RBS account closure. 20 days passed no response! Help please!!

jaodre

This is my worst money saving move.

To save ￡5 international payment transaction fee I decided to use rbs with which I had a rarely used account for 6 years. I transferred money from my major barclays account to rbs. On Monday 28/09/09 I sent over ￡15,000 to my mum's account at my branch. It should have gone through in 4 working days. On Friday the funds still hasn’t left. So I rang my branch. The front desk staff asked the manager and told me the transaction hasn’t been processed. It was overlooked. Promised me they will send it as urgent payment next working day free of charge.


The next Monday I rang the branch again why it still hasn‘t been done? the manager said they need additional security check. Asked how long, she had no idea, just asked me to wait. It’s my only chance speaking to my branch manager. In the following 20 days I could never get hold of her again. Then the next day I logged into my online banking. My only rbs account disappeared. Rang my branch again, front desk staff said the manager will call me back. She never did.


Called the customer relations, they couldn’t find my account either. They rang my branch, sometimes nobody answer. Says short of staff. Had to email them. Asked me to wait. Guess this is how rbs pays back tax payer’s money, sacking staff and keeping customer’s money.


Next day called my branch again, no luck. Was told it was passed to another department, but refuse to reveal any further information and contact details. Says a letter was sent. Due to the London postal strike, finally received their letter on 13/10/09. It was from an senior manager at another nearby branch! But nothing was explained in the letter. Only says they are not in a position to comply with my request at this time and unable to enter into any further discussion on this matter. What a waste of time!


Called the other branch couple of times, could never get hold of that senior manager who sent me the letter. The people who answered the phone very rude says I shouldn’t ring them, they aren’t my branch! So rang customer relations again to file an complaint. Told had to wait for 10 working days for a response. Now 10 working days passed, no reply whatsoever. Found a tele number of their account closure department from other thread on the forum. It was an answering machine. Says will reply in 5 working days, no reply either!


Wasn’t impressed form day 1 since my rbs account was opened. But didn’t expect such non-communication. Was mislead to open a royalty account. Downgraded it after 3 months, still got fees charged afterwards. my name on the debit card was wrongly spelled. 1 letter was wrong. Branch asked me to call card center. Card center says no big deal. The card is still working. Kept sending me wrongly spelled renewed card.


Haven’t used this account and card for 2 years because of no easy access to local branch. Recently found out my credit card limit was decreased from £2500 to £25 from online banking. Don’t know since when as no letter from rbs credit card regarding the limit change either. Luckily didn’t use this credit card, otherwise could easily exceed the £25 limit unknowingly and get charges. After my current account was suspended, I tried my credit card on the ATM , couldn’t access. Called them, says closed. Since when? Says August. No letter received of this either. Strange enough still received letter of their recent promotion this month. Asked why? Says it was pre-arranged letter.


Anyway back to my account closure. £15,000 is relatively large amount of money but not a huge sum. I explained to the staff on the day when I did the transfer. It was matured fixed term deposit from my other high interest earning saving account and golden ISA account. As a saver of course I will only move it to 0% interest account before the day of the transaction. If this waves a flag, just tell me that day. It’s totally unacceptable closing customer’s account and keeping their money without explanation for such a long time. At least pass me the contact details of the right department. Why make it so mystery?


Planed to go back to my home country on 26/10/09. Now everything has to be postponed. Change my flight departure time, reactivate my bt phone line, mobile phone, broadband contract.


Contacted financial ombudsman. Was told I must have the final letter from rbs with the result of my complaint and the reference number to take it further. Now I am stuck. No one from ribs is willing to tell me what’s going on with my account and how long will I heard a word from them. I postponed my flight to the end of the year, but it seems not long enough to have things sorted out given rbs’s low efficiency and lack of communication. Should I take legal action against rbs?


Sorry about the screed. Hard to keep my story short whithout details. Thanks for your time if you managed to read to the end. I am much appreciated for any constructive advice.

bengal-stripe

Simple! - You have fallen foul of "money laundering" regulations.

To send a not insignificant sum to a virtually dormant account, thereafter to go abroad
(I believe your Mum’s account is in another country) will have had all the alarm bells ringing.

bingy_burge

Yeh the hole thing sounds dodgy!!

johnmoney05

bingy_burge wrote: »

Yeh the hole thing sounds dodgy!!

RBS or OP?

jaodre

The money actually had left my account on 19/10/09, 2 days before I posted here. I didn't know about this until I called customer relations again few days later. If anyone from rbs had courtesy keeping me posted I wouldn't have wasted my time writing a length story 'sounds dodgy'!

I complained why my branch manager never got in touch even after the transfer had gone through? Finally the branch manager rang me that afternoon with a soft tone telling the result I already knew. I then questioned why they charged £32.50 fees which usually is £20. She couldn't explain, so she gave £15 refund as good gesture. That's £2.50 discount for all the hassles! Well done, rbs! I didn't do nothing wrong and reminded her that she promised a free charge on day 5 for the delay. Then she proposed another £85 to compensate. I accepted it but would rather be dealt it with a competent person by appropriate means.

I should have updated the ending much earlier. Was too upset and disappointed in some helpless people. Hope those who still banking with rbs will have better luck with their local branch staff!