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Links to other websites

Please note that this page was compiled in 2007. Since then, many of the links may have expired or no longer be relevant.

A small number of updates have been done since then, e.g. The Simple Dollar website. Otherwise, the links may only be of historical interest.

Penaltycharges.co.uk

Stephen Hone, a law student in Plymouth, has achieved a great deal of media coverage with his successful action against Abbey National. His own website is at: www.penaltycharges.co.uk

Legal Beagles

Another excellent website set up by bank charges campaigners, including Nick Spooner, with legal advice on other issues of interest to consumers: www.legalbeagles.info

Steven Whiting's Fair Banking campaign

Steven Whiting may have been the first person ever to have recovered penalty charges from his bank back in 1994. He stills runs a "Fair Banking Campaign" - there is a lot of interesting information on his website about credit cards and what he argues are breaches of the Consumer Credit Act by banks – see www.stevewhiting.co.uk

Bankchargeshell

The first consumer website set up specifically to publicise the issue of bank penalty charges was http://www.bankchargeshell.co.uk.

Constructed in early 2005 by Stefano Pilloni, it rapidly became a focus of a consumer campaign. An email forum is attached to the site. On the forum, bank customers could exchange information and advice about claims against banks. The forum is at: www.bankchargeshell.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl. Unfortunately, the site seems to have been out of action for months and we are not sure whether or not it will come back on line.

Bank action group

This site was set up later in 2005 by Marc Gander, Dave Smith and others. It also has an email forum where consumers can get advice and guidance on bank charge issues. See www.bankactiongroup.co.uk

Money saving expert

This website is run by Martin Lewis who you will often see on the television. Great at getting himself publicity, he has been very effective at getting the bank charges campaign into the general public consciousness. See: www.moneysavingexpert.com

Britishconsumer.com

This is another website run by campaigners who have been successful in reclaiming charges. A forum is attached to the site. It was developed as a follow up to the now defunct Reclaim Unfair Charges site. See: www.britishconsumer.com

Scottish Law: Govan Law Centre

Govan Law Centre has a wealth of information to help consumers with legal problems, particularly regarding issues of Scottish law. Their website is at: www.govanlc.com and their specific information about bank penalty charges can be found at www.bankcharges.info

Debt on our Doorstep

Debt on our Doorstep is a consumer campaigning group that fights issues including that of penalty bank charges. It has been lobbying the OFT to try to force them to do more to stop banks acting unlawfully. See: debt-on-our-doorstep.com. Leading the campaign is Damon Gibbons.

Unclaimed money website

A website that provides information on unclaimed money such as dormant bank accounts, unclaimed lottery prizes, missold pensions etc. See www.unclaimedfinances.co.uk

Hidden Fees website

A website that provides lots of information on "hidden fees" that are charged by companies in a wide variety of fields. See www.hiddenfees.co.uk

Free legal advice website

A website that provides some legal advice and links to other websites. See www.sinclairbuilder.com

North America: The Simple Dollar

May be useful for students and graduates in North America particularly in relation to student loans issues. The Simple Dollar.

Cornwall local website

Not to do with bank charges, but a good community news site in Newquay, Cornwall is
www.tickity-boo.co.uk - lots of local information, what's going on, local issues and links to other sites.

Survival skills

If you think that the financial crisis created by the banks is going to bring the whole of modern civilisation crashing down and that you ought to think about how you will survive that, then go on a one-day survival course with Ashley Cawley in Cornwall. Even if you don't think that civilisation is going to collapse, it is still a great fun day. The course is run at Woodland Valley organic farm in mid Cornwall. See Ashley's website at www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk and the farm's website at www.woodlandvalley.co.uk

Eco shop website

Also nothing to do with bank charges, but a very good website for anyone concerned with the environment and wanting to buy eco friendly products – see www.wow-wow.co.uk

Bob Egerton's general website

For other business services, see www.bobegerton.co.uk

Links

Penaltycharges.co.uk

Legal Beagles

Steven Whiting

Bankchargeshell

Bank action group

Moneysavingexpert

British consumer

Govan Law Centre

Debt on our doorstep

Unclaimed money

Hidden charges

Free legal advice

Cornwall local

The Simple Dollar

Bushcraft website

Woodland Valley

Eco shop

Bob Egerton

Bankbuster home page

Published and promoted by Bob Egerton, TR2 4RS