Santender Nightmare

thejanitor76

Last month. i received my latest credit score, although it my score is classed as 'Good' I noticed 8 defaults against Santender for a bank account I closed last september, with last default marked dated May 2011... I contacted credit expert to raise a case againt Santender to have them acknowledge that they are at fault, however santender later came bank to say all the information they held against me was correct and my account was in default.

I received the usual letters saying "sorry your leaving" nonsense and that the account when i closed. This way in SEPTEMBER last year & I heard nothing from them until my conscience got the better of me when i noticed these defaults. I tried my login details and to my surprise, I was successful in logging on & my account was still open and had all these fee & fines my account of nearly £300.00

I phoned santender straight away, given them a detail account of who i spoke when i closed the account last september and again in december when i received a letter saying i had charges against my account.. They wiped off all the charges on my account and offered me £50 in compensation, however I received another letter from santender this morning again saying "sorry you want to close your account" however new charges have been applied for my account totalling £84.90 Please send payment to..... (i can only assume more charges will be applied to my account as i won't be paying this money)

I have had it with this bank ( i left on good terms) & if they want me back as a customer all the have to do is ask and open my accounts without question and i would go back, however as as there are defaults on my credit score which will remain there for 6 more years.. & for the time i have wasted and the hassel Santender have caused especially with the mismanagement of my account I should be entitled to more compensation.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem with santender or any other bank and how to get more compensation, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I think i should ask for £50 per month for the 6 years in compensation.

jambosans

thejanitor76 wrote: »

I think i should ask for £50 per month for the 6 years in compensation.

Don't be silly.

Approach them asking for £3600 (72 months x £50) in compensation and they will laugh you all the way to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Your story is convoluted and unclear. If Santander did not close your account as requested, and you can substantiate this fact (or they admit it), then they should put you back in the position you were before their error (credit history and all), plus some goodwill for the inconvenience.

Be rational, write a letter of complaint which concisely lays out the timeline of events. Clearly indicate what actions you expect Santander to take to resolve the matter (e.g. correct your credit history), and ask to be compensated for your time and inconvenience - don't go in with an amount, let Santander propose one to you.

Santander's complaints process is linked below:-
http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?appID=abbey.internet.Abbeycom&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1210607166846&empr=Abbeycom&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateA2

ses6jwg

How did it get overdrawn in the first place?

Saints2011

ID theft ?

Degenerate

ses6jwg wrote: »

How did it get overdrawn in the first place?

At a guess: A systems failure or a human failure by one of your colleagues failed to action the account closure properly. It then clocked up under-funding fees which set off an escalating chain of under-funding and unauthorised overdraft fees.

This is an example of why people hate Santander. Things like this happen occasionally at all banks, but Santander seem to have a talent for failure.

mum2one

good luck, I've been fighting santander since Decemeber for charges they put on the account, which they removed as a goodwill gesture, which was very impressed with unfortunately, they didn't cancel the next months charges as they promised to do, every month since Jan I have been ringing them trying to get it sorted, I've recieved £40 in goodwill gestures!! but dreading next months statment!
Good luck, x

thejanitor76

ses6jwg wrote: »

How did it get overdrawn in the first place?

I was never overdrawn on the account. The account was closed (so i thought) and i heard nothing from santender at all, not one letter. Surely if i was due them money then they would be sending letter or have a debt recovery company chase me, but i never received one phone call/email or letter from santender..

It was my credit report that brought it to my attention with all the defaults against me for an account that was closed

opinions4u

Your initial expression of dissatisfaction was in December - you now have the right to go to the FOS.

I would write to Santander stating:

1) The account wasn't closed properly.
2) You compensated me and promised to close it.
3) Then failed to close it properly and my credit file has been impacted detrimentally as a result.

I would like you to do the following by 26th June, or I will refer to the FOS:

a) Close the account properly.
b) Correct my credit file with all 3 credit agencies.
c) Confirm this to me in writing.
d) Compensate me with the sum of £250 (insert your own figure here, but this amount feels about right to me).
e) Make a donation of £50 to a debt charity.

Seem reasonable?

YorkshireBoy

thejanitor76 wrote: »

The account was closed (so i thought) and i heard nothing from santender at all, not one letter. Surely if i was due them money then they would be sending letter or have a debt recovery company chase me, but i never received one phone call/email or letter from santender..

Was it perhaps an online account, such as an old A&L Premier Direct account? Any notification (to view your statement and any charges pending) for accounts such as those would be communicated by e-mail.

although it my score is classed as 'Good' I noticed 8 defaults

The above should clearly show you that paying for credit scores is a complete waste of money!

jackieblack

thejanitor76 wrote: »

Last month. i received my latest credit score, although it my score is classed as 'Good' I noticed 8 defaults against Santender for a bank account I closed last september, with last default marked dated May 2011... I contacted credit expert to raise a case againt Santender to have them acknowledge that they are at fault, however santender later came bank to say all the information they held against me was correct and my account was in default.

I received the usual letters saying "sorry your leaving" nonsense and that the account when i closed. This way in SEPTEMBER last year & I heard nothing from them until my conscience got the better of me when i noticed these defaults. I tried my login details and to my surprise, I was successful in logging on & my account was still open and had all these fee & fines my account of nearly £300.00

I phoned santender straight away, given them a detail account of who i spoke when i closed the account last september and again in december when i received a letter saying i had charges against my account.. They wiped off all the charges on my account and offered me £50 in compensation, however I received another letter from santender this morning again saying "sorry you want to close your account" however new charges have been applied for my account totalling £84.90 Please send payment to..... (i can only assume more charges will be applied to my account as i won't be paying this money)

I have had it with this bank ( i left on good terms) & if they want me back as a customer all the have to do is ask and open my accounts without question and i would go back, however as as there are defaults on my credit score which will remain there for 6 more years.. & for the time i have wasted and the hassel Santender have caused especially with the mismanagement of my account I should be entitled to more compensation.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem with santender or any other bank and how to get more compensation, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

A colleague of mine had exactly the same problem.

I don't know exactly how they got it resolved in the end but I think it involved her husband threatening some kind of legal action (I could be wrong).

I finally managed to get an account closed last September after 10 years of asking for it to be closed/being told it would be closed/believing it had been closed/finding out a year or two later it wasn't actually closed.
Luckily it was such an old type of account that it didn't attract any fees for non-usage so was annoying rather than a major problem.

If Santander was the only bank in existence I'd keep my money in the mattress rather than have anything to do with them.

Toe-Jam

email your complaint to ceo@santander.co.uk It will be picked up by the Executive office complaints team bypassing the rubbish customer service centre and hopefully resolve your matter quickly and more efficiently.

However it is still Santander your dealing with so nothing is guaranteed.