A judge has ordered Lloyd’s TSB to pay the court costs of a customer who sued for a refund of their bank charges.
Judge Andrew Kearney said the bank had to pay £85.41 for "acting unreasonably". He said the bank had no plans to go to trial. Vivian Lloyd wrote to the judge after the bank put off refunding her for nearly a year.
She had been charged £655 in overdraft fees. The bank refused to pay her charges until one week before the trial. Vivien and Gary then claimed for 30 hours of preparatory work, but in the end the judge allowed them just five hours costs, amounting to £85.41.
Mrs Lloyd said :"The terrible stress it put me through - it was driving me mad,"
"I'm absolutely ecstatic - it was our living money, our food money," she added.
A spokeswoman for Lloyds bank said to the BBC: "We are surprised by this judgement as we firmly believe we have the right to lodge a defense in any legal action brought against us.
"We have been unable to trace any notification from the court about this application for a further payment of £85 and so did not have an opportunity to challenge it before it was made," she said.
Robyn Walker