Getting back money when you have been overcharged

I absolutely hate being overcharged for things and having to claim money back. They rarely tell you though do they, I am sure they just try to keep the interest growing for them until you realise you can claim it! Anyway, that is why I love companies that help you claim it, they give you no excuse! Some things are easier than others to claim back though.

What money can you claim back?

Council tax

Did you know that you can be overcharged in your council tax band? Years ago when the bands were first assigned they were done quite roughly. Without taking differences between houses properly into account. For this reason, if you find your neighbour who has a similar house to you is in a cheaper band then you can ask for a reconsideration. Then a refund of what you have been overcharged! It is easy to check bands of neighbours online.

Bank charges

If you feel you have been charged bank charges unnecessarily then it is always worth challenging them with the bank. Often they will give you a refund on goodwill which may only be £15 or something but for a 5 minute phone call it is well worth it. Bigger cases of overcharges can mean that you need to send in a claim etc but all worth it in the end. Martin Lewis’ money saving expert is great for advice on this.

Mis-sold Pensions

So many people pay into pensions that are not suitable for their needs and income. If this could be the case for you then you can reclaim what you have paid. Pension mis-selling is common so worth checking if you have been caught out by this. If your money is somewhere that won’t benefit you it is always worth claiming it back. Pensions are so important for our futures so making sure you have the correct pension for your circumstances is extremely important.

Money for washing your work uniform

Did you know that if you are required to wear a uniform for work and wash it yourself you can reclaim the washing costs as a tax refund? This can make a huge difference if you have a uniform that requires a lot of washing so well worth investigating. Do you work in a hospital, supermarket or a job with a set uniform? It may not seem too hard adding it into your wash loads but worth investigating and getting yourself a little tax rebate!

Student loan overpayments

The student loan systems have changed so many times over the years it is easy to get confused. When I started at university there were specific rules of how much you had to earn before you had to make repayments. These things regularly change and you never really know what they are currently. As such it is easy to presume that any money you lose from your pay is correct. Many people have been overcharged though so do check that out and confirm when payments have been taken and why.

Have you looked into any of these? Do you have any other tips for places where you can reclaim any money you have overpaid? These are all things I find important, especially in January when money is tight. It can take time to get the refund but getting started is a good idea. Don’t forget to save money too, it can be so helpful when you struggle to have savings to dip into.