05
Dec

Bank Account Fees

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I’ve been out a lot, so today was supposed to be my “stay at home” day, but dad dragged my butt to go grocery shopping.

I’ve been getting charged a bit of money from the bank lately but didn’t do anything about it since I had a busy semester, so I decided to bring my account summary and inquire about it.

I got to the bank and lined up (there wasn’t even a place to queue at actually). A lady came up to me and asked what I needed help with.

  • Me: These $6 charges, what are they for?
  • Her: I can change it to $4 if you want.
  • Me: But are they compulsory?
  • Her: Yes, they are account keeping fees.
  • Me: But I didn’t sign up to this.
  • Her: Oh it’s automatic.

Yes, they can charge you WHENEVER they like…

  • Me: But I’ve never been charged that and when I signed up to it, they said there wasn’t any fees.
  • Her: This is the fee you have to pay to maintain your account.
  • Me: Oh.

Dumbfounded because that was the most unhelpful response she can give.

  • Her: So you want to change this to the $4 one? Here, [guy] will help you out.

Okay then, I thought. THAT is helpful, lady!

  • Him: So the difference between the $6 fee and the $4 is that they are exactly the same, except the $4 one you cannot make withdrawals over the counter. Say if you want to withdraw $2000, it will charge you $2 every time.
  • Me: I see. Do they charge students this?
  • Him: No. Are you a full time student?
  • Me: Yes
  • Him: Can I see your student ID please?
  • Me: Here it is.
  • Him: Can I have your name?

After that, he told me to go sit and wait. GREAT!

So when it comes to my turn, another lady was serving me, and I had to go over the same process again, repeating everything up to mentioned point. GREAT! But wait, that’s not all!

  • Her: So now we will waive your fees.
  • Me: So do I get a refund of the fees I paid?
  • Her: No, you’re not getting charged starting today.
  • Me: How come?
  • Her: You’ve given us your student ID today, so it will waive from today on.
  • Me: I signed up at UNSW’s bank, and they told me I wouldn’t be charged. I’ve given in my student card and everything beforehand.
  • Her: But you need to give it in every year.
  • Me: Look, I’ve been charged starting August – if it is this way, how come I wasn’t charged before August?
  • Her: It’s because you haven’t given us your student card before,
  • Me: Yes, but how come you automatically assumed I’m not a student starting August?
  • Her: I’m going to get my manager.

Yes… perfect. Assuming I am not a student MID-semester. So the first
lady came up to me and starting talking

  • Her: I have spoken to you before. As I said earlier, the $6 is the account fee

But that wasn’t what I wanted to know now, so I started explaining that I was aware of these fees, and I was aware that they weren’t charging students!

And SO, the whole process repeated AGAIN… GREAT service huh? Making me repeat all that to 3 different people! But wait, there’s even MORE. She apparently started becoming psychic!!!

  • Her: So you must have signed up, and then not extend the student status, so we assumed that you are no longer a student and charged the fees. Because you have to renew it every year.
  • Me: So you are not going to return this, even though I have been a student for the whole year?
  • Her: But we have no proof that you have been a student this whole year because we haven’t received your student ID.

Ha, I thought, now I can challenge her!

  • Me: So if I bring my academic statement to you, you will return these charges to me?

Not getting out of this one, surely?

  • Her: Yes…

FINALLY!!

  • Her: …but you have to go back to the original branch… so at UNSW… and give those details and then they will return the fees.

Ha, always a catch, isn’t there?

Them getting your money, too easy.
You getting a single cent off them – difficult as hell.
Getting your rightful money back from them after they made a mistake or charging when they’re not supposed to? Dream on…

So I said to them..

  • Me: So I go to their bank, tell them that I’ve been sent by Campsie branch to present proof of my student status, and they will give me my money back?
  • Her: Yes.
  • Me: Thank you.

Ticked off, I walked out of the bank.

Different branches, same company – and this is how they treat their clients! Inconvenient! So if I made an account in Sydney, and moved to, say Perth, then I have to fly to Sydney’s bank to manage my account?! Pathetic!

But for now, I’m going to try doing it their way. I sure hope it’s worth it; it’s already been a serious waste of my time!!

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