From The Guardian, Saturday August 18, 2007, "Stake your claim now"

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It's still worth complaining about bank charges, despite the freeze on court action ahead of the Office of Fair Trading test case against the banks on overdraft penalty fees.

Banks have to keep a record of all complaints. They will have to apply whatever the court says - if the decision goes the OFT's way, those with protests registered will be at the front of the queue for refunds.

The Financial Ombudsman says the legal "waiver" which puts cases on hold does not apply for "those in severe financial hardship". That could include many whose hardship has been caused by multiple fines.

And banks continue to cancel fees for small infringements where the penalties are "disproportionate", providing customers ask.

What if you already have an offer? According to Paul Cooper of Claims, the UK's oldest financial services complaint management firm, it is a better bet to wait for the court decision (he says it is odds-on to go against the banks) than to accept a poor, or no settlement.

But he warns that you cannot agree an offer now and then ask for more later if the legal decision is favourable. Once you have made a "full and final" settlement, that's it.

But the banks are playing hardball by refusing to give facts to customers who do not know what they could claim. Mr Cooper says: "Know all the facts before agreeing."