When I arrived home today, there was a letter from
the BNZ in the mailbox. Nothing too special about
that. Then I opened it.
I read it, re-read it, laughed, read it again and
finally laughed a bit more.
Synopsis :
I am an overseas account holder. I still get my
bank statements sent to me though... until today.
The wanted to start charging me NZD2.00 a pop to
have the statement sent to me - from yesterday.
So I sent this reply via 'secure email' :
Thank you for your letter dated 21 September, postmarked the 28th and received on the 2nd of October 2001 regarding the introduction of a new postage fee on my account as of
1 October 2001. This has given me more than enough time to prepare alternative arrangements for my mail deliveries last week when I was in New Zealand.
Indeed, I applaud your initiative in notifying international account holders retrospectively to drum up a quick wad of cash. It is times like this I wish I was a shareholder.
*** Effective 1 September 2001, please do not send me any more account statements (with the exception of my credit card statements - which last time I read your o-so-funny letter was still free). Any statement received after this date will incur a AUD2.00 foreign bank statement receipt fee.
As soon as I can make alternative banking arrangements, I will be closing my account and transfer the balance to a rival bank. Could you please recommend a good one?
Many thanks in retrospect,
Gerard.
PS. I would suggest switching to a cheaper postal carrier - that way you could pocket at least $1.20 of the $2.00 fee (if not more!) for every statement you send out to your foreign clients.
I am eagerly awaiting their reply. <g>
Update : They stated that they had a legal
requirement to send me a minimum of one statement
once every six months. I said that I wasn't going
to pay for that, and somehow they decided not to
send me any more statements. That hasn't stopped
them from charging me the fee twice so far. (Of
which I only got one of the statements). Some very
angry emails later and I had the charges reversed,
but it look likes this is going to be a long
battle.... *sigh*
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