Natwest Default - How do I proceed

[yorkshiregrey]

Hi Everyone,

Bit of a dilemma with an old NatWest Account, where a default has been placed on it on 30/11/2012. This has only come to light as I recently applied for a job and I failed a credit check.

Anyway I checked my credit report and there is a default on the 30/11/2012 for £609 which is made up of bank charges for unauthorised overdraft. When you look at the account activity on my credit file it goes up and down with little overdraft charges that I paid off in Jan 2012 leaving a £0 balance

Nov 11 - £8
Dec 11 -£18
Jan 12 £0
Feb 12 £28
April 12 - £192
November 2012 - £609

I was not working at this time, due to cancer treatment and after the few charges that I incurred I paid it off in Feb 2012 and wrote to NatWest to close the bank account as I knew my salary would not be going in for quite some time. Looking back I should probably have followed up on this to make sure it was actually closed but my head was full of health issues so I presumed as I didn't hear anything everything was OK, I had never had any problems with the bank so didn't think I would on this occasion.

At the same time we rented our house out from Jan 2012 to Jan 2013 we could stay with family while I underwent treatment over the summer of 2012.I updated NatWest of the change of address in the same letter closing the account where I stated that any correspondence should be to my new address.

Anyway the account reads on my Equifax that on Feb 2012 there were £28 of charges which jumps up to £192 in April 2012 and finally £609 in November 2012 when a default is finally registered on 30/11/2012 The Account shows as OK every month for the previous two years until the few charges which were always paid back end of 2011 start of 2012

I am a little unsure what to do, I know I sent the letter to update them with closing the account, and to change my address, but I didn't follow it up I had so many other things on my mind regarding my health and moving house I just trusted in that it would be actioned. I did sent a letter to both my local branch and head office, but I have no proof other than my word really.

I do have a copy of the tenancy agreement for my property (and address which I changed from) and the electoral roll shows that I wasn't registered at my address for that year. I also have letters from my consultant showing appointments and so on for summer 2012 at my new address.

I am now ready to return to work and really wanted this job, but with a default in place I cannot work there due to the financial information that I will have access to. If NatWest had actioned my letter correctly I wouldn’t now be looking at £609 of debt which is just charges upon charges really and I wouldn’t have a default so I don’t think they have acted very fairly really.

I do feel as though I have been treated unfairly as you can see from the account that I paid the charges when they incurred, when I knew the account wouldn't be being used as it should I closed it, but I still provided details of where correspondence should be sent to. Since moving back into the property in 2013 I haven't heard anything from NatWest at all.
Ideally I would like the default removed or at least rolled back to Feb 2012 where there were minor bank charges incurred which they had notified me at my new address I would have paid as I had previous charges.

Any advice would be welcome

Thanks in advance

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest Default - How do I proceed

Hi Welcome,

Is the " default Sum" entirely made up of charges and no actual OD amount included?
The ICO's Guidance On defaults 2014 says " That if a default sum is made up of charges without which the account would not have been defaulted , no default should be placed".

If this is correct a Formal Complaint to NatWest is needed.
Place a notice of dispute/correction on all 3 main credit reference agencies asap.

nem

[yorkshiregrey]

Re: Natwest Default - How do I proceed

Thanks Nem,

Yes it is all charges, I think I must have been due a charge in Feb 2012 which I didn't take into account when paying the charges off in Jan 2012 - I didn't have an overdraft on the account so they are all charges. If they had wrote to me at my new address or even called me on my mobile I would have paid them.

I will dispute with CRA this afternoon

Thanks again for your help

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest Default - How do I proceed

Happy to help!!
To get this sorted the complaint to NW is the way forward I think.

nem

[yorkshiregrey]

Re: Natwest Default - How do I proceed

Just thought I would give an update, as I found it really useful when looking into my problem, and had it not been for Nem's advice I would never had the confidence to complain to my bank :-)

I raised a formal complaint with Natwest regarding the charges on the account and the adverse credit placed because the branch staff had not updated the records to close the account.

The lady I spoke to was lovely and she agreed with my complaint as the entire balance was made up of Gold account monthly fees which then put me into overdraft which incurred unauthorised overdraft charges and the subsequent default that was placed on my credit file and preventing me getting a job I really wanted.

All adverse credit information has been removed from all three credit files , Natwest have confirmed this in writing to me, and send me a £50 cheque as compensation.

So all is good in the end, now I just have to go and get the Job :-)

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest Default - How do I proceed

Well Done!!
I'm very pleased for you and happy to have been able to help!

Best wishes and good luck with the job hunting!

n:okay:em