Post Office-Bank money transfer - who is liable for missing money?

fibbling

Hi all,

It's been years since I posted on this site, i usually only plea for help when totally desperate..!

I am in receipt of benefits (JSA) at the moment which usually get paid directly into my bank account. A few weeks ago due to a paperwork error the Social Security Agency paid me with a giro cheque instead. I went to the Post Office to cash it and grumbled to the teller about the fact I had direct debits coming out of my bank account and live 50 km from my nearest branch. She interjected with a wonderful solution: she could deposit the money right there and now into my bank account using my debit card, I didn't need to go all the way to the nearest Halifax branch. I thanked her and agreed to this and handed most of the cash back over (I kept £30) with my bank card. She handed me the receipt and told me that since it was a cash deposit, it should show up in my bank account almost immediately.

Well 11 days on I still have no money and I am at the end of my tether. I've been forced to borrow money from my mother who is a pensioner and even paid a hefty bus fare to physically travel to my nearest bank branch, all to no avail. I spent over an hour yesterday on the phone (mostly on hold) to Halifax who claim they consulted their missing payments department and nothing was found. I went back to the Post Office and spoke to the teller who had deposited my money and she basically told me it was not their error, that the receipt showed the correct details had been entered (correct sort code & acc number ). She gave me a Royal Mail number to call and all I got from them was a "Not our problem, go back to Halifax".

I am really angry and upset as I desperately need this money and nobody in these 2 huge institutions (Royal Mail & Halifax) is willing to take account for it. It's like they are hoping I just forget about over £100 of my money going astray. I am so frustrated I am considering going to my local police station and accusing the post office teller of theft. Not because I actually believe she did it, but because it might be the only way to get someone to actually sit up and do something about this.

Is this my only option? Who is the next point of call for me considering I cannot afford a lawyer??! I would really appreciate some helpful suggestions.

Thanks in advance,

Jo
:mad::(

Sceptic001

Sorry to hear of your problem, but on a point of clarification, this is nothing to do with Royal Mail. If the number given to you by the PO is 08457 22 33 44 this is the Post Office Counters number (open till 2pm Saturdays). Since your dealing was with the PO and you have the receipt they should be able to sort out your problem.

fibbling

Sorry - I just assumed they are the same thing! When I say "Royal Mail" I am meaning "the Post Office". Whichever number they gave me at the counter to call I did, and they washed their hands of it too. I don't want to waste more time and money calling them again. This is the whole problem - I need an alternative contact.

Dr_Cuckoo3

fibbling wrote: »

She interjected with a wonderful solution: she could deposit the money right there and now into my bank account using my debit card, I didn't need to go all the way to the nearest Halifax branch. I thanked her and agreed to this and handed most of the cash back over (I kept £30) with my bank card. She handed me the receipt and told me that since it was a cash deposit, it should show up in my bank account almost immediately.
:mad::(

http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/counter-services/counter-money-services/halifax


Cash withdrawal: Yes - with card and PIN
Balance enquiry: Yes - with card and PIN
Payments in: Yes – with personalised paying in slip from Halifax
Cheque deposit: Yes – with personalised paying in slip and deposit envelope from Halifax

Sceptic001

Try submitting an online PO complaint form, quoting the reference number of the transaction (not account number) from the receipt. Stress that it is urgent, although I fear you will get no response over the weekend.
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content2?catId=20000202&mediaId=70600710

fibbling

Yes, I spotted this same page last week about the paying in slip and pointed it out to both the PO & Halifax that none was used ... but it still didn't solve anything... the post office teller repleid "Oh usually when we make an invalid payment there would be an error during the swiping of your debit card - and since there was none, then your bank was giving the 'OK' for the deposit"..

pqrdef

The PO is not a bank, and this isn't a bank transfer. But the PO does have a contract with Halifax to provide counter services to Halifax customers, and you were there as a Halifax customer, paying cash into your Halifax account. You have a receipt with your correct account number on it, as per your debit card. You don't care where the money went, all you want is for a transaction corresponding to that receipt to be recorded on your account. If you produced that receipt in the branch, they had no possible excuse for not arranging the credit immediately. The rest of it is their problem.

Dr_Cuckoo3

receipt should contain the following wording

Cash Deposit

LINK

Card Number **** **** **** 1234 Issue

Auth Code (blank for deposit)

Application ID

Transaction ID

From 05/11 Expiry 05/13 PAN Seq No; 01

Amount £200.00

***AUTHORISED***

pinkdalek

I would complain to Halifax, tell them you are not happy with what has happened. You are at a financial loss and you are only using a service that they have provided to you.

Halifax need to know if there are issues with this, simply because the more people complain about it, the more Halifax will do something about it.

I am not saying Halifax are responsible but there should be some sort of system in place for disputes like this. You may find the branch colleagues do not know the answer, however do not let them palm you off, get someone either in branch/or telephone to find out for you.

If you are complaining they have to log it officially as a complaint and take your situation further until you are satisfied they can close your complaint.

fibbling

Thanks to all of you who replied. The gist I am getting from all your answers is that Halifax are probably to blame. I am going to attempt another probably-fruitless call, the mere thought of which is already raising my blood pressure and bringing a lump to my throat. I hate this so much....

I will continue to update this thread for the benefit of others.

fibbling

Updating as promised.....
8 days on since my last post, still no money! I honestly believe that most people in this situation probably give up trying rather than continually feel angry and frustrated on a daily basis. If I weren't scraping to survive on benefits I probably would too. I have spent roughly 3 hours (over about 4 phonecalls) with the phone to my ear, mostly on hold. They actually deposited £30 into my bank account today purely to cover the time spent on the phone so far (£10 per hour apparently). I keep being told they are in the process of 'tracing' it and that despite the promise of a resolution within 4 working days they have a 'backlog' and apologise for the unreasonable time I've waited thus far. I think the sight of the 'apologetic' £30 in my account next to the words 'customer care' appeased me a little in that perhaps I'm not just being lied to and fobbed off on the phone. Maybe they really do have a backlog of some sort to pay out £30 rather than just correct this problem.
Thanks to the suggestions here that my bank was probably to blame. Because of that I focused on them rather than the post office and their hanging on to my issue this far seems to confirm you guys were right. I will post back here if I ever get this money back!!
Jo