BACS payment evaporated - how can we chase it?

pichon

Lost payment.

My friend was invited to speak at a fairly well known institution, and they offered to cover her train ticket cost, which was quite substantial. Internal communication within the finance department in the institute failed, and it took a long time for them to start process the payment. However, even after they claimed that the payment was sent, my friend still has not received them. The institute even made an inquiry to the bank to confirm the payment (supposedly possible since their bank and my friend's bank are the same one), and gave a payment number as well. We checked the account number over and over again, and it was correct.

However, that payment never showed up, and my friend repeatedly visited her local branch to ask where the payment is. The branch kept telling her that they don't know, and my friend now wants to give up because she does not want to be seen as a scammer who pretends that she didn't receive it for more money.

Her English is not that fluent to persistently pursue it either. How can she take this further to retrieve the payment that somehow disappeared?

Many thanks in advanc

xylophone

I think she needs to write to the institution and ask for confirmation of time, date, amount and where sent.

After that she can proceed to enquiries with her bank.

grumbler

pichon wrote: »

...she does not want to be seen as a scammer who pretends that she didn't receive it for more money.

Just show the sender a copy of the bank statement for a few days after the money was transferred apparently. Non-essential information can be blanked.

IIRC to track a payment the sender must get the 'Acquirer's Reference Number' from their bank and give it to the recipient that passes it to their bank (the same in this case). Regardless, it's the sender who has to initiate tracking.

pichon

Many thanks for the helpful advice.
I will write her a letter with the information that the sender (the organization) already gave us - the payment amount, date, and the "statement number" - and tell her to send it to the bank. We will see what happens.

Thanks again!

innovate

The letter needs to go to the payer, not to the bank.

OhReally_2

pichon wrote: »

Lost payment.

My friend was invited to speak at a fairly well known institution, and they offered to cover her train ticket cost, which was quite substantial. Internal communication within the finance department in the institute failed, and it took a long time for them to start process the payment. However, even after they claimed that the payment was sent, my friend still has not received them. The institute even made an inquiry to the bank to confirm the payment (supposedly possible since their bank and my friend's bank are the same one), and gave a payment number as well. We checked the account number over and over again, and it was correct.

However, that payment never showed up, and my friend repeatedly visited her local branch to ask where the payment is. The branch kept telling her that they don't know, and my friend now wants to give up because she does not want to be seen as a scammer who pretends that she didn't receive it for more money.

Her English is not that fluent to persistently pursue it either. How can she take this further to retrieve the payment that somehow disappeared?

Many thanks in advanc

The payment has not been lost; it's not been received.

Your friend should chase this as they would any other debt.