Birmingham Midshires Unclaimed Preference Shares

jd87

My parents have had a Birmingham Midshires (now Halifax) account for years. A few months ago I came across something about unclaimed preference shares. I'm not sure about the details of it, but it was basically free money given out to BM account holders when Halifax (or was it HBOS) bought BM. Anyway my parents don't recall ever getting any free money around that time so we filled in the form from the BM website and posted it off but haven't heard anything since. This must have been at least 6 months ago now.

I've been trying to chase it up. It is still mentioned on the front page of the BM website (right hand side) but I think the info it gives on there might now be out of date. The link given takes you to a generic lloyds banking group web page and the email address is an hbosplc.com email address. As HBOS Plc doesn't exist any more will anyone even answer an email sent to it?

Has anyone else tried to claim this recently?

LemonGrove

I don't know anything about these, but it does look like the address is out of action, since visiting the website just brings up an error written in large text. Try [url=mailto:info@birminghammidshires.co.uk]contacting Birmingham Midshires[/url] to confirm the address.

opinions4u

Linky

"Over 17,000 former members of Birmingham Midshires Building Society are still entitled to a cash entitlement resulting from the sale of their free Halifax Preference Shares in 2002.

If you think you are eligible please visit www.hbosplc.com/unclaimedpreferenceshares to complete a claim form.
If you have any other queries regarding Unclaimed Preference Shares please write to Shareholder Services, Trinity Road, Halifax, HX2 2RG or;
Email: [EMAIL="ssunclaimedmailingqueries@hbosplc.com"]ssunclaimedmailingqueries@hbosplc.com[/EMAIL]
or you can call the Shareholder Services' helpline on 0800 024 1319 (open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm)."

I believe they were redeemed for around £433 per allocation in 2002. Which is probably a good thing in the current climate!

HBOS plc does exist. It is a wholly owned subsuduary of Lloyds Banking Group, who probably regret the fact!

jd87

Yes I've seen that page opinions4u. The problem is if you click that https://www.hbos... link it just redirects to Lloyds Banking Group homepage.

LemonGrove

The email address given is at a domain that no longer exists regardless of whether the company does;

"ssunclaimedmailingqueries@hbosplc.com"

That domain simply displays:

"Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)"

It could still work however.

crispy_chris

@hbosplc.com emails still work fine, so an email sent there will get through (assuming the prefix is still active)

alypen

My understanding is that the Halifax preference shares, which were originally issued to Birmingham Midshires customers, were later converted into Lloyds TSB shares (which I certainly received), so that the Halifax certificate is no longer valid. I've been doing some clearing out, and the Halifax certificate is sitting on top of the shredder, so if anyone can confirm that it's no longer valid before I shred it that would be most helpful!

opinions4u

alypen wrote: »

My understanding is that the Halifax preference shares, which were originally issued to Birmingham Midshires customers, were later converted into Lloyds TSB shares (which I certainly received), so that the Halifax certificate is no longer valid. I've been doing some clearing out, and the Halifax certificate is sitting on top of the shredder, so if anyone can confirm that it's no longer valid before I shred it that would be most helpful!

If they are preference shares, don't shred it. There should be cash waiting for you.

See my post above.

alypen

Yes, but my point was that surely these were cancelled and replaced by the Lloyds shares?

opinions4u

alypen wrote: »

Yes, but my point was that surely these were cancelled and replaced by the Lloyds shares?

They were, as I recall, cancelled and replaced by cash in 2002 (which was stated in the post I referred you to).

So I can't see how they would have converted a cash holding in to LBG share captial.

Which is far better than having had them go through the banking crisis of the last couple of years.

http://www.bmsavings.co.uk/existing-savers/unclaimed-preference-shares/

EarthBoy

I think it was only the unclaimed preference shares from the BM demutualisation which were redeemed in 2002. If you claimed them they did eventually become Lloyds TSB preference shares. I had some but they bought them all back, last year I think it was. I didn't get a lot for them though.