God Damned Bank

The_Tax_Mans_Cash_Machine

I need a bit of OT help here if anyone's familiar with banks & how to get compensation out of them.

I'm with Lloyds TSB & have been for years, & have never had a problem until recently. Firstly, they're chasing someone who lived at this address about 5 years ago for the £97 he owes them. I've had umpteen letters here. Every time one arrives I ring them back & tell them he doesn't live here & they promise not to send anymore. Then about a week or 2 later another one arrives & I ring them again.

Another came this morning threatening experian/credit file action against him, but surely that will also effect my credit rating via the address? Anyway, I rang them again & they now tell me that I have to go into the local bank to sort it out !!! I can't believe it - I have to go and sort out someone elses problems!

Secondly, on an entirely unrelated incident, they took almost £1000 out of my account about 10 days ago pushing me well into my overdraft, & it's taken me a week of daily phone calls to get it back. Every time I spoke to them they said they'd put the money back that day, & never did - it finally came back today.

Surely if I'm having to spend my time phoning them, chasing them to get my money back after they've made an error, & then having to actually visit them about someone elses debt I can claim some sort of compensation from them?

The real pisser is that they're charging him interest for the £97 he owes, I didn't even get a sorry for the £1000 they took from my account!

:mad: <end of rant>:mad:

dave318

Get a well drafted letter sent to the bank indicating the lengths you have gone too this week and word it in such a way as a veiled threat of leaving due to their incompetence. There are some good letter writers on here and I am sure they will give you a draft of how it should read. They are all high and mighty when you go 3p over your authorised OD, but don't even warrant an apology when they are in the wrong. I'd charge them what they would charge us for a penalty, although we might be able to justify the expense, whereas they cannot.:mad:

PS Ask immediately to talk to the manager then ask him/her for their supervisor. See things get done then.

The_Tax_Mans_Cash_Machine

dave318 wrote:

Get a well drafted letter sent to the bank indicating the lengths you have gone too this week and word it in such a way as a veiled threat of leaving due to their incompetence. There are some good letter writers on here and I am sure they will give you a draft of how it should read. They are all high and mighty when you go 3p over your authorised OD, but don't even warrant an apology when they are in the wrong. I'd charge them what they would charge us for a penalty, although we might be able to justify the expense, whereas they cannot.:mad:

PS Ask immediately to talk to the manager then ask him/her for their supervisor. See things get done then.

Hi,
thanks for that. My plan is to charge them for all of the phone calls at some £'s per call for the time & effort, plus a fee for having to go to the bank to sort out their mess, & I'm also going to send a letter & charge them for that as well.

I'm just not sure if it'll work nor how much to charge them?

I is making my blood boil as well at the tone of their letter for £97, but at the same time they just shrug their shoulders & couldn't give 2 hoots about the £1000 they took from my account.

B'stards the lot of 'em. I'll post how I get on.

dave318

Add in the stress that this has caused you!!!

Goldielocks

The_Tax_Mans_Cash_Machine wrote:

Another came this morning threatening experian/credit file action against him, but surely that will also effect my credit rating via the address?

I am under the impression that debts are down to the individual person's name and does not affect the address. In the old days, yes it did put a credit black mark against the address, but I think the policy has changed now and it's just the name.

G x

The_Tax_Mans_Cash_Machine

Goldielocks wrote:

I am under the impression that debts are down to the individual person's name and does not affect the address. In the old days, yes it did put a credit black mark against the address, but I think the policy has changed now and it's just the name.

G x

I think you might be right, but I don't want to take the risk that it will be in any way associated with me. I've written a letter & am asking them for:

£25 (their standard rate for a letter)
£9.91 (interest on the £994 they took from my account - at the same rate they're trying to charge the guy the letters are for).
£50 (10 phone calls at £5 each)
£50 (compensation for the money taken from my account)
£100 (compensation for the endless stream of letters to the bloke who used to live here).
Totals £234.91

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions before I send it off? I'm not holding my breath on this, but you never know - I think it's reasonable.

cattie1

keep all letters, note down all times and length of phone calls-and keep your idea to charge them 4 these-explain you should not have had to ring more than once-if possible record any phonecalls from now on, check your credit score-you can get free 30 days with experian (then cancel) it shouldn't go against you as it is somone else's name but if it has you can contact experian and put an amendment on your file.
You can always contact the banking ombudsman with your complaint too.
good luck!

Xbigman

As far as the previous occupants debt is concerned. You should not open any letters that arrive addressed to someone else. You write 'not at this address' and sent it back unopened, and that is that. Opening someone elses post and getting stressed about things that have nothing to do with you is pointless. Phoning a bank about it is even more pointless as they will never take your verbal instructions to alter someone elses records.
In any event, you cannot be blacklisted for someone elses debt unless you are financially linked IE joint account, mortgage, loan.

As for the Lloyds mistake. I never phone. Go to your Lloyds branch and stand there until they sort it out. You will be amazed how easily things can be done when you stand your ground.
Regards


X

cattie1

keep all letters, note down all times and length of phone calls-and keep your idea to charge them 4 these-explain you should not have had to ring more than once-if possible record any phonecalls from now on, check your credit score-you can get free 30 days with experian (then cancel) it shouldn't go against you as it is somone else's name but if it has you can contact experian and put an amendment on your file.
You can always contact the banking ombudsman with your complaint too.
good luck!
dunno y it went up the top there!! sorry!!!

Donedoingdebt

As said earlier, your credit file will not be affected as it is all about the individual & not the address. Just write on the letters, "Return to sender, not known at this address". Personally, I'd tell them where to go rather than go to the branch to sort out their problem, or ask someone to call at your address at your own convenience.