CUSTOMERS can easily get their own back at the banks by reclaiming as much as £2,000 in punitive fees.

Can I reclaim loan protection premiums? Yes. Check your mortgage, credit card and personal loan contract to find out if it includes payment protection insurance.

If you did not realise you had it or think you would be unable to claim – perhaps because you are self-employed or were off work when you took it out – you should be able to claim a refund.

The Post Office estimates that the average refund could be as much as £1,500, assuming a £7,500 personal loan.

How about bank charges? This one is more tricky. Nearly 2m people have asked to have their bank charges refunded, with an average claim of around £1,000. However, because of the court case between the banks and the Office of Fair Trading, outstanding claims are on hold.

It may be worth lodging your claim now, though. You can claim for any fees you have been charged in the past six years. A ruling is expected in April, but if the banks lose they are likely to appeal and that could run into next year. So anyone who incurred charges in 2002 and early 2003 may run out of time to claim if they do not claim now.

And credit cards? You can also claim partial refunds for any credit-card penalties you incurred over the past six years. These are not covered by the banking fee waiver, so your card provider must look into your complaint. You will get back the difference between £12 and the amount you were charged. The average refund is £500, according to consumer groups.

What can I do about mortgage fees? If you have remortgaged in the past few years, or redeemed your loan early, and were charged a mortgage-exit fee that was higher than the charge stated on your original mortgage offer, contact your old lender and ask for a refund. The average is £150.

Don’t worry if you do not have the old documents; the lender should be able to trace them if you provide your name and the address against which the mortgage was held.