Huge delay CHAPS from Santander

xlz

Hello,

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but has anyone come across huge delays with the CHAPS system before?

A family member supposed to receive a UK money transfer from a solicitor's Santander account to our Natwest Account [£50K]. The transfer was instructed by the solicitor firm on Thursday 29th Jan, but it has still not shown up in our Natwest account. The sender has asked the bank on a number of occasions why we have yet to get it, but now they just kept saying it will be with us shortly [on last Friday they gave us a 100% guarantee it would be with us at the end of Friday, but it never came through ...

How long can the sending bank Santander or the CHAPS system hold onto the money before they have to either send it through, or return it to the sender? Any insight would be most welcome.

Many thanks.

paragon909

xlz wrote: »

Hello,

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but has anyone come across huge delays with the CHAPS system before?

A family member supposed to receive a UK money transfer from a solicitor's Santander account to our Natwest Account [£50K]. The transfer was instructed by the solicitor firm on Thursday 29th Jan, but it has still not shown up in our Natwest account. The sender has asked the bank on a number of occasions why we have yet to get it, but now they just kept saying it will be with us shortly [on last Friday they gave us a 100% guarantee it would be with us at the end of Friday, but it never came through ...

How long can the sending bank Santander or the CHAPS system hold onto the money before they have to either send it through, or return it to the sender? Any insight would be most welcome.

Many thanks.

Have natwest told you that they have the money or it that it's in a holding account?

Could be that their making sure it's not fraud or the funds dont get recalled. I would either go into a branch because branches can deal with CHAPS payments, Or try speak to a supervisor something on the phone.

xlz

paragon909 - thanks for your prompt response.

Checked with Natwest, they haven't received anything from the sending Santander account.

The sender (solicitor firm) did send over a copy of the online CHPAS instruction record. Phoned them but they kept saying that they have been chasing their bank Santander, without meaningful feedback/action. I am keeping trying to talk to their supervisors, but they seem not cooperative and the call was just taken by the assistants.

paragon909

xlz wrote: »

paragon909 - thanks for your prompt response.

Checked with Natwest, they haven't received anything from the sending Santander account.

The sender (solicitor firm) did send over a copy of the online CHPAS instruction record. Phoned them but they kept saying that they have been chasing their bank Santander, without meaningful feedback/action. I am keeping trying to talk to their supervisors, but they seem not cooperative and the call was just taken by the assistants.

Not sure then,


Someone on here works for natwest or has done. Maybe they will be able to help if they see the post.

I would be annoyed cause CHAPS is a sameday payment system designed for large sums. lol just make sure they didn't send to the wrong account :P

xlz

Thanks paragon909 very much.
It is frustrating indeed...
Will keep talking to the sender.

keiran

The sender could have done a Faster Payment to your account, costing nothing. The Santander limit is £100,000.

The only reason for doing a CHAPS is GUARANTEED same day payment.

So this needs investigating and compensating, too.....

xlz

Many thanks keiran.
Which organisation should the case to be raised to for investigating and compensating?

WestonDave

I know it sounds stupid but have you checked every detail on the sending form to ensure it matches with the expected account number. The only occasions I've known this sort of thing to happen something subtle has been wrong and although its been checked, on about the 10th check someone spots that two numbers have been swapped or something.

xlz

Thanks WestonDave.
The receiving bank account and sort code were all correct. There was indeed an error on the receiving branch address. The sending bank Santander was informed about this error and they said that's no an issue as long as account and sort code were correct. The sender said that "they are chasing the bank", and "the bank is checking"...
I really don't know what to do with them...

WestonDave

Unfortunately in the days of computers that can be enough - the branch address won't match the sort code so its probably been thrown into a suspense account at one end or the other. You may be as well contacting NatWest, explaining exactly when the payment was sent and the precise details and asking them to search for unreconciled amounts of £50,000. It may have got far enough to get into NatWest but not be automatically allocated (due to the mismatch) and therefore be waiting for someone to manually find it a home. Chasing from both ends is a good practice even if its technically the senders fault as once it leaves the sending bank, there isn't much they can do to find it.

xlz

Thanks WestonDave.
I will go to Natwest branch first thing in the morning, while still checking with the sender.