Caroline Crutchley, Żejtun
Taking a stand over bank charges
When my end-of-year statement came in January, I read the small print at the bottom. Banks do love to bring in revisions to charges and let us know in such faint and tiny print that the elderly are sure not to see.
However, I have not whinged but have actively done something about it. After 20 years, I have closed my account.
I hope the 52c that remained have gone to a good cause and not into the profit and loss account.
May I urge others to do the same and not stand for charges that should be covered by good business practice and not the customer.
The market place is open and we are not tied to a bank by ball and chain. Consumers have a strength to stand up for their rights and not be used as an easy target.
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Anthony Borg
Mar 6th 2009, 09:11
Instead of rewarding its customers, HSBC has now seen fit to follow Bank of Valletta and started levying a new bank charge for their Express Banking. I find this annual charge unfair as the users of internet banking are generating less traffic at branches, thus freeing bank staff for more productive output. Internet banking has also lessened the use of personal cheques by making use of direct payments. Like Ms Crutchley, I took take a stand on this and wrote to the Malta Financial Services for their investigation.
J. Darmanin
Mar 5th 2009, 10:58
in fact, i still remember that Lm200 bank charges that BOV asked me to pay once on a bounced foreign cheque. Keeping that up my sleeve for when the time is right!