First Direct advice

aardware

Hi,

I've recently pulled my claim from the small claims court and written to HSBC to advise them I will be going to the ombudsman. I also had a first direct account, and at the same time did a data access request for my first direct account and HSBC prior to the 6 years I had previously requested for the court case.

First Direct have sent me a form to fill in which I know I have to fill out. The account was at the turn of the century and I no longer (i think) have my account number and sort code. They have asked me for these on the form and said that they will not provide me with this information without them.

Can they do that? HSBC provided me these things without my account number, and I would have though the account number was PART of the subject access request?

How can i get my account number otherwise?

Premier_2

I'm not sure you'll get the FOS to look at your complaint with HSBC because you need usually need to complain to them within 6 months of receiving the final proposal from the bank to resolve the matter (or after their time to resolve has expired)

I guess since you've abandoned hope of getting any refund via legal challenges, you are hoping to do so via personal / financial hardship routes (the only complaints the FOS are prepared to consider in with regards to these bank charges)
That being the case, best of luck with a claim for financial hardship against First Direct which you haven't bothered to make from about 10 years ago.

aardware

Yes, I do intend to go to the FOS on hardship routes, and I have a very good case to do so.

First Direct is a part of HSBC and so the snowballed charges I received from them are also a part of the hardship claim (in my eyes at least) and so I feel that there is no harm in trying.

However, thanks for your helpful and constructive reply.

aardware

However, the answer to my question, from the ICO, is that they would expect First Direct, given the age of the account I am enquiring about, to be able to provide me the details without needing my account number and sort code.

natweststaffmember

aardware wrote: »

Yes, I do intend to go to the FOS on hardship routes, and I have a very good case to do so.
With regards to the First Direct account and financial hardship then you can forget about that because you have NO CHANCE imho since there was no banking code then, there was no regulation with regards to financial hardship so arguing the case 10 years ago is, as Premier has said, a non starter. If you are arguing it with HSBC then you would have got a no from them with regards to the Bank Charges case.
Why did you not argue financial hardship during the test case(just so that I know you are not just doing that because you are desperate for any route to reclaiming)?
Do you still use the account which you are now claiming financial hardship from?
Are you aware that no bank has to refund even 1% under financial hardship?(so your eyes are wide open and not blinkered by a thought of hidden riches).
First Direct is a part of HSBC and so the snowballed charges I received from them are also a part of the hardship claim (in my eyes at least) and so I feel that there is no harm in trying.

However, thanks for your helpful and constructive reply.

DO NOT MIX AND MATCH a financial hardship case. You won't win by doing so. You cannot claim for example, NatWest/RBS together caused financial hardship, as such. You would have to make two separate claims.

natweststaffmember

aardware wrote: »

However, the answer to my question, from the ICO, is that they would expect First Direct, given the age of the account I am enquiring about, to be able to provide me the details without needing my account number and sort code.

First Direct should be able to provide a certificate of the destruction of your data should they be unable to provide the details. Is there no way of finding out those details from your own records at all?
Have you provided as much information as you currently have for the account?

aardware

OK, thanks, thats very helpful.