Bank breached confidentiality

davegore2005

Hi, first post so hope anyone can help

Back in October we had an appointment with a financial adviser at our local RBS branch to arrange some life cover, and during the meeting we mentioned that we did not have a will, the FA mentioned that his brother worked with a company who did will writing and said at the end of the meeting he would give us the number of the company, which we forgot to get.
Three or four days after the meeting my wife had a message on her mobile from someone claiming they worked with the FA's brother and he had been told we were interested in getting a will written, then an hour later I had a phone call at home from the same person.
We contacted the bank to complain about our number being passed to a third party and the FA's manager was brought into the matter, he was less than helpful and basically questioned my integrity as to whether we had allowed our phone numbers to be passed on, his findings were that the FA had breached procedures but not data protection.
We complained higher to the bank and after an investigation they found in our favour and that data protection had been breached and that the FA's manager should not even have got involved and he should have passed the complaint to someone more qualified to deal with it, the bank have offered us £250 as a full and final settlement, would you think that this is a reasonable offer or should we continue and go to the FSA??.
Any advice appreciated

Dave

bengal-stripe

What financial loss have you suffered?

Gromitt

So he gave out your phone number and you received a phone call from someone willing to write a will for you?

Sounds like they didn't intentionally give out your details and thought they were being helpful, but unfortunately broke the data privacy rules.

If this is all thats happened, £250 sounds like a very good offer and I'd grab it whilst its available.

Whilst I might have complained myself (on the principal that they shouldn't be giving out your contact details), I would have been happy with £25 !

opinions4u

£250 is more than reasonable.

should we continue and go to the FSA

The FOS is the next stop, not the FSA. I can't see anything in your tale that suggests a payment of £250 is inadequate. It's towards the top end of the range that the FOS would award in these circumstances. Accept the money and leave it there.

Back in October we had an appointment with a financial adviser at our local RBS branch to arrange some life cover

An expensive place to buy life cover most of the time.

pmduk

Unless you can prove any financial loss, I think £250 seems a fair offer. What were you expecting?

YorkshireBoy

The FOS may make a compensation award for 'distress and inconvenience' (you don't always have to suffer a financial loss), but since one phone call hardly constitutes either then I'd be taking their £250 and saying thank you very much!

YorkshireBoy

Since RBS provide a will writing service, I do hope the 'brother' works for either Hugh James or, if in Scotland, Brodies...otherwise the advisor may, and probably should, be sacked!...

http://www.rbs.co.uk/personal/investments/g1/retirement-planning/inheritance-planning/will-writing.ashx

stclair

RBS offer a will writing service them selves as Yorkshireboy has already stated.

How do you know it was NOT Hugh James who was calling you??

pinkdalek

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Since RBS provide a will writing service, I do hope the 'brother' works for either Hugh James or, if in Scotland, Brodies...otherwise the advisor may, and probably should, be sacked!...

http://www.rbs.co.uk/personal/investments/g1/retirement-planning/inheritance-planning/will-writing.ashx

That's a bit harsh to say the least, yes there should be some form of disciplinary but you know nothing of the adviser's career history with the bank do you? Who are you to judge, have you never made an error in your work? This may be the first instance the adviser has ever had where he has made such an error, in which case dismissal is harsh.

WhiteHorse

davegore2005 wrote: »

... the bank have offered us £250 as a full and final settlement, would you think that this is a reasonable offer or should we continue and go to the FSA?

It's a good offer, take it.

The really interesting question is whether the corrupt member of staff has been sacked.

YorkshireBoy

pinkdalek wrote: »

That's a bit harsh to say the least, yes there should be some form of disciplinary but you know nothing of the adviser's career history with the bank do you? Who are you to judge, have you never made an error in your work? This may be the first instance the adviser has ever had where he has made such an error, in which case dismissal is harsh.

I assume you're referring to the "probably should" bit?

Diverting business from your own company (and it's partners) to that of a competitor is gross misconduct in any company isn't it?...usually resulting in summary dismissal?