Unauthorised overdraft fees. These are three words that worry every bank customer. An unauthorised overdraft fee is the fee charged by a bank when customers go over their overdraft limit.
These fees can be very steep, with some banks charging high premiums for customers who exceed an agreed overdraft limit by as little as a few pence. A recent consumer report suggests that bank customers paid more than £4 billion pounds in unauthorised overdraft fees in 2004.
Scale Of Overdraft Fees
The BBC have reported that the seven major banks charge unauthorised overdraft fees of £25 to £38 pounds. Interest rates on the unauthorised amount can also be high. While some banks charge under 8% interest, others have interest rates that hover around the 30% level.