Bank messed things up lots - what can I claim from them?

Levity

Hi,

I'm really just wanting some advice on what I can ask for in my compaint to Abbey.

In April I called up and cancelled a standing order I had going out for a sports club. It went out again and after calling Abbey I found out it seemed their adviser had taken no action on my account. They said they had no record of my call asking to cancel and so they wouldn't put the money (now two lots of £20) back in my account. I complained in writing asking for the £40 and the call charges, with the intention of escalting it potentially to the ombudsmen as I see no reason why I wouldn't be able to get it back.

I am a young girl and live on my own in a rented flat. When I moved in I was only part time work so my grandad is on the lease as a guarentaur. I got a call from him today saying they got a letter that said my rent payment was overdue.

It turns out Abbey cancelled my standing order for rent, not for the sports club.

I don't keep a tight eye on my account as I've never really needed to, I know I spend about what I should be spending each month if you see what I mean. I checked my balance earlier in the month and thought I had a bit more in than I expected, but it was not unbelievable that I had that much. Now I've overspent this month lots, thinking I had more money than I did, and tomorrow when I call up to pay my rent by debit card I'll be well overdrawn. I know that's my own stupid fault.

I am not in a fixed term tenancy agreement anymore and I'm so upset at having a black mark against me with my landlord. My grandparents are upset that this has happened. And I am skint.

I am so angry at the bank for causing this situation. I asked for a compaints dept tonight on the phone and was told they were 9-5. I asked who I could speak to and the advisor said she'd put me on to her manager (who she could only speak to on the phone :S ). She put me on hold a couple of times and kept telling me the manager was busy. In the end I asked for an address and a call back from the manager. She said she had to ask her manager about this and could she put me on hold again. Then she hung up.

I know that banks sometimes give people some compensation as a "goodwill" gesture. Do you think I have any chance of this being approved if I asked for this? How much should I ask for? And does anyone know what on earth address I should be using for Abbey?

Thanks for you help

jonesMUFCforever

Whilst the bank are at fault for cancelling the wrong standing order - they are in no way responsible for you spending your rent money. That is down to you and no one else.
You contradict yourself when you say 'I don't keep a tight eye on my account as I've never really needed to, I know I spend about what I should be spending each month if you see what I mean.'
If that was the case then why did your unexpected higher available balance not ring alarm bells?
Compensation - well yes for the mistake in not cancelling the original standing order - so £40 would be reasonable IMO.

talana

You could also ask them if they'd set up a temp overdraft facility and waive any overdraft charges for a couple of months.
Probably not unreasonable and worth asking. Otherwise I'd agree the £40 plus any charges incurred sounds realistic.

In future, you might want to think about moving to internet banking.
That way you can set up or cancel your own standing orders as and when necessary.

dunstonh

I am so angry at the bank for causing this situation.

They made an error. However, they didnt spend you money. You did. So, you cant blame them for your spending or your lack of monetary control. You can blame them for getting the wrong standing order.

I think £40 to cover the two payments that went out and maybe £10 rounding it to £50 for good measure is fair and a letter from them confirming the wrong standing order was cancelled by their error (which you can give to the landlord to restore your good standing).

You may also want to consider why it is that you are so unlucky. Could you have done anything differently? You say you cancelled a mandate but it never happened. Then when you chased it up after two payments had gone out, they cancelled the wrong one. Normally when a bank cancels a mandate or instruction over the phone, they repeat back to you which one they are cancelling. I'm not saying they are off the hook but getting two errors on standing orders in quick succession is very bad luck.

anselld

Whilst you may not be entirely blame-free, it is never too late to leave Abbey. They are notoriously incompetent and you will certainly not regret moving your banking elsewhere. I would suggest First Direct, who not only have first class customer service, they will pay you £100 for moving and do all the work for you.

Levity

Thanks for the help everyone.

dunstonh wrote: »

They made an error. However, they didnt spend you money. You did.

No, I completely agree with that bit, I know that's not the bank's fault that I've over spent this month. What I am concerned about and what made me really angry with the bank is it damaging my record with the letting agency, which is why I think what someone said about getting a letter from the bank is a really good idea.

You may also want to consider why it is that you are so unlucky. Could you have done anything differently? You say you cancelled a mandate but it never happened. Then when you chased it up after two payments had gone out, they cancelled the wrong one. Normally when a bank cancels a mandate or instruction over the phone, they repeat back to you which one they are cancelling. I'm not saying they are off the hook but getting two errors on standing orders in quick succession is very bad luck.

Yeah - I'm surprised it could happen as well, but I specifically remember the first adviser because he confirmed it back to me about three times. But what he confirmed was not what he did. I am quite aware of those kind of things because I work in a financial call centre myself and so I notice what they do and he was very clear, we definitely understood each other, it just didn't go through. How the rent ended up cancelled is still a mystery to me.

What someone said about internet banking is a really good idea as well. I've preferred to do it on the phone so I don't have to remember loads of numbers or rish my security by writing them down, but that's because I've always assumed the people on the phone just do what you say, like I would. I'm going to stop using Abbey anyway as I think the service in my branch and on the phones is terrible...

claire0788

Hey

I used to work for them and a few little tips for you in your complaint.

Make sure you make out you are a loyal customer and dont want to take your money else where but you will unless they correct their mistakes for the standing orders and refund you for the cost of the sports standing order going out. Try to put as much detail in your letter, even if they say they have no record they cant argue with you if you say exact dates and times you made your requests. Id say go for the amount of the standing orders and no more because you are very unlikely to get that for the mistake and since you spent the money for your rent I wouldnt even bring that part up.

Good luck

scott_lithgows

anselld wrote: »

Whilst you may not be entirely blame-free, it is never too late to leave Abbey. They are notoriously incompetent and you will certainly not regret moving your banking elsewhere. I would suggest First Direct, who not only have first class customer service, they will pay you £100 for moving and do all the work for you.

Agree re leaving Abbey.I would suggest Nationwide if you want a debit card or Yorkshire building society if you want a basic cashcard account,Both have switching teams,for the Yorkshire one its better to phone head office as local branches dont seem to know about it.UK call centres as well as a bonus.