How can I take lloyds/TSB to the cleaners?

N9eav

In summary:

On 23rd June my uncle died and I became executor along with my brother.

On 25th June we reported the death to the bank with Death cert. and will and asked they freeze his accounts.

We were told it was done by an advisor called John.

5 weeks later I learn that money is still being paid out of the account £500 in rent money over 5 weeks and saw John again. He apologized and said there was some error in the computer and said the bank would rectify it.

He wanted the name and address of the landlady as the bank would be writing to her and reclaim the funds.

After a few more weeks, nothing happened and John would not return my calls. I made a formal complaint and the manager investigated it.

He replied this week stating there is no record of the death and that he had spoken to John and he basically denied all conversations we had with him took place (both of us).

The bank offered £100 comp for the poor service but it was up to us to get the rent money back.

John is inept and a liar. No letter was sent to the landlady and he obviously screwed up the computer when freezing the account or not as the case is. I am rejecting the £100 and want to escalate this further. I think I have a reasonable case? I also have 8 accounts (within our family to move elsewhere)

Any advice on how to best approach the next phase?

exel1966

You've already started the next phase in your mind by rejecting their offer. Now you have to communicate that to them in writing outlining exactly what you want to get from this and how you think they should proceed.
Don't be afraid to put exactly what your expectations are. They will be looking for you to do this because until that time you probably won't get want you want. Explain to them that you are fully aware of your rights and will not hesitate to take this to the FOS if need be.
If after 8 weeks (can be extended by LLoyds) of initiating the original complaint and after their final resolution letter you're still not happy then proceed via the FOS.

opinions4u

Okay, firstly you need to quantify what your costs are as a result of the bank's failures. They may well have electronic diary records of your visits, so denials of previous registration may not be backed up by their own systems.

- how much will it cost you in time (typically £10 an hour) and money to recover the funds from the landlady?
- how much has it cost you in time and money to report back to them on their failures so far?


Then you need to outline what you expect them to do:

- freeze the account
- register the death
- pay an ex-gratia payment for £500 if you are unable to recover funds from the landlady
- anything else appropriate with the managing of the estate.


Finally you need to clarify what, at this stage you feel is appropriate compensation:

- something for the estate (e.g. £100 plus 4% interest on the funds that you've been unable to distribute)
- something for you (e.g. £100 for the stress caused by their failures)

Remember, reimbursement for your time and costs and compensation for their failures are two very different things. you should be entitled to both.

You may feel that the amounts I've inserted aren't appropriate. Feel free to change the up or down based on how frustrated you feel, but I would caution against asking for excessive amounts.

Finally, remind them when you first complained and the 8 week timescale from that date (not from now) that allows you to take things to the FOS. Take it from there.

CLAPTON

have you (the estate) actually lost any money?
surely the uncle's estate would have to pay the rent until the tenancy was cancelled giving whatever notice was required?

N9eav

CLAPTON wrote: »

have you (the estate) actually lost any money?
surely the uncle's estate would have to pay the rent until the tenancy was cancelled giving whatever notice was required?

The rent is irrelevant as the bank should not have allowed any money out or in.

The matter is now more of lies, delays and mistakes

YorkshireBoy

N9eav wrote: »

The matter is now more of lies, delays and mistakes

Resulting in 'distress and inconvenience'?...

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/distress-and-inconvenience.htm

N9eav

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Resulting in 'distress and inconvenience'?...

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/distress-and-inconvenience.htm

Thanks. I knew the FOS existed and was a step in the chain of complaints, but it looks like they are quite supportive even on minor issues within the banking sector. I have certainly spend some time on this and personal distress has been high....

Time to compose my next letter to the local bank manager informing him that I am going to Head office complaints.

All I really want to do is confront John in the bank and get him to tell me to my face that none of our conversations or meetings took place....! fat lard !!!, but I will follow the proper channels:wall:

N9eav

I have now recovered the overpayment from the landlord so we managed to do what the bank could not. The Estate has now got its money back.

I wrote back to the bank manager refusing their £100 as insulting.
The local bank manager has now offered me £300 compensation for the poor service, but won't admit that their employee is a liar and failed to freeze the account.

Should I take the money, or push harder?

opinions4u

N9eav wrote: »

I have now recovered the overpayment from the landlord so we managed to do what the bank could not. The Estate has now got its money back.

I wrote back to the bank manager refusing their £100 as insulting.
The local bank manager has now offered me £300 compensation for the poor service, but won't admit that their employee is a liar and failed to freeze the account.

Should I take the money, or push harder?

Take the money.

It looks to be a fair offer.

As for the employee? The manager now has written evidence that there is a question mark over his competence and integrity. It may not be enough on its own to take discipliniary action, but combined with other information it may be.

As a former bank manager I know I'd be watching him like a hawk in every aspect of cash handling and customer service from now on. £300 would have blown my ex-gratia payments budget for the quarter well and truly out of the water. I would not have been pleased.

While you may feel it's personal, it really isn't. He made a mistake, covered it up in the wrong way and his employer is now doing what it can to rectify things.

£300 is a good deal.

pmduk

Whilst I won't underestimate the stress this will have caused you, you yourself are now extending this by continuing the complaint. I'd consider accepting the offer if only to close the matter. However, you could continue to press this matter by escalating it through the Lloyds TSB complaints procedure if you decided you wanted revenge.

exel1966

N9eav wrote: »

I have now recovered the overpayment from the landlord so we managed to do what the bank could not. The Estate has now got its money back.

I wrote back to the bank manager refusing their £100 as insulting.
The local bank manager has now offered me £300 compensation for the poor service, but won't admit that their employee is a liar and failed to freeze the account.

Should I take the money, or push harder?

It looks to be, on the face of it, a fair, if not generous offer and I'd be extremely surprised if you wanted to take this further and prolong the issue.

Accept and move on !