Bank negligent?

mothballs39

I arranged to go into my local Lloyds Bank in early September to officially tell them about my mother's death. All the paperwork was done as necessary and I was assured that all the accounts were then technically closed and I needn't worry about anything else leaving the account.

Four weeks later I still hadn't received confirmation of final figures in writing from the bereavement team so rang to see why. It turns out that the member of staff in the bank branch had failed to flag up the uploaded documents for the attention of the bereavement team and they had sat in limbo on the Lloyds internal system for 4 weeks thus delaying my probate application. Lloyds apologised and paid £75 into my account as compensation.

Today, in the same post, I have received not only the final figures as at date of death, but a bank statement for the current account for September showing that three direct debits had been allowed to leave the account about 3 weeks after I had been told that the accounts were all closed.

To say that I am fuming is an understatement. Is this negligence? And what do I do now about the direct debits that have been paid? Companies involved had already been paid over the phone and their accounts closed. :mad:

pollypenny

Write a strong, but polite letter to the bank and the Dds should be refunded.

mothballs39

Thank you. A letter to the actual local branch or the bereavement team?

pollypenny

The bereavement team would be best, with a copy to your mother's local branch.

If she's banked there for any length of time and has a relationship with staff they may well be disgusted.

mothballs39

Thank you. She wasn't known at the branch. I had power of attorney for her and did everything online. I hope they're disgusted anyway!

Goldiegirl

If you write a letter, just be factual, and not emotional.

They'll refund the money immediately under the direct debit guarantee scheme.

PennyForThem_2

I would check if there is an actual complaints Dept and copy them in - maybe also Public Relations

mothballs39

PennyforThem: I'm on first name terms with someone in their Complaints Department! I rang yesterday and they were suitably horrified. They said they'd reclaim the money and I asked for something in writing as one of the payments was directly into my own account. Don't want to be accused of fraud. Still waiting to hear back.

mothballs39

Received the apologetic letter from the Complaints Manager. Not only had he mistyped his own phone number but he also had given my mother a completely different surname throughout the letter.

Just incredible. Compensation currently at £225. :eek: I hope it's coming out of their wages.