Talking it to the bank

Can't read the numbers? Not your fault, maybe, says Scot:

A dyslexic man is suing two major banks over charges he claims are unfair because he cannot understand their statements.

Self-employed property developer Robert Neil claims Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland are in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by failing to take into account his difficulties in comprehending written words and figures.

The 43-year-old says the banks' failure to communicate with him verbally, in a way he can understand, has led to stress, a bad credit rating and thousands of pounds in bank charges.

...."I have repeatedly explained my problems but they refuse to allocate me someone trained to deal with a person with my disability. Instead, I am forever speaking to people who have no understanding of my difficulties.

"When I receive a bank statement, with say 30 or 40 items all on top of one another, it takes me ages to add them up, even with a calculator.

"I also forget the bigger financial picture, so if I've got £2,000 in my account and I tot up what I've spent that month, I’ll forget about a couple of items, so I get overdrawn, and on comes a £35 bank charge."

.... He is seeking compensation of £50,000 for hurt feelings and the return of a raft of charges.

Mr Neil also wants a ruling that a loan for £20,100 by the Royal Bank of Scotland is unenforcable because he did not understand its interest rate....