The Alternative Take Versus Stephen Hester of Natwest

Ok, so I hate Natwest. I've always hated Natwest. The only reason I ever joined in the first place was so I could get a solo debit card at the age of 16 and could buy things off the internet, but that was just about the only good thing about them.

I was absolutely shocked and bemused when I received a forwarded letter from my Mum in England to me in Scotland detailing that I owed National Wesminster Bank PLC a total of £282.18 in bank fines that had been accumulating on an initial -£3.50 that had been direct debited from my account for my website - which my Paypal account mysteriously didn't cover.

Hmmn, I thought.

I rang them up and the lovely chap on the end of the phone told me that I HAD to pay the money, or face bailifs coming round my house. It's not even MY house. I tell you what, you can have my collection of priceless Clash records if you wipe my fines right? Forget that, I like The Clash - hands off and f--k off, I'm not letting you take Combat Rock away from me.

So I wrote this:


Stephen Hester
Chief Executive National Westminster Bank
135 Bishopsgate
London EC2M 3UR

24th February 2009,

Dear Mr Hester,


Last week my Mother forwarded a letter from National Westminster Bank to me at my new address in Scotland, detailing that I owe you £282.18 on account number xxxxxxx and reference number xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

This is the first letter I have received from home regarding my NatWest account with you as it is no longer my main account and I have not deposited money nor withdrawn money from it in half a year. I opened the letter and to my amazement noticed the outstanding balance of £282.18, to which I could not account for. Immediately I was under the impression that someone had defrauded my account and that, due to me using another bank account as my primary account, I had not noticed until now and assumed that ringing the bank would lead to it being settled. I rang the number provided and spoke to someone in your Collections Centre and was told, to my utter surprise, that I had amassed £282.18 in fines due to the fact that I had gone overdrawn by £3.50 many months ago, and that after the initial fine of £38, another £28 was added per month that the money hadn’t been repaid. I did not realise this would happen and did not realise, indeed, that it was happening.

I have incurred fines before with NatWest and have paid them all off despite, I may add, the disproportionate level of fine compared with the actual overdrawn amount. I have always been confused with NatWest’s level of fines of £38 whilst their parent company Royal Bank of Scotland only charge £10 per item overdrawn. In fact, had I known I was going to go into an overdraft position, I would have arranged one with you, just like I have done with my other bank. Not only that, but there have been calls to my Mother’s address at 8.30am for the past few mornings requesting that I call the bank. This incident has nothing whatsoever to do with her, and the phone calls have left her upset especially due to their awkward and frequent pestering. It’s also interesting why I didn’t receive a phone call when the initial amount was accumulating and that you waited six months to get in touch with me.

This is appalling lack of judgement on your part and considering my age of 20 and as a full time student, frankly disgusting. When I further called the Collections Centre I was told the calls would only stop if I delivered a letter to a local branch detailing my concerns and/or paid off the outstanding balance in full. The man on the other end of the phone threatened that I may have to deal with debt collectors because the claim against me was going to a ‘default stage’. I’m not entirely sure as to whether his hostile role was company policy or individual discretion, but I was worried and anxious that my Mum would be affected by this policy and his lack of tact. Had I known that these fines were building on my account from an early stage, I would have settled them immediately. But you did not give me the chance to do so.

My old house phone (my Mother’s current phone) has been on record with you since I have had this bank account, which is well over 7 years, but you waited for the optimum time to call me to demand money owed. Why did you not call sooner? What was stopping you? I’m extremely dumfounded that I owe this level of money, I am shocked that £3.50 has turned into nearly £300, it’s appalling that you, as a bank in a position of power can try to exploit and try to take advantage of small print to push through a inexcusable and immoral level of fining on my account without my knowledge.

I would like you to respond personally to me, advising how we can go forward with this. It’s obvious I cannot pay this amount, and I don’t even have assets totalling that amount!

Yours Sincerely,

Signed "The Alternative Take"

Cc: Alistair Darling MP, Frank Doran MP

And there it was.

Literally two days later, I recieved a letter in the post. Called Stephen Hester's office, and spoke to a very apologetic deputy who informed me that ALL my fines would be wiped, and they were very sorry that it had got to that stage.

This escapade has told me to be careful with my money, don't ever bank with Natwest, taught me that the banks can be beaten, oh and to write more letters.