Dear klw7me

You need advice urgently BUT in order to get relevant advice you need to stop being a human being - I hasten to add in order to sort this out. You're saying I'm not running away from this, I'm doing my best and then A&L throw a spanner in the works. Have they? Were they entitled to switch you to a basic account WITHOUT specifically saying for example "bang go your Direct privileges"?

You need to look at your situation totally dispassionately. For example - I did read your opening piece several times - why is your salary going into a different account where you have paid £500 in charges BUT you feel that A&L, your first account may have to whistle. Fine if the Banks in the driving seat's t&cs say new bank first, old bank second but you don't get to choose at this stage.

Simply put if you've got a mortgage and an unsecured loan and you say I'm going to concentrate on paying back the loan and you default on the mortgage you're on your way to losing your home.

Once you've got a list of their priorities you can get the best out of the help available.

Hope this helps.

You have nothing to lose by contacting your local Citizens Advice Bureau or National Debtline about trying to repay your debt. You don't have to be on the verge of bankruptcy to get help, it's even better if you have money coming in. They should still be able help you with your creditors and agreeing a repayment plan and negotiations to sort out the charges.

Good luck with it.

Sparky.

Thank you for your advice. I think I am going to move some bits around and send them a letter with a check for the original £200 interest free overdraft repayment as a settlement and see if that will help either them to minimise the fees or at the very least stop charging me. Many Thanks

The Sad fact is that they can. if you look at their t's & c's the apr for unauthorised overdraft fees is set out there. there is only two ways to stop this. either they are nice (like your other creditors) and hold off , or if you put that account into default.

i does suck that banks can make so much money out of individuals but unfortunately we signd up to their conditions.

good luck though

I have resisted going into a debt management plan as now that I have work i am in a postion to start paying my debts back at a good rate ( i.e. from recieving massive bank charges and not meeting minimum payments to being totally up to date and start paying off my debts by the end of august). So I have resisted going into it because I want 100% of my money to be paying them off. I have tried over the telephone to get them to hold off until the end of August so that I can pay them back, but it has proven to be fruitless, every other one of my creditors has been helpful in this and have allowed me time in which to sort myself out. I am just confused at how they can not contact me and then contact me with a £350 bank charge and add on another £100 in two weeks on a £200 interest free overdraft.

have you thought about going into a debt management plan? you can pay the debts off and you could get them to stop piling on the charges etc.

you need to tackle this straight away as if you leave it go , the debt may be sold on. its better to nip it in the bud now.

I have got myself into some financial difficulties and am trying to work my way out of them, all is going well until dropped on my doorstep a letter from A&L. I had a current account with them a while ago that I had my wages paid into, I went up to the interest free overdraft limit on it. I stopped working for a little bit and now have another job which my wages are paid into a different bank account. The account I had with A&L required me to pay in £500 a month, when this stopped happening when I stopped working they sent me a letter saying if I didn't pay in £500 a month they would switch me to the basic bank account and I would lose the extra benefits of the premier direct account, there was nothing in this letter that said I would lose my interest free overdraft. This was back in January. I recieved a letter two weeks ago saying I owed them £550 and if it wasn't repaid in 28 days they were going to refer the matter to the county courts. I have since tried to contact them saying look I had a £200 interest free overdraft and now all of a suddent I owe an extra £350 what has happened. Today I recieved a letter saying I owe £650. I am at a loss of what I can do. I am able to pay back the £200 on the 1s september when I get paid as I have other bills I need to catch up on with this months pay packet, but at the rate they are going I will owe nearly £1000 by then, which I am in no position to pay back. I have had bank chargs of £500 from my other current account in the past few months I cannot deal with another £450 worth of charges on top of that, my plan was to be back on my feet by September and then I can pay off my credit cards, but this is making it impossible, what can I do? someone please give me some advice!