Personal Finance

Are NSF charges disputable?

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Member
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Feb 18, 2008
246 posts
13 upvotes
Mississauga

Are NSF charges disputable?

I got charged an NSF fee because my money transfers were in limbo and my insurance company tried to pull money out of my account when there wasn't enough there.
While I admit that it was entirely my fault for poor planning, is there any way of getting it back? Any excuses I could make up to get my $40 back?
31 replies
Sr. Member
Apr 23, 2009
901 posts
87 upvotes
No need to make excuses. Just outline what happened to your bank, let them know that the funds were in limbo but they were there. Maybe you can even bring in the "I've been a client here for x years, never had this happened before, do you think you could waive this as a one time good faith sorta thing?" but don't go as far as to threaten to close your account if they don't waive the fee.

By the way, what bank is it?
Deal Fanatic
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Jan 31, 2006
8541 posts
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Toronto
pinkcess wrote: I got charged an NSF fee because my money transfers were in limbo and my insurance company tried to pull money out of my account when there wasn't enough there.
While I admit that it was entirely my fault for poor planning, is there any way of getting it back? Any excuses I could make up to get my $40 back?
You can not dispute since it is written in the document you sign when you open the account unless it is the fault of the bank, since you already mention that it is your fault then learn from it.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2003
8993 posts
1532 upvotes
pinkcess wrote: I got charged an NSF fee because my money transfers were in limbo and my insurance company tried to pull money out of my account when there wasn't enough there.
While I admit that it was entirely my fault for poor planning, is there any way of getting it back? Any excuses I could make up to get my $40 back?
yes, go and talk to your account manager at your branch (or the branch manager if you don't have an account manager), and ask them very nicely that you messed up and if they can reverse it.

I've had a few reversed before, due to forgetting that i've even written cheques.
Member
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Feb 18, 2008
246 posts
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Mississauga
I guess it doesn't hurt to ask....

Bank is PC Financial.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 17, 2007
6412 posts
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Mort Réal, QC
Sure, I've had my bank manager waive NSFs in the past for similar situations, although in my case it was the bank's mistake, in my view anyway (banks never admit their fault in their view of course).
Deal Addict
Feb 9, 2005
4172 posts
20 upvotes
An NFS isn't something you can dispute, unless it was charged in error, but it is something you can talk to your bank about and ask it to be waived.

(This reminds me of the TFSA discussion. :razz :)
Member
Nov 14, 2009
236 posts
55 upvotes
I've disputed a charge with PC before, I had transfered money from my savings to chequings account for a paypal purchase, and it showed the transfer instantly between my accounts online, but the funds never actually moved until the next business day. Paypal tried to pull the funds out just before PC moved them over.

The credited the $40 back to me, but they held it against me 6 months later when I called and tried to have them increase my debit purchase/withdrawl amounts for my honeymoon.

I had to call back 3 times and complain to a number of different people before they would increase the limits on my own money... never understood that.
Newbie
Dec 11, 2009
44 posts
1 upvote
I've had 2 NSF fees charged from PC Financial over several years. They wouldn't reverse either charge.
Deal Fanatic
Mar 6, 2004
9318 posts
204 upvotes
AllWheelDrift wrote: (This reminds me of the TFSA discussion. :razz :)
Not the same IMHO.

OP in this thread admits to their error and is just asking ways of getting it waived.

The other thread(s) seem to be putting the blame on someone other than themselves.
vero95: :facepalm:
Member
Jul 9, 2008
498 posts
101 upvotes
If you have a good history with the bank I'd just tell them you'd like to close your account if they're unwilling to credit it. They won't risk losing a customer over one $40 one time fee.

I've done this with my Visa before. I never ever ever pay interest or carry a balance on my visa and one time I simply forgot to make the payment. I was a couple days late and my balance was several thousand dollars so the interest charge was rather significant. I called them and told them it was a simple mistake, look at my history, explained how much money they make off me in a year in merchant fees and if they were unwilling to credit the interest charge back over a couple days late they could cancel my card. They provided the credit almost instantly.
Deal Addict
Feb 9, 2005
4172 posts
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Montague wrote: Not the same IMHO.

OP in this thread admits to their error and is just asking ways of getting it waived.

The other thread(s) seem to be putting the blame on someone other than themselves.
I just meant it in the sense that the OP used the word "dispute", which suggests that the fee shouldn't have been charged in the first place.
Member
Nov 17, 2009
251 posts
81 upvotes
Toronto
angel_wing0 wrote: yip for sure ask. They usually credit you for your first miss.
Yes. But the call center will not do it. Ask them to refer you to the customer care manager. Then you can plead your case.
Deal Addict
Dec 5, 2003
1456 posts
158 upvotes
pinkcess wrote: I guess it doesn't hurt to ask....

Bank is PC Financial.

Happenned to me a long time ago when I banked with PCF. I called and asked them to please help me out and they did. No credit to my account but they did give me $25 of PC points or something. Better than nothing! I was happy... totally my fault but sucks becuase you know it shouldn't have happened if you just moved the funds over earlier! Lesson I learned... cost of holding thousand or two in the chequing instead of savings is totally worth it. If you get one NSF it could affect credit decisions in the future and causes a big mess with your month to month billing.

Ask the agent for free OD protection. Get enough to cover your auto debits such as mortgage / insurance payments. It will give you a free buffer incase you forget or have funds in limbo / hold on account.
Deal Addict
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Sep 10, 2007
3393 posts
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Cowtown
It happened to me while I was with Scotia Bank. Called the bank, asked for the manager. Talked to her without admitting that was my fault (at that point I was confident that it wasn't my fault). Charges were reversed.

So DO CALL!
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Deal Addict
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Sep 10, 2004
2049 posts
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Ontario
Happened to me recently with PCF. First time I called in, rep said nothing could be done and so I called in again and explained I had all my products with PCF (I might have slipped in that ING had free overdraft) and they reversed the charge - got the $40 back in my account 2 days later
Deal Addict
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Apr 1, 2006
3370 posts
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Brisbane
I'm with RBC, have Student LOC (graduated in 2009), Visa, Chequing, and Savings accounts and have been with them since 2005.

I've had it reversed about five times. Once or twice it was definitely my fault. I wrote a cheque, then accidentally transferred from my chequing to line of credit instead of the other way around. Reversed. Then a week later, I forgot to put money in for the LOC interest. Reversed, but they did mention that I had asked for it a week before. Most recently, I wrote a rent cheque and my landlord deposited it a day early, thinking it would take a day to process (I have automatic deposits/withdrawals set up for regular transactions), and was dinged $40, even though it was post dated for the 1st of the month but cashed on the 30th. No questions asked by the rep, just stated "yep, we cashed that in error".

So yes, OP, just be nice about it. My experience with RBC has been phenomenal, and they've done it for me even when I've admitted it was my fault but I had no ignorance or intention of writing a bad cheque.
cgtlky wrote: You can not dispute since it is written in the document you sign when you open the account unless it is the fault of the bank, since you already mention that it is your fault then learn from it.
False.
angel_wing0 wrote: yip for sure ask. They usually credit you for your first miss.
False. I've done it about five times in three years.
AllWheelDrift wrote: An NFS isn't something you can dispute, unless it was charged in error, but it is something you can talk to your bank about and ask it to be waived.

(This reminds me of the TFSA discussion. :razz :)
False.
vlasko29 wrote: Yes. But the call center will not do it. Ask them to refer you to the customer care manager. Then you can plead your case.

False. Every time I've had it reversed was by calling the RBC number on the back of my client card.
Newbie
Nov 16, 2016
3 posts
just had an NSF reversed at Tang; I was short by $0.03 and didn't realise it; the reversal was offered (call) since I wasn't aware it's possible; they said will be the first and last time (?!?); now I see I'm not the only one...; never even crossed my mind to check this site for other people's experiences; good to know, anyway.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 9, 2013
5882 posts
7460 upvotes
Edmonton, AB
I had a situation once where a cheque I deposited (from Manulife) bounced. My bank (RBC) charged ME the NSF fee, although it wasn't my cheque that bounced.

I contested it, they refunded it.
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