Escalating Minimum Balance on Fee Saver Plan

<p>I am an FNB client for a few years now, and at the beginning, I was really impressed with their service and value for money.</p> <p> </p> <p>When I opened my cheque account, I was on Gold and chose the fee saver option which required a minimum balance of R9000 to waive all bank charges. Subsequently I was upgraded to Platinum, the escalations in the minimum balance is listed below:</p> <p> </p> <p>The year later, this amount went to R10000 which was acceptable (11.11% increase)</p> <p> </p> <p>A year thereafter, this amount went to R12000 which was still managable (20% increase)</p> <p> </p> <p>A year thereafter, this amount went to R15000 which became inceasingly difficult (25% increase)</p> <p> </p> <p>A year thereafter, this amount went to R20000 which became very difficult (33.33% increase)</p> <p> </p> <p>This year, this amount is now at R35000 which is impossible (75% increase)</p> <p> </p> <p>Are these increases justified, fair and considerate? I am told that if I don't have these balances, I will have to pay R200 per month.</p> <p> </p> <p>My wife and I opened our accounts together, she is still on the Gold cheque account, and her minimum balance is still R9000 for her account. I have asked that I be downgraded to the same account as her, but I am now told it cant be done. I feel really cheated by FNB, a person generally budgets for about 10% escalations with all expenses. I am not asking to s**** the minimum balance, or have it at the original amount, all I am saying is, be fair, be reasonable and understand that you are going to push us away if this is the greed which the bank shows.</p>