Scottish Widows Demutualisation Payouts: £70 million still unclaimed!

loonyfem

I too have completed the complaints form and sent it to the ombudsman. The more complaints they recieve might make someone sit up and take note of our situation. Good luck US:beer:

zoescrims

Can someone post the link for the ombudsman and watchdog please.
Thanks

ahigh5

Why does it not surprise me? I received my letter today that we were sent our payment on 21st Aug and cashed it on Sept 1st.....The bank does not have details back that far, I no longer do, so it basically is their word against ours. Have no idea how to fight them without proof but I know we did not receive it. Surely someone needs to investigate this.

ahigh5

I have gone through my Scottish Widows file where any information from them would be kept...No cheque stubs!!But interestingly I have a letter on file from Scottish widows dated Sept 2004 (Yes 2004!) saying that they were acquired by Lloyds TSB in March 2000 and "at that time the life assurance & pensions operations of both companies were brought together under the management of Scottish Widows" However it then goes on to talk about a proposal involving the life & pensions business of Lloyds TSB & asking asking the court of sessions for approval which if given, the transfer would take effect Dec. 2004. And basically going on to say the policies would not change. I have nothing else in my file before this later of 2004 telling me of a merger. (It does not mention anything about compensation.) I did not know of demutualisation before then. And did not apply for any money before hearing to do so from Martin Lewis. Now when we did so we were told we had it and cashed it!! I find this even more confusing.

munchkinsgran

I have all my bank statements but I know SW will say I could have opened and account at another bank or building society and deposited the cheque there. I think the only way to get anywhere is to make sure the ombudsman takes up our complaint and investigates on our behalf. The more people that contact the FSA the better chance we have of some action.

steelydan

I have just received a letter from the Ombudsman regarding my complaint (which closely resembles many of those on this site). They state 'it does not fall within our rules'.
They were furnished with all my documentation including bank statement details from 2000 which NatWest kindly resurrected.
Since first hearing of these unclaimed payments in January on BBC's Moneybox, I have put my case to them,Watchdog,Working Lunch and the House of Commons Treasury Committee,none of whom have chosen to reply.
Has anybody been successful with their claim ? I can't find one on this site nor any recent comment from the site founder...

ahigh5

I wonder if it is worth forwarding this forum link to all those, plus perhaps your MP. Does anyone know who is the chief Exc. of Scottish Widows. I always find emailing to the top man gives results that you don't get elsewhere. It is crazy that the ombusman does not want to get involved.

steelydan

Scottish Widow's Chairman is: The Rt.Hon. The Lord Leitch

ahigh5

Thanks for info. The only way I can find of email contact with him is at the web site, 'theyworkforyou' under his name (sorry I am not allowed to post the site in full) I think as many eamils we send to as many places as possible is the only hope we have of getting this matter investigated.

gwened

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum but it looks like I'm in the same position as everyone else. I received my letter today from SW saying I received a cheque from them on, I'm sure you can guess, 21st August 2000. I have all of my bank statements and know that I never received any cheque, but as other have said it would be my word against theirs that I didn't have another account. So, I'm picking up tips as to what to do next; are the FO interested mine was insurance not a pension? I doesn't seem like anyone has had any success in complaining.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.