BANKS are hitting customers with a growing raft of sneaky charges that could cost them thousands of pounds a year.

One individual could rack up charges of nearly £3,700 from 20 different fees, according to analysis by the comparison firm, Moneysupermarket. The analysis took the example of an Alliance & Leicester current-account customer with a Halifax and Northern Rock credit card, a Northern Rock mortgage and a £10,000 loan with Halifax.

In the past two months alone, credit-card borrowers have been hit with no fewer than 125 fee and rate increases, says data firm Moneyfacts, as banks pass on the cost of the credit crunch. It is estimated that increases in balance-transfer fees alone could rake in £459m this year.

On mortgages, there are now 51 different penalty charges, up from 46 last year. Here we look at the top 20 sneaky charges and how much they will cost you.

Credit Cards

1. Withdrawal fee Most experts say you should never withdraw cash with your credit card. The average cash-withdrawal fee has increased from 2.5% to 3%, and the minimum fee is up from £2.50 to £3 on many cards including Nationwide, Capital One, Sainsbury’s, Abbey, and Halifax.

2. Balance transfer fee The highest are charged by Sainsbury’s Bank, Halifax and MBNA, which all have a rate of 3% with a minimum fee of £3.

3. Duplicate statements If you need copies of statements you often face a charge. First Trust Bank, part of AIB, is the most expensive at £10 per page. Abbey, Sainsbury’s and Halifax all charge £5.

4. Statement due dates Customers who want to change the date their statements come through may face a fee. Halifax customers are charged £5 if they request a change more than twice in six months and the AA will allow you to make one free change but will then charge £5 for each subsequent change.

5. Simply having a card Some credit cards impose a charge simply for having it, as firms say they offer additional benefits. However, Northern Rock charges a £24 a year fee on its Base Rate Visa, even though it comes with no extra perks.

Total cost for a Halifax and Northern Rock customer: £40

Mortgages

6. Exit fees These are levied when borrowers switch or pay off a mortgage, supposedly to cover admin costs. Alliance & Leicester (A&L) charges the highest fee at £295, and Northern Rock £250.

7. Mortgage name change Northern Rock will charge you £175 just to change the names on a mortgage, perhaps because a couple split up. Intelligent Finance (IF) customers are charged the least for this at £70.

8. Arrangement fees Fees charged when you apply for a mortgage have risen more than 50% in the past two years, to an average £774, says Moneyfacts. There are more than 137 mortgages that charge at least £1,995 – one in seven. Abbey has announced a record flat arrangement fee of £9,999 on a £500,000 loan. Northern Rock charges £995 on a two-year fix.

9. Remortgaging with the same lender You’d think you would be rewarded for staying with a lender, but Northern Rock will charge £395 and Abbey £75.

10. Arrangement fee for further advances If you want to borrow more money against the value of your home from your existing lender, Northern Rock and Halifax both charge £299, while Woolwich levies a fee of £150.

11. Property rental fee If you want to rent out part or all of your property, perhaps because you are moving home but keeping your existing house, you would usually have to pay a fee. The most expensive is charged by Cheltenham & Gloucester and Northern Rock at £100, while Halifax and IF charge only £75.

12. Valuation fees There is a huge range in what lenders charge. On a house priced at £100,000-£150,000, Northern Rock will charge £505, and HSBC will charge only £155.

13. Repayment changes If you want to change the repayment method of your mortgage, say from a repayment to an inter-est-only mortgage to cut monthly outgoings, Northern Rock has among the highest charges at £75, against £10 at Halifax.

14. Property reinspection Mortgages are usually valid for a six-month period before you complete a sale. If you are unable to complete within that time, you will be charged a reinspection fee. Northern Rock charges £55, and Halifax £75.

15. Telegraphic transfer When you take out a mortgage, money usually changes hands through telegraphic transfer, or Chaps. Although some lenders such as HSBC and Nationwide do not charge for this, Northern Rock levies £35 – the most expensive rate on the market

16. Buildings insurance with another firm Buildings insurance, compulsory with any mortgage, can either be purchased from your lender or via another company. Some lenders will charge you if you go elsewhere. Northern Rock and A&L charge £25, C&G £26.

Total cost for a Northern Rock customer: £2,909

Loans

17. Early repayment Lenders will charge you for the privilege of paying off your debt early. It is usually calculated as the amount of interest that the customer would have been charged for 30 days. Halifax and Lloyds TSB, however, charge 58 days’ interest. On a typical loan of £10,000 over three years, this would be approximately £580.

18. Default notice If you fail to make a payment, some lenders will issue a notice and charge you for it. Lombard Direct, for example, charges £25 while Halifax levies £30.

19. Express couriers If you need your money quickly, you can be charged for speedy delivery. Moneyback Bank Loan’s fee is only £30. The dearest is Halifax at £50.

Total cost for a Halifax customer: £660

Current Accounts

20. Minimum deposit fee

First Direct charges £10 a month if you don’t have another product with the bank or deposit less than £1,500 a month. A&L Premier Direct demands £5 if you don’t pay in at least £500 a month.

Total cost for an A&L client: £60

OVERALL TOTAL: £3,669

OVERDRAWN – AND PAYING THE PRICE FOR IT

IT analyst Anthony Haniff, 28, from Wimbledon, has already incurred about £300 of charges this year from Lloyds TSB. He has been charged for unauthorised overdrafts and returned direct debits.

‘I know I shouldn’t be going over my agreed limits, but the £20 charge I face each time I do this seems a little harsh, especially as I’m not notified beforehand.’

He also has a loan with the bank and is weighing up whether to pay it off early and face a charge, equivalent to 58 days’ interest, for doing so.