Natwest claims no account information, still charging a debt anyway.

Lost_Account

After losing my job in 2009, I went into my local branch to let them know, and raised concerns that direct debits bouncing would cause me to suffer huge charges I could not pay, snowballing me into debt. I asked if they could freeze the account etc. I was told no problem.

However, further contacting them after a number of weeks they said my account had been closed after being frozen after huge charges had been accrued for being over my overdraft agreement (a limit of £100). They had no current account information, and as such no record of my initial discussion, and referred me to their CMS department. They also could not find an account for debt repayment on their records and suggested I see if they have passed the debt on since I wasn't coming up on their system.

This is the response I have always had, and following no communications from any debt agencies or Natwest, later in the year opened an account with Barclays for my jobseekers allowance claim. Thankfully I have now been employed for almost 4 years.

Only upon checking my credit report this month, I have found an account open with NWB Current Account, which defaults every month from May 2009, inflated with charges and interest up to the current tune of £542! Contacting both their services and CMS again, they still cannot find any current account information, despite still applying charges and interest to the debt, and suggested writing to them to see what has happened.

There has clearly been a large mistake here to deliver on my original request over my concerns, they can't seem to find any information in any department for me when I contact them, and despite active charges and a default being added every month, have ceased any and all communications with me regarding any debt repayment, despite being listed as the debtee on my credit report.

If I write them addressing this as a complaint, requesting full repayment and interest, is it likely to go anywhere? It's the poor service and management of this account, and application of charges I'm addressing, not the fairness of the amount they have charged.

It's ruined my credit, and they seem to have done a poor job executing my requests and filing my information.

Atidi

Lost_Account wrote: »

After losing my job in 2009, I went into my local branch to let them know, and raised concerns that direct debits bouncing would cause me to suffer huge charges I could not pay, snowballing me into debt. I asked if they could freeze the account etc. I was told no problem.

However, further contacting them after a number of weeks they said my account had been closed after being frozen after huge charges had been accrued for being over my overdraft agreement (a limit of £100). They had no current account information, and as such no record of my initial discussion, and referred me to their CMS department. They also could not find an account for debt repayment on their records and suggested I see if they have passed the debt on since I wasn't coming up on their system.

This is the response I have always had, and following no communications from any debt agencies or Natwest, later in the year opened an account with Barclays for my jobseekers allowance claim. Thankfully I have now been employed for almost 4 years.

Only upon checking my credit report this month, I have found an account open with NWB Current Account, which defaults every month from May 2009, inflated with charges and interest up to the current tune of £542! Contacting both their services and CMS again, they still cannot find any current account information, despite still applying charges and interest to the debt, and suggested writing to them to see what has happened.

There has clearly been a large mistake here to deliver on my original request over my concerns, they can't seem to find any information in any department for me when I contact them, and despite active charges and a default being added every month, have ceased any and all communications with me regarding any debt repayment, despite being listed as the debtee on my credit report.

If I write them addressing this as a complaint, requesting full repayment and interest, is it likely to go anywhere? It's the poor service and management of this account, and application of charges I'm addressing, not the fairness of the amount they have charged.

It's ruined my credit, and they seem to have done a poor job executing my requests and filing my information.

Presumably every month, or perhaps 3 months, since 2009 that charges were being applied to your account because it was going overdrawn, you were being sent statements as is normal with any open bank account. Those statements presumably show the transactions that sent you overdrawn, and the resulting charges that applied.

And presumably, if you did not recognise any transaction, then you would have informed the bank immediately so they could investigate.

:cool:

Lost_Account

Sadly not, I receive no communications from Natwest regarding anything at all. No statements, new services etc. Been this way for a good 3-4 years or more. Not even been contacted by them to discuss having this account or debt.

Neither their customer care team, or credit management service searches bring up any results for anything, using all of my details. I'm simply not on their system according to them, yet I can prove they are a creditor still. Still charging an account and updating it as a default monthly. Awfully unskilled service.

It's weird for me to have to essentially audit their service to me, and then try to prove that I do in fact have this account with them that needs resolution.

Rachyk

You could try querying the account on your credit report? Might get you some more information

honeybean

I know how you feel I thought I was doing the right thing by informing them I was divorcing and the joint account needed to be frozen and they told me the same all interest and charges would be on hold, Oh this sounds so familiar I also had problems with nat west similar to yours it took to going omubusman after months and months of being messed about with them,and I had all charges and interest returned the account is still now closed and as long as I pay the agreed amount to clear the overdraft ,it goes down and it shows on my credit file as ok no defaults as my ex husband refuses to pay anything . I know it is a ball ache but keep going write everything down and get names and days and times of people you speak too luckily I am a doodler while in the phone so had all written down what was said on the phone and length of time I spent on the phone They are good at lying and the left hand does not know what the right hand does. In the end I had over £1000 worth of interest and charges repaid. Persevere it's worth it.

dancingfairy

You need to get this sorted out (obviously) so I believe you will need to get a complaint in. You may need to escalate it.
What proof/evidence do you have at all? Letters you have sent asking for information on it? telephone calls? proof you went in and advised you had problems? any dates/times/names etc will all help.
Firstly you need to go through the banks complaints procedure and see what they say.
If you are not happy then you can go to the Financial Ombudsman service although you do have to have given the bank a chance to sort the problem out first.
df
edit: if after exhausting things with the ombudsman you are left with this debt and default (I honestly don't know which way it would go) then you need to bear in mind that the default will stay on for 6 years after it was issued. You may want to consider paying the debt so it will at least register as settled, although obviously if you can get this debt reduced/written off/the defaults corrected first then this may not be necessary.

stclair

I hate to state the obvious however have you changed address at any point?

I would check your credit report and see what address the account is link to?

Lost_Account

Thanks for the replies guys.

- Nope, no address changes, been here for about 10 years since the account was opened.

I've contacted the bank, or rather the FOS has on my behalf, and I've stated I have no issues repaying the original overdraft because that was a contract I took out with them, but my issue is with the fact they don't seem to be able to locate any information across two departments, and I am having to chase this with them. This could have been resolved years ago, and my credit report in a much better state than it seems to be now.

Had I not checked my report so meticulously, it would have gone missed given their response of "Nope, nothing coming up here". Feel let down really. Doesn't seem like a skillful or reasonable service on their part I guess.

If they can't file nor track this account, I've said I have little faith in the accuracy of their record keeping (in regards to meetings, concerns and so forth). All I really want at the end if the day are the defaults to be corrected, if we really boil it down to 1's and 0's.

i feel I am being pretty reasonable given the situation.