Philip's prepared to battle bank charges

Philip Hale, 37, works at Rustington's Zachary Merton Hospital and has banked with Lloyds TSB for the last 12 years.

He said that although he has a regular salary, he often goes over his overdraft limit and incurs charges.

"It's ridiculous", he said. "I go over by 2 and they charge me 30 for a letter to be sent out telling me I'm over my limit. It's not on."

After seeing an item on claiming back bank charges by money expert Martin Lewis on GMTV, Philip decided that he would claim these charges back from the last six years which he said would run into hundreds of pounds.

The programme showed how people had successfully recouped their bank charges by threatening to start legal action in the small claims court.

The banks, seemingly wary of a legal precedent opening the floodgates to thousands of similar claims, had paid put to those individuals.

On Monday, Philip took his "demand" letter to Lloyds TSB in Rustington and gave it to the manager and at the time of going to print he had not had a reply.

"The banks, basically, cannot explain why these letters cost so much," said Philip. "If you ask, they can't tell you and you keep getting passed on to different people because no one will admit that they are just to make the bank money.

"The law states that bank fines must be proportional to their costs. Where on earth can it cost 30 to send out a letter that has been printed and sent by a computer?

"I'm not just doing this for myself, but for everybody who has been stung by their unjust, unfair and extortionate bank charges. It's about time the consumer fought back and I fully intend to get all my money back even if it means going through the small claims court."

A spokeswoman for Lloyds TSB told the Gazette she couldn't comment on Mr Hale's individual case, but said that the bank had received a number of claims from other customers, some of whom had received refunds.

She said: "We believe our charges are transparent. "We make it clear to our current account customers that if they exceed their overdraft limit, requiring the bank to provide a new limit on their account, the bank will charge for this service, as it involves an administrative process which has costs associated with it."

For more information on how you can recoup yours, visit the GMTV homepage at www.gm.tv and search for "bank charges" or visit Littlehampton CAB at Anchor Springs to pick up an information pack on how to make your own claim.

lLittlehampton Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) has helped several of its clients recoup unfair bank charges.