely they would write me a letter asking me to pay back the £30 I owe straightaway before debiting my account?

I rung up the bank right away to find out what was going on. After pressing about 100 different numbers to get off the recorded message and through to an operator, I got put through to a rude and unhelpful young girl who obviously didn't have a clue what she was on about. "You were notified of the charges on June 18th and they are for being overdrawn in the month of June. They will be taken out on the 30th June."
"But its the 2nd of July today, incase you hadn't noticed," I replied "and the charges have already been debited, despite me receiving NO warning from you. I didn't even realise I was overdrawn by £30. If I had been told, I w
ould've paid it back straightaway!"
"You have to pay the bank £80 to get back in credit, you won't be able to block these charges. They are standard charges."

I don't recall reading on the contract that the bank has permission to take out money from your account without even notifying you. And £50? That's a bit steep! In my experiences and enquiries, the most a bank ever charges for being overdrawn is £28 (Halifax). Most are around £10-£15. And they will inform you that you are overdrawn. Then they will inform you of any charges at least 2 weeks before they debit them!

Anyway, the conversation with this silly girl went on for a while before I realised that there was absolutely no point in wasting my breathe any furthe as she seemed to be content with stating the obvious and telling me there was nothing she could do.

I paid a visit into my branch a couple of days later to talk to someone who could help. I waited half an hour to speak to a financial assistant.

This man was of no help either and after about half an hour of arguing, calling the manager and saying that I did not see why I should have to pay something I was not informed about, I saw that there was nothing I could do- I had to face the fact that I had been ripped off and that I would have to pay these idiots £80 unless I wanted to receive another charge.

So, a few days later, I got my wages and parted with £80.

It was all over and I would cancel my Lloyds account as soon as I could be bothered to do so. That's what I thought anyway.

I got home to find a letter from Lloyds. An apology? A thank you, maybe? No. Wait. What's this? £60? What for? To my shock I was being charged £60 for being over drawn "in the month of July" and these charges would be debited to my account on or around the 30th July.

I couldn't believe it! Down to my branch again, this time I am less tolerant and even
refuse to wait in the long queue of customers waiting to see a financial advisor. I demand to see a manager. After a lot of fuss, a customer service rep reluctantly goes to find a manager. 10 minutes later he makes it down the stairs.

I explain my situation and that I am NOT paying any more money to them and that I want to close my account. I said I would issue a formal complaint if this was not done. He then goes on to state the obvious saying my account is overdrawn and in order to close it, I must wait til July 30th and then pay back the £60.

This man was not going to back down. He did not apologise for this whole matter, and said there was nothing to do as "he didn't make up the rules".

I was in that bank for almost an hour. An hour of wasted time. £60 of wasted money. What do I do now? All one can do is pay the money before we hit August and I get charged some other random amount. What could it be next time? £70? £100?

The way I see it, this bank are a waste of time and space. They were of no assistance to me- they did not help me and they did not WANT to help. They were just waiting for me to go the smallest bit over my limit so they could get excessive amounts of money out of me- money which I clearly do not have much of, being a student.

GIVE THESE "BANKERS" A WIDE BERTH!!

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