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help and info...If you're really into researching your bank facts - and so you should be if someone's dealing with your money - then there are some resources you can use:
The British Bankers Association (http://www.bankfacts.org.uk): You can find factsheets containing information about bank charges. These people also publish something called a 'Banking Code' (see below).Many banks and building societies sign up to the 'Banking Code'. This gives some standards of practice for how they should be run. If you have a problem with your bank or building society and it claims to operate under this 'Banking Code', ask for a copy at your local branch and it will tell you how to make proper complaints. The Banking Ombudsman (http://www.obo.org.uk) is another organisation run by people specialising in the legal issues of finance. Although it doesn't have the power to make rules for the industry, they help to resolve problems before they get serious enough to go to court, and the banks have to agree to the decisions made on complaints dealt with by the ombudsman. Advice / links: The following banks are some that offer services to pre-18's (online banking options however, do not appear to be available to the yoof of today): www.barclays.co.uk www.halifax.co.uk www.nationwide.co.uk www.firstdirect.com (a division of HSBC) www.smile.co.uk (the CO-OP's internet bank) www.oft.gov.uk - the Office of Fair Trading www.nacab.org.uk - National Citizens advice bureau National Debtline – 0808 808400 back to the top back to the features directory |