So...after writing 2 letters, spending £10 and approx 1/2 an hour of my time, my bank have agreed to pay me back the £176 they took from me in the last 6 years in various bank charges for going into unauthorised o/draft, bouncing D/Ds, shit like that.

Of course, they wrote me a letter taking the time to remind me that they apparently provide me with loads of free services, and that charges for unauthorised borrowing WEREN'T penalty clauses but charges for a service as included in my Ts & Cs that I had agreed to etc, but as a gesture of goodwill (pfffft) they were going to refund me the whole of the charges I had incurred (which isn't all that much granted - still £176 not to be sniffed at).

My point is, it is worth chasing this up if you have been stung by your bank in the last 6 years for charges & you want to claim them back. My wife (before she changed her account) has paid approx £900 in charges in the last 6 years so we are going for those next. It helps if you tap on 8% interest to each charge as a negotiating tool, as that would be what they courts would do if it ever went to court and was found in your favour. Read all about how to do it here:

http://tinyurl.com/zl4tg