Help! HSBC have offered me a Financial Hardship sum - but they have no record of it?!

joem28

Hey,

I'm wondering if anyone could offer any help or share an similar stories.

Basically I applied to HSBC via the financial hardship letters and after filling in the income/expenditure booklet, I received a phone call saying my application had been declined.

Then out of the blue a few days letter I received a letter (dated 20th July) offering me £880 as long as I signed an acceptance form and sent it back within 10 days.

As there's been a few postal strikes in London recently I thought I'd call them on the 27th just to make sure they'd received my accceptance form.

BUT when I called them the financial hardship team said my applications has been declined and they have NO RECORD this letter being sent out offering me the £880.

So I've been on the form to complaints and I've got a helpful guy tracking down 'Neil Cusack' who works in 'Customer Care' and sent the original letter. However he's 'out of the office' and he's doesn't know when he'll be able to sort the problem out as no-one has any record of the sum being offered.

Any thoughts on what I should do next would be great.

natweststaffmember

Did you keep a copy of the original letter?

joem28

yes I've got it and it has a reference number on it - that doesn't match anything in HSBCs records

natweststaffmember

joem28 wrote: »

yes I've got it and it has a reference number on it - that doesn't match anything in HSBCs records

How long has it been since you first sent them the complaint?

joem28

Well when I called to check they had received the acceptance letter and they had no record of the offer that's when I called the complaint dept (27th July)

So it hasn't been long - I was just posting in case anyone had an idea of anything else I could do

natweststaffmember

joem28 wrote: »

Well when I called to check they had received the acceptance letter and they had no record of the offer that's when I called the complaint dept (27th July)

So it hasn't been long - I was just posting in case anyone had an idea of anything else I could do

When did you FIRST write to them asking for the money back?

joem28

seventh June

natweststaffmember

giving them time to read it, I would say that if they have not resolved this by Next Tuesday then you are going to the FOS on the basis that they agreed an amount and are now reneging on what they have said.

joem28

ok thanks...

...out of interest DO you think they're going back on what they've offered or do you think this is just a clerical error....that's why I'm trying to track down a direct number for 'Neil Cusack' in the 'Customer Care Team' (the guy who wrote the letter with the offer)

natweststaffmember

joem28 wrote: »

ok thanks...

...out of interest DO you think they're going back on what they've offered or do you think this is just a clerical error....that's why I'm trying to track down a direct number for 'Neil Cusack' in the 'Customer Care Team' (the guy who wrote the letter with the offer)

They offered the amount in BLACK and WHITE and so it is reasonable for you to assume that it is a genuine offer. Remember, you will go to the FOS not because the amount is too high or low but because they made an offer, you accepted it and now they are claiming that the person isn't at work, they don't know anything about the offer,etc, etc,.

jos004

joem28 wrote: »

Hey,

down 'Neil Cusack' who works in 'Customer Care' and sent the original letter. However he's 'out of the office' and he's doesn't know when he'll be able to sort the problem out as no-one has any record of the sum being offered.

Joem28, is HSBC's customer care, based at their Quality Service Centre in Leeds?

I had a letter from them August 2007 claiming they made me a goodwill gesture offer - like hell they did.

Wrote back to a Jim Large ( he probably is large aswell ) asking him to prove the address he supposedly sent the offer letter to. He finally admitted an offer had not been made.

Go with your guns and fight them. At least you have proof.