Lately, when my bank makes mistakes (and they make many) I automatically send them an invoice for £50. Last time they complained about it and I replied by sending another invoice. I told them that if they did not pay I would take them to court. They paid both invoices. If more people did that the banks might learn something. Fernando Smith, Twickenham, Middlesex
I have incurred charges of more than £80 over the last two months for having exceeded my overdraft limit. Natwest bank has made hundreds if not thousands of pounds out of me through the disproportionate and unfair charges. This explains the record-breaking profits that the UK banks made in the last fiscal year. Moyo Bekezela, Salford
In the past 18 months my French bank has charged me with 4000 euros of bank charges. These have caused me to incur more bank charges, and have not helped me to restore my reputation with the bank. I have written to the bank complaining about the level of charges but to no avail. Banking in France is much worse than in the UK, where legistation and the banking obudsman help to protect the consumer - largely. No wonder that the French were not willing to sign up to the EC Service directive earlier this year. Banking in France is ludicrously uncompetitive, compared to UK banks. Nicholas Collin, Toulouse, France
I would like Lloyds TSB to justify charging me £50 plus interest for going £12.50 over my overdraft limit on the last day of the month. They didn’t send me any letters, neither did anyone have to telephone me to discuss this financial crisis and my salary was paid in later that day. I have been a customer of theirs for many years and they know I am in steady employment. What costs did they incur in these few hours that amounted to £50? Angela Barratt, London
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I am a student and a family man. Every time I went overdrawn, Halifax would then get the charge of £35 out of my account directly when my salary went in every month. I felt very upset about it because I have no option but to go along with it. This banking practise does not protect customers like me. Everytime Halifax collected £35 from my account, they are taking away milk money and nappies for my baby. It is my money. £35 is a lot to me, like five hours’ work. Roland Mendoza, Edgware, Middlesex
My daughter, living in England, was charged £20 when her account was overdrawn by 3p. The banks recover these “losses” by charging very high rates of interest on the overdraft. Adding a penalty charge as well is wholly disproportionate to the “losses” they incur. One only has to look at the exhorbitant profits made by banks to see that they are very good at profiteering. Here in Belgium the conduct of the banks vastly improved with the introduction of the euro, and such practices as regularly conducted by British banks would not be tolerated. Even money transfers have improved, so that no more than 24 hours usually elapses until the funds are in the destination account - compare that with anything from three or four days, to in some cases two weeks, in the UK. Until the British public stops being so passive and accepting of this banking cartel you will only get the “service” you deserve. Oh, my daughter’s £20 “fine”; after she publicly and loudly proclaimed her disgust in the bank to all the other customers one lunch time, a very embarassed bank manager publicly apologised, and agreed to an immdeiate refund - atta girl! Adrian Ryan, Enghien, Belgium
£32 “every time he went overdrawn?” How often does he do this? Is this a regularly occurring event? If done intentionally, it’s a crime. Unintentionally, it’s embarassing and annoying. Is £32 too much? I’d say so. As was charged in the case, that number doesn’t reflect the bank’s costs in recouping the funds. However, our young student (law student, of course) should have the sense to shop for a lending institution that has “competitive rates” for overdraft charges ... after all, it appears to be a lifestyle decision. D. H. Lewis, Gorham, Maine
I’m not saying that all bank charges are completely fair, but I have little problem with the unauthorised overdraft charges. Surely they should be treated more like parking tickets. If you don’t want to pay overdraft charges, don’t spend more money than you have in your account. The fees are in the small print, so if you’re not happy with them bank somewhere else. Banks are so often lambasted for doing little to encourage financial discipline that it’s seems unfair to criticise them for penalising someone who has broken the rules. Simon Clark, Southampton, Hampshire
Having been charged £25 for having a £15 direct debit returned I hope that this leads to a review of these ridiculous and damaging charges. A person on low income suffering a temporary cashflow problem can be plunged into serious debt by these measures. I understand the banks need to protect themselves, but surely charging more to cancel a direct debit than the direct debit is for is utterly illogical and downright wrong. Mike Christie, Bacup, Lancashire
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