Blacklisted by own bank

continualdiamond

I posted this on anything else money saving, but thought id put it on here as well.

Partner and i have been blacklisted by our bank for 12mths.....

Is this allowed??

Basically parnter lost job middle of jan, thought we were doing the right and let our bank know. However come 12th feb partner took company to head office and got his job back (company depot decison overuled).

We went back to the bank to let them know he had his job, finanical circumstances back on track.

Today come to get a loan for a car and declined, ring up to find out why and told blacklisted from feb 07 - feb 08 due to letting them know in jan that partner lost his job.

Told this blacklist could not be removed by anyone and would stay on account until feb 08.

Does anyone know if this is the norm? Surely they can see parnters wage going into bank every week and mine every month. No direct debts missed, everything is paid on time.

HELP........

I really want to switch banks now, with how this has been dealt with, though we have a big overdraft, so dont think its possible

RichyRich

Firstly I'd suggest ringing back and speaking to a different advisor, to see if they say the same thing. You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) how many advisors will trot out any old crap to customers - I am speaking as a former employee of a major bank here and some of my colleagues would make me cringe with the misinformation they doled out to customers. It could be that the representative misread something on-screen or doesn't understand the procedures.

If they won't budge, ask to speak to a manager or supervisor. They will probably resist doing this, but if you ask firmly yet politely they should give in eventually. Explain the situation and why you are unhappy. They might be able to do something (Someone at the bank will be able to lift this indicator - it's a matter of finding out who).

If the manager refuses to budge, ask if you can be transferred to the Complaints team - to get some kind of redress you will need to lodge a formal complaint. Lodge a formal complaint with them and request a reply by post. If they still impose this "blacklist" and you are not happy, and they refuse to correspond with you further on the matter, you can refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman (but only after you have exhausted your bank's complaints procedures - you will need to obtain a deadlock letter).

Good luck
Rich

saxmund

Isn't the answer simply to apply for a loan on the internet and let someone else make a pfofit out of you? The ultimate answer for poor service is - take your business elsewhere.

continualdiamond

Thanks so much for the replies, i've applied online for a new bank account with another company. Only problem is current bank account has a large overdraft, might not be able to get the same with a new bank account.

RichardJohn_2

You'd have been better off going in branch to apply really, you could have negotiated the overdraft then. You could still try phoning the new bank and asking if they'll match the overdraft.

Compound_2

I suppose the moral of the story is not to give away private information unnecessarily. It would have been necessary to tell the bank about the circumstances only if there was going to be a default on amounts owed to bank.

Your partner should assert rights under the Data Protection Act to have the inaccurate information (about unemployment) corrected.

oldwiring

continualdiamond wrote: »

Thanks so much for the replies, i've applied online for a new bank account with another company. Only problem is current bank account has a large overdraft, might not be able to get the same with a new bank account.

So only just re-employed with a large OD already, and asking for a loan; where do you think would place any applicant in a bank's 'best customer to lend to' stakes?