RBS/Natwest, PPI and telephone 'interviews'

jeaniepie

I used the MSE template letters in July 2012 to request information on a settled loan taken out with Natwest in the early 2000's, for which I don't have any paperwork. (I work on a '2-year' rule and shred anything any older.... I wish I hadn't now!)


Initially I received a letter asking me to confirm all my details again, as they didn't match the records held on file. This became quite a protracted process (several months) as I was getting married, and needed to wait until the big day and honeymoon had passed in order to show proof of my name and address changes.


Once I'd sent off this information I received a very unhelpful reply which explained Natwest/RBS were under no obligation to give me any information because the loans had no outstanding balances, etc.


It was now December 2013 and I was considering what to do next when I received an unexpected letter from RBS which informed me that according to their records, I had five loans with Natwest between 1998-2005 which I had PPI on (!).


I completed the form they had included with the letter, explaining that in branch I was advised to take out the policies as it would be more likely my applications would be successful, that as I worked for the NHS on a full time, permanent basis I was already entitled to full sickness, death in service and redundancy pay, and that as far as I can recall I wasn't given any paperwork regarding the PPI at the point of the sale.
I posted this at the beginning of March.


This week - the beginning of April - I picked up an answerphone message asking me to ring RBS regarding my PPI complaint.
When I called they asked me virtually all the questions I had already been asked on the form I had posted to them, but also asked me "What was the value of each of the loans that you took out?"
I explained that I couldn't remember (the earliest of these was taken out 16 years ago and I have no paperwork for them) but I was repeatedly pressed for a response, to the point of asking "Just give me a ball-park figure, was it for £1000s or for £10,000s?"
With hindsight, I wish I had pointed out that surely they must have this information! But during the phone call I just explained honestly that the earlier loans would have been for smaller amounts, and that as the later loans were for consolidation purposes, they would have been for increasingly larger amounts.


I've been told I'll receive a decision by the 2nd May - 8 weeks after their receipt of my complaint letter - but I feel unsettled by the questions, and the nature of the questioning, about the value of my loans.
I have been totally honest with RBS regarding why I feel the PPI was inappropriately sold to me, but can anyone shed any light on why a lender would legitimately be asking a borrower how much they borrowed, rather than just looking at their own records?

dunstonh

Once I'd sent off this information I received a very unhelpful reply which explained Natwest/RBS were under no obligation to give me any information because the loans had no outstanding balances, etc.

You would only get that response if you made a request for agreement under s78 of the CCA. One of the templates on this site back then did include that request but it was wrong for closed accounts (as s78 of the CCA does not apply to them). So, what you class as unhelpful is actually the correct response to an incorrect request.

I have been totally honest with RBS regarding why I feel the PPI was inappropriately sold to me, but can anyone shed any light on why a lender would legitimately be asking a borrower how much they borrowed, rather than just looking at their own records?

Perhaps their records are light and dont retain that information. Documentation gets destroyed over time and they may be trying to verify what they have found to see if it ties in with your recollection.

jeaniepie

Thanks for your quick reply.


I hope that your possible explanation is the reason for their questioning, rather than anything sinister, and I'll post whatever the outcome is in the successes/failures thread when I hear from them again....

[Deleted User]

jeaniepie wrote: »

I hope that your possible explanation is the reason for their questioning, rather than anything sinister

There is nothing "sinister" about PPI complaints.

Placida

jeaniepie wrote: »

I used the MSE template letters in July 2012 to request information on a settled loan taken out with Natwest in the early 2000's, for which I don't have any paperwork. (I work on a '2-year' rule and shred anything any older.... I wish I hadn't now!)


This week - the beginning of April - I picked up an answerphone message asking me to ring RBS regarding my PPI complaint.
When I called they asked me virtually all the questions I had already been asked on the form I had posted to them, but also asked me "What was the value of each of the loans that you took out?"
I explained that I couldn't remember (the earliest of these was taken out 16 years ago and I have no paperwork for them) but I was repeatedly pressed for a response, to the point of asking "Just give me a ball-park figure, was it for £1000s or for £10,000s?"
With hindsight, I wish I had pointed out that surely they must have this information! But during the phone call I just explained honestly that the earlier loans would have been for smaller amounts, and that as the later loans were for consolidation purposes, they would have been for increasingly larger amounts.


I've been told I'll receive a decision by the 2nd May - 8 weeks after their receipt of my complaint letter - but I feel unsettled by the questions, and the nature of the questioning, about the value of my loans.
I have been totally honest with RBS regarding why I feel the PPI was inappropriately sold to me, but can anyone shed any light on why a lender would legitimately be asking a borrower how much they borrowed, rather than just looking at their own records?

Hi, my daughter complained to NatWest back in January and she too received a similar phone call from them re a chain of loans.
Most of the questions were ones my daughter had answered in the complaint form but she also was unable to recall exact details for others.

I posted the thread here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4863487


Seems it's part of the complaint handling process.

jeaniepie

Thank you Placida. I hope my outcome is similar to your daughters!