There has been so much talk of unfair bank charges over the past few years and, more recently, of the Supreme Court decision that threatens millions of consumers’ claims. But there’s far less media coverage about unfair credit card charges.

Yet unfair credit card charges are being successfully reclaimed by consumers as we speak and are an entirely separate issue from bank charges. This means that they were not affected by the recent bank charges verdict.

Consumer law states that any charges levied by credit card companies on their consumers for late payments, or for going over the credit limit, must be proportional to the costs they incur. Yet some credit card providers have been charging up to £35 to send an automated letter! In 2006, the OFT declared that this was unfair and said it would investigate companies making charges of anything over £12 (though many believe that £12 is also excessive)!

However, while the OFT’s stance on credit card charges has little in the way of technical authority, it has made successfully claiming credit card charges much easier for thousands of consumers.

If you have have been charged over £12 in credit card charges in the last six years, you could also claim back money. This applies even if you no longer have that particular credit card – literally to any credit card charges at all within the past six years.