Bank Charges and a Happy Ending
11 March 2008
A couple of weeks ago I made a very silly mistake of not transferring funds between bank accounts. This resulted in me having a red face because the cheque to our plumber ‘bounced’ and I had the privilege of having t tell him, but also I was whacked with a charge of £25.
I had simply forgotten to transfer the funds until the night before when in bed. I logged on first thing the following morning to find the cheque had been presented and I was massively overdrawn on that account. I immediately transferred the money, but later in the day the cheque was back in the account unpaid. I have never had this happen before and was horrified. The plumber who thankfully knows us well was OK about the situation and told me not to worry.
I did worry. I don’t like owing people money and to give him a cheque that wasn’t honoured was dreadful, but as I have said it was my mistake. I telephoned my bank, who advised me to reissue a cheque and as the funds were now available it would of course be paid. Luckily Jim’s an ex bank manager, but now a transformed character stepped in. He was aware of different instructions given regarding uncleared cheques and said that rather than reissue the cheque it was more likely that the cheque will be represented on my bank’s instruction.
Another phone call and the bank didn’t seem to know what to do, but did agree to stop the original cheque free of charge, thus waving the £12 fee. I was then just left with a £25 fee for the bounced cheque and as yet an unknown fee from the plumber’s bank. Despite Jim telling me it was a pointless exercise I wrote to the bank expressing my disgust and shock at this fee. I had transferred the money albeit a little late and have never had this happen before. To my surprise they have agreed as ‘a gesture of goodwill’ to refund the fee. This morning it is back in my account.
I am lucky that I don’t go overdrawn and therefore don’t face bank charges and I suppose am a customer who is easily please as the bank has little to do, but I have to say an enormous ‘Thank you’ to cahoot bank for excellent customer service as I believe that this isn’t always the case with some banks. I have banked with them for a good few years now and not just out of loyalty but because I get a decent no fuss service and equally decent interest rates. The products offered are easily managed on line (unless like me you have a blond moment!) and do what they say on the tin.
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