Barclays withholding historical statements

Olibol

I've belatedly started to reclaim PPI from many years ago and called my bank to request some old statements. They told me that they couldn't access information more than 6 years old on their system, but gave me the address to write to to request the reprints.

I wrote to Barclays head office as suggested, but as I happened to be in a branch a week or two later I asked them whether they could print off old details. They said they would try, went out the back and came back with them a few minutes later. Great. I had recovered the account details for my old Northern Rock mortgage/loan. All good.

Today I received a letter back from Barclays head office telling me that they were unable to access the information I had requested. Given that I already had it in my hand it was clear that this was untrue.

What redress do I have against Barclays for lying and attempting to withhold information they had access to, other than taking my business elsewhere?

Any thoughts or subventions welcome.

Thanks.

Olibol

...or observations even

bigadaj

Nome really, observations or redress.

It may depend on how you're PPi claim goes, as that would dwarf any other payment for poor service.

It also depends on the wording of their response, can't access the information frequently means they can't be bothered to look, you got lucky with your local branch but there's no automatic implication of lying or being obstructive, just poor service.

diamonds

(Information Commissioners Office(1)given head office blatantly lied to you about a personal data request not being available, Financial Conduct Authority (2)to cover itself from a PPI claim against itself you may be able able to file against them.

https://ico.org.uk
http://www.fca.org.uk

Olibol

Thanks. I've asked them to write to me explaining why they lied. I'll decide what to do once I've got a response (or not).

PeacefulWaters

There are lies.

And there are staff members who don't know what they're doing and answer incorrectly but in good faith.

colsten

Don't expect to get rich from that "lie".

Olibol

I'm not looking to get rich from it. All I have done is raise a complaint. It really disappoints me though. I've been with them for 25 years and never been anything other than a good customer. I haven't asked for any redress, but I'm interested in their motivation.

mgdavid

Why do people expect the bank to keep old statements ad infinitum when they can't be bothered to keep them themselves?

Olibol

I didn't necessarily expect them to, although I reasoned that had the police for example wanted to see my financial history that my bank, rightly, wouldn't hesitate in assisting them. Therefore it made sense that they'd have them for about 20 years.

If they'd tried and failed to find them, that would have been fine. I'd have tried, they'd have tried. Not trying and then telling me they couldn't has got my back up. Is that wrong?

PeacefulWaters

Olibol wrote: »

I didn't necessarily expect them to, although I reasoned that had the police for example wanted to see my financial history that my bank, rightly, wouldn't hesitate in assisting them. Therefore it made sense that they'd have them for about 20 years.

If they'd tried and failed to find them, that would have been fine. I'd have tried, they'd have tried. Not trying and then telling me they couldn't has got my back up. Is that wrong?

Banks tend not to dish out bank statements to police on demand unless there is a statutory obligation to.