The bank took my money
Discussion
Around March/April last year I tried to do a transfer into an ISA with a certain orange coloured bank owned by a Spanish company.
They immediately created the new ISA account I wanted and in May, after some questioning about why they hadn't, took nearly £4k from accounts with a view to it appearing in that newly created ISA.
Except the money never reached the ISA. I've phoned them up at least every week or two since, I must've made 50-100 phone calls to the branch or their central complaints line.
The central complaints line can't work out what's going on and usually try and tell me I took the money out in cash in person or just that they can't deal with it at all. At the branch only the staff member who I initially spoke to or the manager will talk to me - the rest say they don't know about the case so can't deal with it (wtf are electronic systems for?) and will just take a message with a promise of a callback that never comes. The two that will speak to me promise me it'll be resolved in x days. It never is and I just seem to phone round again until I'm fobbed off.
I've been put off going to the financial ombudsmen just because I have to print off and fill in a form, which I hate doing, but as I'm not getting anywhere I can't see any other avenue. Is it worth going to the ombudsmen, do they ever get anywhere or just tell you to go back to the bank? The staff at the bank certainly don't seem the slightest bit bothered about me going to any third party to resolve this. Is there any other route I can take?
At this rate I'm going to end up being labelled a terrorist in a media report.
They immediately created the new ISA account I wanted and in May, after some questioning about why they hadn't, took nearly £4k from accounts with a view to it appearing in that newly created ISA.
Except the money never reached the ISA. I've phoned them up at least every week or two since, I must've made 50-100 phone calls to the branch or their central complaints line.
The central complaints line can't work out what's going on and usually try and tell me I took the money out in cash in person or just that they can't deal with it at all. At the branch only the staff member who I initially spoke to or the manager will talk to me - the rest say they don't know about the case so can't deal with it (wtf are electronic systems for?) and will just take a message with a promise of a callback that never comes. The two that will speak to me promise me it'll be resolved in x days. It never is and I just seem to phone round again until I'm fobbed off.
I've been put off going to the financial ombudsmen just because I have to print off and fill in a form, which I hate doing, but as I'm not getting anywhere I can't see any other avenue. Is it worth going to the ombudsmen, do they ever get anywhere or just tell you to go back to the bank? The staff at the bank certainly don't seem the slightest bit bothered about me going to any third party to resolve this. Is there any other route I can take?
At this rate I'm going to end up being labelled a terrorist in a media report.
cs02rm0 said:
When is their internal procedure exhausted? This could easily go on indefinitely, I'm slightly worried the only two members of staff that can deal with it will leave the company before this is resolved!
Its the internal compaints that has to be exhausted, and as yet, you have not formally statred that. you're still at dicking about with the phone monkey stage.for 4k I'd have had a letter in and a metting with the branch manager.
I've sent a few letters in and I've had meetings with the branch manager.
I'm constantly fobbed off with excuses and promises - what can I say if they promise me it'll be in my bank account in 10 working days and it just never happens?
When is their circular internal complaints procedure finished? How do you define that?
I'm constantly fobbed off with excuses and promises - what can I say if they promise me it'll be in my bank account in 10 working days and it just never happens?
When is their circular internal complaints procedure finished? How do you define that?
Left a message this morning asking for the branch manager to phone me back today about this.
Of course no one's phoned me back. Phoned just now (it's taken 30 minutes to get someone to pick the phone up) and they tell me the manager has gone home sick. I don't believe a word they say, but what direction do I go in next?
Of course no one's phoned me back. Phoned just now (it's taken 30 minutes to get someone to pick the phone up) and they tell me the manager has gone home sick. I don't believe a word they say, but what direction do I go in next?
cs02rm0 said:
Left a message this morning asking for the branch manager to phone me back today about this.
Of course no one's phoned me back. Phoned just now (it's taken 30 minutes to get someone to pick the phone up) and they tell me the manager has gone home sick. I don't believe a word they say, but what direction do I go in next?
Make a complaint to their Compliance department.Of course no one's phoned me back. Phoned just now (it's taken 30 minutes to get someone to pick the phone up) and they tell me the manager has gone home sick. I don't believe a word they say, but what direction do I go in next?
FFS man get a grip!
Rollcage said:
If it is more than two months since you contacted their H/O complaints department on the link I gave ,then go straight to the Financial Ombudsman, as you will have been deemed to have exhausted their internal procedure.
Ok, thanks, I will then.Apologies for misreading compliance department - I'll contact them too if you can find their contact details (Google can't seem to)?
Advice already given is fine. Make sure a complaint is registered with them, either by phone, on branch it should not matter.
I cannot understand why your endeavours so far have not resulted in a complaint being processed by them, sounds very strange. If complaint does not get you anywhere, after eight weeks from start then straight to FOS.
So long as everything is as you say, money will be put into account, interest backdated, and £50 for your troubles. You need to realy make sure it gets sorted before next tax year, as even the FOS cannot roll over your ISA allowance to next year. (assuming you put your limit in each year, otherwise it doesnt matter).
I cannot understand why your endeavours so far have not resulted in a complaint being processed by them, sounds very strange. If complaint does not get you anywhere, after eight weeks from start then straight to FOS.
So long as everything is as you say, money will be put into account, interest backdated, and £50 for your troubles. You need to realy make sure it gets sorted before next tax year, as even the FOS cannot roll over your ISA allowance to next year. (assuming you put your limit in each year, otherwise it doesnt matter).
Financial Ombudsmen chased them up.
Someone's investigated at A&L and actually done a good job - they've dug out all the detail that the people I spoke to seemed to think wasn't available and they've been totally honest in appraising the situation. They've admitted they can see no valid reason for the inappropriate handling of my account.
Bottom line is they're offering me ~£300, part of which is a pitiful 2% gross for while they had the money. Think I'll take the money and run before they lose it again.
Someone's investigated at A&L and actually done a good job - they've dug out all the detail that the people I spoke to seemed to think wasn't available and they've been totally honest in appraising the situation. They've admitted they can see no valid reason for the inappropriate handling of my account.
Bottom line is they're offering me ~£300, part of which is a pitiful 2% gross for while they had the money. Think I'll take the money and run before they lose it again.
Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff