What to do if I get no reply?

dm1983

I sent NatWest a request for all the info they hold on my acccount (or bank statements if they couldn't provide the other info) and sent them a cheque for the £10 maximum fee.

The £10 cheque was cashed a hile back, but the 40 days is up on Wednesday and I have still to receive the requested details so I can lodge a claim for the charges.

What should I do next if I don't receive a response within the 40 days as suggested in the template I used?

TheOne

I assume you sent the original request recorded delivery or something, so you will have a record of when they received the request. I also assume you made the request under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you don't hear anything 40 days after when they received it then lodge a complaint with the information comissioner. http://www.ico.gov.uk/

dm1983

Yes, I sent it recorded delivery and have details of when they received it and when they cashed my cheque.

This is the letter I sent:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Ref: MY ACCOUNT NUMBER

Please send me all information that your company holds relating to my entire account history with your organisation.
Please include details of all transactions, and a copy of the original contract by which this account is/was governed including all amendments made to the contract terms since opening the account.
I would also like a schedule of all charges & interest applied to my account(s) including details of any instances that required manual intervention.
Please include a copy of the original contract by which this account is/was governed including all amendments made to the contract terms since opening the account.

I understand that under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, you are obliged to keep data on file for 6 years so I expect to receive at least 6 years data. However, if you hold data beyond 6 years, under the above act, you must supply it on demand. If you no longer hold data beyond 6 years, I would like a signed declaration from your data controller and a copy of all documents pertaining to its proper disposal.

All data, including data held on a microfiche must be provided within a reasonable timescale, a maximum of 40 days. I enclose the maximum statutory fee of £10.

If you cannot provide this information, I will accept copies of my statements dating back six years as an alternative, along with a copy of my original contract, but since I am not requesting this I still expect to be charged only the maximum £10 under the Data Protection Act.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

MY NAME

dunstonh

Have you called them to ask them how they are getting on with it?.

A chaser call can often be quicker and easier than submitting a formal complaint.

dm1983

dunstonh wrote: »

Have you called them to ask them how they are getting on with it?.

A chaser call can often be quicker and easier than submitting a formal complaint.

Not as yet.

I'll do that when I get home from work today provided the information requested hasn't arrived today.

thefourbennetts

Keep chasing. It is good that they have cashed your cheque. If I remember right, it was nearer 40 days that Abbey finally sent a wad of statements

dm1983

thefourbennetts wrote: »

Keep chasing. It is good that they have cashed your cheque. If I remember right, it was nearer 40 days that Abbey finally sent a wad of statements

Just spoke to them. They say a letter has been sent out to me and I should receive it within a week. To me that sounds like they are only bothering to do it now.

TheOne

When did they cash your cheque? Shouldn't take more than a few days for them to gather the info and get it on its way to you. I would hope you'd receive the letter you mentioned well within a week!! The slowest delivery service I know of for any carrier is 3 days, unless someone from their office is walking it to your house!
I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe the 40 days is the time they have to get the requested information to you. So if they contact you on day 39 and say "the info is on it's way and should be with you within a week" then I believe they are failing in their obligation to the DPA.

dm1983

TheOne wrote: »

When did they cash your cheque? Shouldn't take more than a few days for them to gather the info and get it on its way to you. I would hope you'd receive the letter you mentioned well within a week!! The slowest delivery service I know of for any carrier is 3 days, unless someone from their office is walking it to your house!
I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe the 40 days is the time they have to get the requested information to you. So if they contact you on day 39 and say "the info is on it's way and should be with you within a week" then I believe they are failing in their obligation to the DPA.

They cashed the cheque on 28th May, which was 10 days after they signed for the letter.

TheOne

So they have until 28th of June then.

dm1983

What a shock. I've still not received this letter they claimed they had sent me.