Late 'sending payment abroad'

robert_harper_2000

My father has re-married a woman from Thailand she has gone back to Thailand to collect her children. He sends money and has made 8-10 payments so far.

25/4 My Dad sent £500 to Visa World Consulting - needed to help bring the children over. His wife stayed in a Hotel whilst this happened. After a week she called to find out what was happening as there had been no contact.

2/5 Went into Branch to send a futher £500 to his wife and found out that the Visa World payment had not gone through. He was told no reason for this and that they aren't allowed to send two payments at once and they would now send the money to Visa World and a day later to his wife.

Visa did receive there payment (ultimately a week late) and his after received her payment - again this took a further week reaching her on the 9/5.

4/6 Went into the Branch was told this time he needs a Debit card or credit card. He explained this hadn't been the case the previous 10 payments but got a bus home and taxi back with his credit card "We really require your Debit card but I will take this". Again filled in the 'NatWest Sending a payment abroad' form and ticked box 'URGENT'

5/6
6/6

Again no payment has left or been received by his wife! He is furious as his wife is sitting in a Hotel in Bangkok with very little or no money! He was upset and has been trying to contact the bank at all levels. He was told he would be called back etc but nothing has been done.

The Terms on the back are as follows:
The Banks Responsibilty
Reasoniable care shall be exercised by the staff of the bank should such care be not exercised the bank will be responsible for any loss of a kind that would ordinarly be expected to occus this includes interest but not loss of contracts or profits or other indirect or consequensual loss.
The Bank undertakes to process the payment on the date requested on this payment form provided that is received by the cut off time on the processing day in some circumstances the bank will process the payment on the next working day however this c not result in the value date being affected if the date is left blank or the date requested has already past when received by the bank the payment will be processed at the next available time.

The bank does not accept liabiliy for any delay in the transit or for any failure not caused by the bank in the payment not reaching yhr intended beneficiary account unlesss such delay is caused by the gross negiance of the bank.
Not withstanding foregoing the bank shall have no liability for and may delay or refuse to process or proced with processing any payment without giving notice or reason to the sender or beneficiary if in its reasonable opinion it is provident to do so in the interest of crime prevention or following advice from any gov agency.

My Dad has the form dated 2/5 and a transmission (when he complained) showing 9/5.
Now he has a form dated 4/6 with no transmission and so far the payment hasn't reached his wife.

He wants to take this all the way! He was talking of going to the Police as they are withholding his payment! lol He does get carried away. I know it is a loooong one folks but pleased help me make his feel better! What can I do? They have not sent payments and given no reason or contacted him when they do withhold his payments. He wants to go down the Police station so give me something. For my sake lol

robert_harper_2000

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have had a personal account with the NatWest Bank some thirty years and always used their branch in 42 London Road,
Brighton throughout that time because it is situated about a hundred yards from my business A.Coombs LTD 19-21 Baker Street Brighton where I have worked some forty years.

I am writing to complain about the way I have been treated and the difficulty it has caused my wife who is Thai and is at present in Thailand while she is endeavouring to get two Visas for her children aged 13 and 16.

I have been sending monthly payments to her account in Bangkok for about 18 months.

On the 11.04.07 Aphonthip my wife and I spoke in the NatWest Bank office and sent a payment to Visa World for 114,100 Bahts. It should be stated that the bank were foully aware of my wife’s intentions to fly out on the 26.04.07 to arrange Visas for her children and that we were married.

The British government increased the fees for a Visa in April 2007 by 16,000 Bahts per child and I was informed of this by Visa World in Bangkok on May 2nd with my wife and children present. My wife had flown from her home in Phuket to Bangkok with all the information required for her children’s Visas and would wait there while I would send the extra 32,000 Bahts. That same day May 2nd I made a payment abroad which I have enclosed at the NatWest which enable my wife to process the information with Visa World quickly while she was in Bangkok.

On the 9th May Visa World had not received payment and so I went back to the NatWest to find out why. I also needed to send my wife another £500 for her costs while she stayed in Bangkok for her Visa World to help her process the Visa. I was told they had not sent Visa World the payment of 32,000 Bahts they would not explain why and I asked if they could send it. I explained fully the position my wife was in and that I needed to send her £500 straight away they informed me that I would not be allowed to send two payments on the same day so I agreed to send the original payment of 32,000 Bahts which they still had a week later and my wife’s payment on the 10th May the following day.

I have enclosed receipts including transmission verification report that explains everything.

I spoke to my wife on the 1st June in Phuket and she explained that she had only 4,000 Bahts. I said that I would send £500 first thing Monday 4th June.

On Monday 4th June I paid in £360 and asked for a sending a payment abroad form which I dully filled in for £500 which I have enclosed. I wanted at the information desk and then gave it to the girl she informed m that they would not accept it without a card. So I went home to get my bank card this they had never asked me for before. I arrived with my credit card which she clearly accepted and I asked if she would send it immediately and explained why it was important to me that it should be sent quickly. She told me that it would be sent with the others that day. I thanked her.

I asked my wife Wednesday 6th June if she had received payment she said that she had not.

I then rang the NatWest and I was repeatedly unable to get through after later assurances that they would get the branch to ring me but they did not. I then spoke to Maria Clark 0116 2851031 who informed me that no payment had been made.

On Thursday 7ht June I spoke to Joan Sanbridge 0208 2368290 and explained that I definitely needed the payment to be sent she said that she would help and call back this she failed to do.

I then spoke to Joanne Judd at the executive office and asked if she could help and get the payment sent. She assured me she would phone back this she failed to do.

I finally went down to the NatWest Branch at 15:30 and spoke to the assistant manager she did not know whether the payment had been made. I explained everything and she had no answers except to day that the two payments could of course be sent the same day.

I believe that we have been treated maliciously money has been illegally withheld and contracts have been broken with intention. This should be investigated without delay.

Yours Faithfully

Beate

You might be happier on the Budgeting & Current Accounts forum with this. I don't think we can really help here as this forum is dealing with bank charges that people are reclaiming. Sorry.

natweststaffmember

RObert i have answered on another site, so i hope all is now settled.

robert_harper_2000

Natwest has replied with
"I'm sorry at least two payments were delayed, this was down soley to human error bla bla bla we apologise"

They have offered to arrange a gift.

This is not statisfactory!!! I want my costs refunded

Any advice?

rach29

Hi,

I used to work for Natwest & I regularly send payments abroad & get this sort of shenanigans.

Write back to them & state clearly that you will not accept a gift but that you would like a FULL REFUND of all the payment charges for the late payments & that you would also like them to pay you an amount of compensation with regard to the time & trouble incurred both in the UK & in Thailand.

Dont take no for an answer!!

robert_harper_2000

What you have said seems spot on! I'll type up a letter to that effect and keep you posted.

Thank you very much

robert_harper_2000

Having abit of trouble, adjusted the template letter but any advice or tips?


Response to settlement offer.

Dear [named sender or Sirs]

Thank you for your letter dated xx/xx/xx

Write back to them & state clearly that you will not accept a gift but that you would like a FULL REFUND of all the payment charges for the late payments & that you would also like them to pay you an amount of compensation with regard to the time & trouble incurred both in the UK & in Thailand.

I respectfully decline you’re your gift and request a FULL REFUND of the Bank Transfer payments.

I also request the sum of £500 as compensation regarding the time and trouble incurred both in the UK & Thailand.

If you do not accept my conditions for acceptance, or you do not respond within 14 days, I shall return the gift to you. For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to stress that I do not accept your offer under the terms stated in your letter.

I trust this clarifies my position.

Yours faithfully

jonesMUFCforever

I think you have got a good chance of getting the charges refunded but not getting £500 compensation.
IMO it was your father's wife decision to stay in a hotel rather than stay at home (personal choice). The bank should not have to pay for this.

robert_harper_2000

I've also been recommended to itemise my £500... sounds like good advice, back to the drawing board!