Natwest bank sent an unauthorised duplicate payment & refuse to refund

bobbidyboo

Rather unusual one- has anyone come across this before?

I have a standing order set up of £1,200 a month. Natwest accidentally processed 2 x £1200 on the same day. I have no more payments planned. They admit to the error but instead of refunding one, they insist it's my job to go to the payee to get my money refunded.

I have requested a refund from the payee, but they aren't helping at all. They're probably glad to have the extra money.

I went back to the bank, who incredibly said "we could have reversed the duplicate payment had you contacted us on the day".
My reply was that they can't expect me as a customer to check my bank account every day just in case they make an error.

At that point, the customer service rep hung up on me, rather deliberately I might add. I tried contacting them via live chat with a similar result.

Each time I contact Natwest, they go through the motions of telling me
 a.) to request a refund from the payee
b.) that I should have told them of the error on the same day it happened
c.) then cut me off.
Has anyone been through anything similar or have any tips? I'm a little shaken up that a bank in England can behave like this.

jsmith9

Sounds appalling. I would immediately raise a complaint with them - this will get the matter looked at by the complaints team. Make sure Natwest log it as a formal complaint.

Thrugelmir

If it's a regular payment. Then miss the next one to compensate. 

Why won't the payee refund you? 

bobbidyboo

jsmith9 said:

Sounds appalling. I would immediately raise a complaint with them - this will get the matter looked at by the complaints team. Make sure Natwest log it as a formal complaint.

If it is a standing order, could this extra £1200 be used for next month's payment?

No- they admit it's their error & that they don't know why a duplicate payment went out.
Considering their behaviour to date, I'm a little concerned about what will happen next.

General_Grant

Thrugelmir said:

If it's a regular payment. Then miss the next one to compensate. 

Why won't the payee refund you? 

The OP hasn't responded to this but post #1 does say "I have no more payments planned." and  "They're probably glad to have the extra money."

bobbidyboo

Thrugelmir said:

If it's a regular payment. Then miss the next one to compensate. 

Why won't the payee refund you? 

It's the final payment. The payee say they can't process refunds & that it's not their fault. Unbelievable really but I don't understand why the bank thinks it's my job to fight the payee for an error that is the bank's fault? 

Thrugelmir

bobbidyboo said:

Thrugelmir said:

If it's a regular payment. Then miss the next one to compensate. 

Why won't the payee refund you? 

It's the final payment. The payee say they can't process refunds & that it's not their fault. Unbelievable really but I don't understand why the bank thinks it's my job to fight the payee for an error that is the bank's fault? 

Who is the payee? I suggest County Court action. A letter before action might focus their attention. As what they are saying is complete nonsense. 

bobbidyboo

Thrugelmir said:

bobbidyboo said:

Thrugelmir said:

If it's a regular payment. Then miss the next one to compensate. 

Why won't the payee refund you? 

It's the final payment. The payee say they can't process refunds & that it's not their fault. Unbelievable really but I don't understand why the bank thinks it's my job to fight the payee for an error that is the bank's fault? 

Who is the payee? I suggest County Court action. A letter before action might focus their attention. As what they are saying is complete nonsense. 

Court action against who? I've never done anything like that before & pressed for time as moving house & up to my eyes in it

naedanger

bobbidyboo said:

Rather unusual one- has anyone come across this before?

I have a standing order set up of £1,200 a month. Natwest accidentally processed 2 x £1200 on the same day. I have no more payments planned. They admit to the error but instead of refunding one, they insist it's my job to go to the payee to get my money refunded.

I have requested a refund from the payee, but they aren't helping at all. They're probably glad to have the extra money.

I went back to the bank, who incredibly said "we could have reversed the duplicate payment had you contacted us on the day".
My reply was that they can't expect me as a customer to check my bank account every day just in case they make an error.

At that point, the customer service rep hung up on me, rather deliberately I might add. I tried contacting them via live chat with a similar result.

Each time I contact Natwest, they go through the motions of telling me
 a.) to request a refund from the payee
b.) that I should have told them of the error on the same day it happened
c.) then cut me off.
Has anyone been through anything similar or have any tips? I'm a little shaken up that a bank in England can behave like this.

My suggestion:
Complain to the bank in writing.

1. Make clear the payment was made due to their error alone and you were blameless.
2. You have lost £1,200 as a result because you have not been able to recover this money from the payee yourself.
3. You did at the bank's suggestion try to reclaim the money yourself from the payee as you thought this might be the simplest and quickest solution. However the payee has refused to refund the money for no good reason and you are not prepared to go to any further trouble to resolve Natwest's error for them.
4. You could also complain about their poor handling of this matter so far.

The bank's first response to your complaint should explain their full complaint process, including your right to take the matter to the financial ombudsman service if you are unhappy with the bank's final response.

Don't pursue the payee further. That is not your job, will involve cost, time and effort, and it might be hard enforcing payment even if you went to court and won.

Thrugelmir

naedanger said:

bobbidyboo said:

Rather unusual one- has anyone come across this before?

I have a standing order set up of £1,200 a month. Natwest accidentally processed 2 x £1200 on the same day. I have no more payments planned. They admit to the error but instead of refunding one, they insist it's my job to go to the payee to get my money refunded.

I have requested a refund from the payee, but they aren't helping at all. They're probably glad to have the extra money.

I went back to the bank, who incredibly said "we could have reversed the duplicate payment had you contacted us on the day".
My reply was that they can't expect me as a customer to check my bank account every day just in case they make an error.

At that point, the customer service rep hung up on me, rather deliberately I might add. I tried contacting them via live chat with a similar result.

Each time I contact Natwest, they go through the motions of telling me
 a.) to request a refund from the payee
b.) that I should have told them of the error on the same day it happened
c.) then cut me off.
Has anyone been through anything similar or have any tips? I'm a little shaken up that a bank in England can behave like this.

My suggestion:
Complain to the bank in writing.

1. Make clear the payment was made due to their error alone and you were blameless.
2. You have lost £1,200 as a result because you have not been able to recover this money from the payee yourself.
3. You did at the bank's suggestion try to reclaim the money yourself from the payee as you thought this might be the simplest and quickest solution. However the payee has refused to refund the money for no good reason and you are not prepared to go to any further trouble to resolve Natwest's error for them.
4. You could also complain about their poor handling of this matter so far.

The bank's first response to your complaint should explain their full complaint process, including your right to take the matter to the financial ombudsman service if you are unhappy with the bank's final response.

Don't pursue the payee further. That is not your job, will involve cost, time and effort, and it might be hard enforcing payment even if you went to court and won.

Might as well take the course of action I suggested be far quicker. Bank are going to highly suspicious. Rather convenient the payee doesn't make refunds. 

naedanger

Thrugelmir said:

naedanger said:

bobbidyboo said:

Rather unusual one- has anyone come across this before?

I have a standing order set up of £1,200 a month. Natwest accidentally processed 2 x £1200 on the same day. I have no more payments planned. They admit to the error but instead of refunding one, they insist it's my job to go to the payee to get my money refunded.

I have requested a refund from the payee, but they aren't helping at all. They're probably glad to have the extra money.

I went back to the bank, who incredibly said "we could have reversed the duplicate payment had you contacted us on the day".
My reply was that they can't expect me as a customer to check my bank account every day just in case they make an error.

At that point, the customer service rep hung up on me, rather deliberately I might add. I tried contacting them via live chat with a similar result.

Each time I contact Natwest, they go through the motions of telling me
 a.) to request a refund from the payee
b.) that I should have told them of the error on the same day it happened
c.) then cut me off.
Has anyone been through anything similar or have any tips? I'm a little shaken up that a bank in England can behave like this.

My suggestion:
Complain to the bank in writing.

1. Make clear the payment was made due to their error alone and you were blameless.
2. You have lost £1,200 as a result because you have not been able to recover this money from the payee yourself.
3. You did at the bank's suggestion try to reclaim the money yourself from the payee as you thought this might be the simplest and quickest solution. However the payee has refused to refund the money for no good reason and you are not prepared to go to any further trouble to resolve Natwest's error for them.
4. You could also complain about their poor handling of this matter so far.

The bank's first response to your complaint should explain their full complaint process, including your right to take the matter to the financial ombudsman service if you are unhappy with the bank's final response.

Don't pursue the payee further. That is not your job, will involve cost, time and effort, and it might be hard enforcing payment even if you went to court and won.

Might as well take the course of action I suggested be far quicker. Bank are going to highly suspicious. Rather convenient the payee doesn't make refunds. 

Will it? I could write the complaint letter and send it off in 20 minutes or less. The bank can, and should, reclaim from the payee if the bank made the payment in error.