[insert your name

and address]
[insert date]
[insert name and
address of bank]
Dear Sir or Madam,
Account number: [insert the number of the bank account you are writing to
reclaim from]
I am writing to request that you repay all the charges in relation to direct debits,
unauthorised overdrafts and standing orders that have been applied to my account in the
past six years.
I believe the fact that I have been incurring bank charges goes contrary to the aims of
the Lending Code (Section 9) and Banking Conduct of Business Sourcebook (section 5.1.4
in particular, a firm should deal fairly with a banking customer whom it has reason to
believe is in financial difficulty). My personal situation has been affected by the charges
leaving me in financial hardship and I am writing to request that you take the following
grounds into consideration:
[Now you need to tell your own story... we cant write this for you
Explain why you think charges were unfair in your own words (see examples in the
guide). You should try and include examples which demonstrate as many of the following
points as are relevant.

Cant pay debts. Youre struggling to make loan and credit card
repayments

Income eaten by charges. Your incomes being eaten up by repaying
charges (eg youre being asked to pay 50 of charges from a 100 weekly benefit
income)

Considering Going bankrupt or into debt management. Youre going
bankrupt, getting an IVA or Debt Relief Order or are in a debt management plan

Living off credit. Youre living off credit and regularly need to increase
your credit limit

Frequently over overdraft limit. You frequently go over your overdraft
limit. In earlier incarnations of hardship rules this was explained as having more
than 500 of charges a year so that seems a good benchmarkBank charges
have hurt your situation. The charges have contributed to making your
financial hardship situation materially worse

You are / were stuck in a cycle of charges you cannot break out
off. If youve had charges on charges, and were stuck in a trap of not being able
to clear them before new daily or monthly fees are added on top.

Delete these instructions when youve written your section]

The charges total [insert total of all charges] and I ask that you repay me the full
amount.
I have attached a full schedule of the charges with this document.

I look forward to a full response to this letter within 14 days and if I do not receive a
satisfactory response I intend to pursue my complaint to the Financial Ombudsman
Service or small claims court at the earliest opportunity.
Yours faithfully,
[insert your signature]
[insert your name (printed)]
[Include a list of charges and be sure to keep a copy for yourself]