Problems with the Halifax.

crazy_cat_lady2

Perhaps I should be clearer in what I need to know.

If the bank keeps giving me the runaround and passing me from dept to dept and not really wanting to do anything, who do I go to to complain about them?

YorkshireBoy

crazy_cat_lady2 wrote: »

Perhaps I should be clearer in what I need to know.

If the bank keeps giving me the runaround and passing me from dept to dept and not really wanting to do anything, who do I go to to complain about them?

The financial ombudsman, as stated in the Halifax's published complaints procedure.

bengal-stripe

crazy_cat_lady2 wrote: »

..............it is irrelevant to any of you how she acquired the account details and passwords.

But that is the crux of the matter, to establish whether or not the bank is at fault. The bank will know when money was withdrawn or transferred and if the correct PIN or log-in details were used; but they will not know which individual operated the ATM or the computer. And if the bank was not informed about the death of the account holder, how could they have known.

If the bank is not at fault, there is nothing to investigate.

crazy_cat_lady2

Yorkshireboy ...thanks for that, I will look them up. As I have not lived in the UK for over 10yrs I am not au fait with the banking system and complaints procedure these days, so your answer to my question was what I was looking for.

crazy_cat_lady2

bengal-stripe wrote: »

But that is the crux of the matter, to establish whether or not the bank is at fault. The bank will know when money was withdrawn or transferred and if the correct PIN or log-in details were used; but they will not know which individual operated the ATM or the computer. And if the bank was not informed about the death of the account holder, how could they have known.

If the bank is not at fault, there is nothing to investigate.

The bank already know all this. And all transactions were carried out after the death of my mother. I suppose it is irrelevant who carried out the transactions but we have proof that it was them for at least some of the transactions and all the bank transfers.

pvt

This shouldn't be very difficult then. It is clearly fraud, and should be dealt with as a criminal matter by the police. Whether they will press charges is another matter.

The bank may try to argue that your Mum was negligent if your Aunt was able to get her online login and card PIN. But given that the identity of the fraudsters is known, and that they in turn knew your Mum was deceased, that arguement won't hold much water.

Separately to the police matter, your brother, as the administrator, should make it absolutely clear to the bank that these transactions are fraudulent, and that they should set about recovering it from those who took it.

pvt

bengal-stripe wrote: »

But that is the crux of the matter, to establish whether or not the bank is at fault. The bank will know when money was withdrawn or transferred and if the correct PIN or log-in details were used; but they will not know which individual operated the ATM or the computer. And if the bank was not informed about the death of the account holder, how could they have known.

If the bank is not at fault, there is nothing to investigate.

The bank is not a fault in allowing the transactions before it knew the accountholder was deceased.

But now it has been informed that this happened, and that those transactions are therefore fraudulent, it is at fault in not cooperating with the administrator of the estate and should be setting about recovering those monies that can be traced.

crazy_cat_lady2

PVT...you are a star!....now that is extremely relevant and helpful information, I guess I should have given a little more info in the first place but I don't want to say too much about the relatives from hell on open forums as there are other things going on that have also been reported to the police and the relevant authorities. If I cannot get any joy from the bank after this one last go then I will do as yorkshireboy has said and get in touch with the ombudsmen.

pvt

If the bank continues to refuse to cooperate then your first action is to make a formal complaint to the bank.

Only when that formal complaint has been exhausted (i.e. ignored or not resolved to your satisfaction) then you can take it to the Ombudsman.

pinkdalek

PVT is right catlady, you need to log your complaint with Halifax first and let them try to resolve it within the timescales.
If after that time you are still dis-satisfied it is then you go to the ombudsman.
If you go direct to the ombudsman, they will only ask you what have Halifax done to resolve your complaint/dispute.
Don't forget an ombudsman is not their to take your side, they are there as a neutral to settle complaints that cannot be resolved between the two parties.