Bank closed savings account

cappyston

The bank I save with (the one that does broadband, records and planes too!)  sent me a v apologetic letter last week informing me that my acct was erroneously closed. Called them up and they explained that a customer whose complaint they were handling had received my entire savings, after the bank had closed my acct for 3 weeks. They discovered this only as a result of the other customer calling about her complaint; and as I don't use or check the account daily I didn't notice.  They admitted that my account details were now likely compromised, were quick to offer me, unprompted, £100 both over the phone and in writing (and even invited me to come back with another figure if I felt this was too low). Haven't accepted anything yet. I'm always having issues with the bank e.g. every online faster payment request fails and ends up being done manually after an hour or so on the phone.  Will close the account.

Am thinking I need to complain to the Ombudsman as they've messed up big time, judging by the extent of their grovelling.  Do I need to say anything else on top of what I've said here? Want get details correct and request the appropriate compensation from the bank too.

MovingForwards

cappyston said:

The bank I save with (the one that does broadband, records and planes too!)  sent me a v apologetic letter last week informing me that my acct was erroneously closed. Called them up and they explained that a customer whose complaint they were handling had received my entire savings, after the bank had closed my acct for 3 weeks. They discovered this only as a result of the other customer calling about her complaint; and as I don't use or check the account daily I didn't notice.  They admitted that my account details were now likely compromised, were quick to offer me, unprompted, £100 both over the phone and in writing (and even invited me to come back with another figure if I felt this was too low). Haven't accepted anything yet. I'm always having issues with the bank e.g. every online faster payment request fails and ends up being done manually after an hour or so on the phone.  Will close the account.

Am thinking I need to complain to the Ombudsman as they've messed up big time, judging by the extent of their grovelling.  Do I need to say anything else on top of what I've said here? Want get details correct and request the appropriate compensation from the bank too.

So you want compensation, for something that had happened and has been resolved, which you didn't even know about until V got in touch with you because you don't check your account that often.

£100 is generous, the 'grovelling' is standard apologising when a mistake has been made, how much interest did you miss out on for those three weeks? As that's your only loss.

jjames1985

take the money and run.

colsten

Definitely. Take the money and move on. 

But if you feel you should go to the FOS, be prepared that they might say £50 would be enough compensation.

fiisch

cappyston said:

Am thinking I need to complain to the Ombudsman as they've messed up big time, judging by the extent of their grovelling.  Do I need to say anything else on top of what I've said here? Want get details correct and request the appropriate compensation from the bank too.

Why would you need to bother the Ombudsman with this?  You've suffered at worst the inconvenience of having to open a new savings account, and the bank are compensating you with £100.  Non-issue - accept the apology, graciously accept the £100 compensation, and move on.  

This is not a golden opportunity to shaft them for £000's.

thenewcomer

youre thinking of going to the ombudsman because you dont feel the compensation was appropriate?
i had a similar incident previously with another bank. despite asking my address to be changed repetitively, they did not.
i did not go to the ombudsman. 

cymruchris

£100 is a very fair figure based on the circumstances - your other issues are not related to this one. As others have said - take the £100 - spend it on something nice - treat yourself - get on with life. Don't spend weeks of your time trying to prove a point when there's nothing to prove, bothering people who could alternatively be dealing with people that have real problems that need resolving, rather than responding to you about a problem that's already resolved.

SFindlay

cappyston said:

The bank I save with (the one that does broadband, records and planes too!)  sent me a v apologetic letter last week informing me that my acct was erroneously closed. Called them up and they explained that a customer whose complaint they were handling had received my entire savings, after the bank had closed my acct for 3 weeks. They discovered this only as a result of the other customer calling about her complaint; and as I don't use or check the account daily I didn't notice.  They admitted that my account details were now likely compromised, were quick to offer me, unprompted, £100 both over the phone and in writing (and even invited me to come back with another figure if I felt this was too low). Haven't accepted anything yet. I'm always having issues with the bank e.g. every online faster payment request fails and ends up being done manually after an hour or so on the phone.  Will close the account.

Am thinking I need to complain to the Ombudsman as they've messed up big time, judging by the extent of their grovelling.  Do I need to say anything else on top of what I've said here? Want get details correct and request the appropriate compensation from the bank too.

You're getting a free £100 for an incident that has caused you absolutely no grief and didn't  even know had happened!! This sums up everything that is wrong with society nowadays, people are just so greedy and nothing is ever good enough for them!! Honest mistakes do happen, you're being more than fairly treated so time to take a reality check with everything going on in the world and think yourself lucky!! Sounds like bank should be pleased to see the back of you as seems you cause them more problems and can't operate their online services anyway!! 

happybagger

I concur with the above
Manchester BS messed up the rollover of a bond I had with them, which they spotted when the rolled-over bond came to maturity (I hadn't noticed as had not not received any further paperwork).
They corrected the interest error and added £25 for the 'inconvenience', even though on my part, there was none.
Probably not MBS's worst mistake, given the mess they're in.

Take the money, with 'apology accepted, thank you', and enjoy.

surreysaver

Virgin seem to be having a few issues with their systems and the ability to sort them out at the moment 

greatcrested

cappyston said:

...... a customer whose complaint they were handling had received my entire savings, ..

They have clearly disrespected you. What's more, it is everyone's basic human right to open and maintain a savings account, and by closing it they have infringed your HRs.

Rather than than a formalcomplaint to the Ombudsman, you should start a petition to get the bank closed down. If you get 10,000 signatures the government will have to respond to you.