Ok another bank charges thread, please help me decide what to do

[SillyBillyBee]

I claimed back charges from Halifax and HSBC. Halifax have replied saying they will not refund, and i need to send off a letter threatening court action if i take it further but cannot afford any fees for court atm so I don't know whether to send a letter saying that if they do want to avoid court to make me an offer or whether i should just leave it.
HSBC have finally responded with an offer but it is £130 less than my claim, I am desperate for money, a single mum and jobless in 4 wks with a mortgage to pay, should i take the offer, phone them and say I will settle if they increase the offer or just take the offer.
What would you do or what should I do if i'm taking it further?
TIA x

Would continue with the Halifax - they are just trying to bully you and accept HSBC. How much was your original claim for?

Thanks for replying, my HSBC claim is for £860 and my Halifax one for around £350.
Has anyone phoned after they've been given an offer and said that you would accept if they increased it slightly i am thinking of trying to ring tomorrow and ask for £800. If it didn't work I'd just accept I think as I cannot afford to live otherwise.

Goldfish offered me £36 when it was £80 I requested. I turned them down and said I wanted the full amount or I would go to court. Took more than the 14 days I gave them but they sent me a letter last week saying as a gesture of goodwill they will pay the full £80 so long as I withdraw any court proceedings I have lodged.

Stick to your guns but be prepared to wait for a while - think how worth it it will be. Then if you get some money you can use £30 to lodge a claim for the other amount.

patience is the key in all this, I started out in March and just had the Goldfish agreement and put a court claim for TSB and only just received statements from Nat West.

I went to the financial obudsman. IT IS FREE. They sorted it all out for me with Abbey and I am now waiting for my cheque for the full amount.
www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Get in touch with them, they send you a form, you send it back. Done, as Gordon would say. Hope that helps.

Thank you very much for that ronshar, I'll get onto them tomorrow about halifax, and I'll also phone hsbc asking for £800 with no further action or i contact the ombudsman.
Thank you too chocolatekimmy for giving me some hope.
I'm glad it worked out for you both