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Abby ISA transfer saga from Icesave still ongoing!!

I've reached the end of my tether with Abby (my first and last dealings with them). After six months, 17 branch visits and twenty plus calls I still have no money in my new direct ISA after the collapse of Icesave. I'd originally opened the account before the start of the tax year and now am having to persist with them or lose ten years of built up allowance. To summarise the whole sorry tale the branch sent off my forms to head office who then returned them to me (on the first occasion in an open envelope with a copy of my passport and the check for £££££!!!) for reasons unknown which I then took back to the branch. We then repeated this process twice more, presumably to keep the royal mail in business in these difficult times. At this point they lost them all so we sent out copies and hey presto I had an open account! Yay! Which they closed again the same day thinking I was David Ha***** of tumbridge wells (who I may pay a visit now that I know all his details!), Then we all messed about a bit more and finally I had an account! But no money as they eventually admitted they lost my check. So I wrote another one. Hurray all he required bits in the same place! Only the check in the prepaid envelope was now where to be found at abby HQ and then in the ethereal nature of there offices they on longer had a record of my transfer. Their solution - could I write a third cheque, transfer forms and copy of a letter confirming they had my ISA certificate? I said no.

Did I say summarise at the start? Don't suppose anyones made it this far, but any ideas? If nothing else I hope this puts a few people off using abby!

Comments

  • martinman3
    martinman3 Posts: 727 Forumite
    You should ring the Financial Ombudsman Service http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm and tell them your story. At the very least they will give an address for you to write a complaint letter to. Don't bother with any address on the Abbey website if you can find one you will probably never get a response (personal experience).
    If they think that you have already made it clear on the telephone to a customer services representative that you are not happy and given them enough time to respond they can deal with it on your behalf now.

    It is amazing how quickly problems are dealt with by Abbey once the FOS sends them a letter (to the correct person/department). :D
  • Lokolo
    Lokolo Posts: 20,861 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    martinman3 wrote: »
    You should ring the Financial Ombudsman Service http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm and tell them your story. At the very least they will give an address for you to write a complaint letter to. Don't bother with any address on the Abbey website if you can find one you will probably never get a response (personal experience).
    If they think that you have already made it clear on the telephone to a customer services representative that you are not happy and given them enough time to respond they can deal with it on your behalf now.

    It is amazing how quickly problems are dealt with by Abbey once the FOS sends them a letter (to the correct person/department). :D

    Before that I would put in an official written complaint. At least then there is a better reference to the customer and the complaint in hand.

    I can imagine F.O. sending Abbey a letter saying "Blah blah blah Mr. X", then the people at Abbey going !!!!!! no idea what this is about ;)
  • scott_lithgows
    scott_lithgows Posts: 1,427 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Lokolo wrote: »

    then the people at Abbey going !!!!!! no idea what this is about ;)


    I would imagine that,s the job description of their whole working day
    I have a deep burning indifference
  • martinman3
    martinman3 Posts: 727 Forumite
    edited 19 July 2009 at 10:09PM
    Lokolo wrote: »
    I can imagine F.O. sending Abbey a letter saying "Blah blah blah Mr. X", then the people at Abbey going !!!!!! no idea what this is about ;)

    Any letter sent to customer service or just to "Abbey" would be scanned, I presume, and added to the account notes available through CRM software.

    Who said anything about reading it ? ;)

    Whereas, the FOS send their complaints directly to the complaints department.

    edit: The Complaints Department address is on their website

    Complaints Department
    Abbey
    PO BOX 5129
    Milton Keynes
    MK9 2YN
  • Thaanks very much for all your replies. I'll be writing a few strongly worded letters in the near future...
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