In a letter to MoneySavingExpert.com, one reader called Brian explained how he was told he had to open a packaged bank account in order to apply for a loan
A fan of Martin Lewis has explained how he reclaimed more than £3,000 in packaged bank account fees.
A packaged bank account is a paid-for current account that comes with additional benefits such as breakdown cover, mobile and travel insurance. But some people were mis-sold these accounts – for example, if you were sold a packaged bank account that came with features that you didn’t need, or could not use, or if you were told you had to have the account to qualify for a mortgage, overdraft or credit card.
Other forms of mis-selling could include fees being added without your consent, or not fully being told what you were signing up for. In a letter to MoneySavingExpert.com, one reader called Brian explained how he was told he had to open a packaged bank account in order to apply for a loan.
He said: “I studied an MBA in 2006, and at the time NatWest offered a very specific loan. I was made to switch bank accounts and move to a paid-monthly account, apparently both requirements of the loan. After reading your guidance, I submitted the letter. I thought if I get something back that’d be a win. I received over £3,000 last week. About £1,700 compensation plus about £1,500 in interest.”
How to reclaim packaged bank account fees
MoneySavingExpert.com has a checklist of all the different ways you may have been mis-sold a packaged bank account:
- You were wrongly told you had to get it
- You couldn’t use the insurance
- You were misled into taking out the account
- The fee was added without you knowing
- You tried to cancel but were forced to keep it
- You were told it was the only way to get an overdraft
- No one mentioned you needed to register your phone/car
- You were told having one would improve your credit score
- Your bank increased the fees without you knowing
If you believe you were mis-sold, write to your bank and explain your situation. Make sure you also cancel the account if you don’t believe you need it. If successful, you should get back all the fees you paid for the entire time you had the packaged bank account, plus interest.
How much you get will depend on how long you had the account for, so this could potentially run into thousands of pounds if you had it for a long time. If the bank rejects your claim, or doesn’t respond within eight weeks, you can take your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman for free.
