# Help with Sabadell's "overdrawn interest fees"



## nova2018 (Jan 2, 2019)

Hi all,

So I just opened up a letter from Sabadell, which I hadn't opened and has been dated as the 15th of November 2018 (god knows why I hadn't opened it earlier) to find that my Sabadell expansion account has been overdrawn in excess of over -40€ and that they are to also charge me 39€ for the overdraft settlement process in accordance with the fees, conditions and expenses chargeable to customers.

Bear in mind that I am living in the UK during this time and haven't been back to Spain in a while (but am working on returning soon). I have also only received this letter once! No reminders or anything.

I then email them using the email given in a separate letter they gave me about something else to ask about it. Only just then did they mention that I ALSO get interest fees per each day the account is overdrawn.

To me that is complete bollocks, because I was never notified of this in the slip that they sent me and I checked their online English T&C and while it mentions fees, they never tell you how much in it at all. Not once is 39€ even mentioned. Exactly how is this practice even legal of knowing exactly what to charge, but never mentioning it in terms and conditions to the clients (me) and by telling someone about one set of charges in relation to an action, but failing to mention the other?

Because I have NEVER encountered anything like this in similar cases with my English bank of 14 years plus, which is Santander.

So, I Googled similar cases. (I hope)

And came across these:

https://www.expatforum.com/expats/s...ing-spain/1006442-bank-overdrawn-charges.html

https://www.expatforum.com/expats/s...nk-overdraft-charges-helpful-information.html

The second one especially is what I'm most interested in.

Canaca in the second link, mentions that they sent a letter to their bank to expose then and to recinder the charges and it worked! The bank manager read the letter, admitted the illegality of the commission and asked them not to further it.

The letter went on as below and I want to ask, can I use the same letter and email Sabedell it for my case? Because I'd like to be absolutely sure that it can be done and that this is the right method before I do. Plus, my Spanish isn't really here nor there.

Here goes the letter: 

Estimados señores. 

Escribo esta carta al objeto de reclamar la devolución de la siguiente comisión cobrada indebidamente y que detallo a continuación; Gastos reclamación saldo deudor: cobrados de forma periódica desde la apertura de la cuenta, por diversos importes, siendo el último de (Insert commision amount here) euros. 

Entiendo que dichas comisiones no se corresponden con un servicio efectivamente prestado (norma tercera de la circular 8/1990 del Banco de España) ya que dicho descubierto se regularizaron sin que mediara reclamación alguna por su entidad más allá del cargo en cuenta de los controvertidos “gastos de reclamación". 

En el concepto de los “Gastos de reclamación de saldo deudor”, se entiende que el “gasto” de reclamación de posición deudora será exigible por cada posición deudora y reclamada. Con independencia de otros razonamientos al respecto, les agradecería que me hicieran llegar los comprobantes de las acciones realizadas por la sucursal al objeto de reclamar dicha deuda. 

Aprovecho para recordarles que si dicho gasto no puede ser justificado por su entidad pasaría a considerarse como “comisión”, vulnerando la Ley 7/1995. 

Finalmente, esta comisión puede y debe estar registrada ante el Banco de España, pero eso no significa que esta entidad controle “a priori” su aplicabilidad. En repetidas ocasiones el Banco de España ha dictaminado en contra de la aplicación indebida de comisiones previamente registradas ante el mismo. 

Les agradeceré que me contesten en el plazo de 2 meses estipulado por la normativa del Banco de España, ya que de lo contrario me veré obligado a presentar mi reclamación ante dicha entidad, con las molestias que esto conlleva. Comprendo que la cantidad que reclamo no es muy importante pero no duden que, en el caso de que el dictamen del Banco de España me sea favorable, presentaré una demanda ante el Juzgado de 1ª Instancia de Puerto del Rosario, por lo que considero una mala práctica bancaria y un abuso por parte de su entidad. 

Les comunico que dado mi limitado conocimiento de la normativa bancaria he requerido los servicios de la Asociación para la Defensa de Clientes de Entidades Financieras (ADECEF), cuyos gastos de asesoramiento legal incluiré en la demanda. (En este caso sí se tratará de “gastos” y no de comisiones, ya que verdaderamente se prestará un servicio, en este caso de defensa de los derechos de los consumidores) 

Recibe un cordial saludo, 

(insert your name here) 
N.I.E. (insert your N.I.E here)


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## Pussyrampion (Jun 1, 2014)

In a world of internet banking how can you not realise your account is overdrawn and correct it? It seems you had a debt for months. Do you expect interest free loans? My sympathy here is with the bank and your charge seems to me quite justified.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

As I said previously - just pay it.

Transfer, say, 150€ to your account and they will settle the debt.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

Yes I agree, you have to pay it, but change banks. We lost expansion status due to a payment going in on the 1st instead of the 31st but they only told us three months later with a fee in excess of a hundred euros. 
Sabadell is an awful company, each branch is like a franchise and cannot help except with basic transactions unless your account is there.


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