"Lost" Share certificate

GRyder

Need advice and dont know where to turn. Fourteen years ago through my then employers G4S (am now retired) I was allocated 2312 shares. I never received a share certificate. I assumed they were held electronically the same as my husband's were with his firm.
Fast forward to last year when many takeover bids were announced and I wanted to sell. On contacting LinkAssets their advisor twice said she could see on her screen the certificate was retained on issue and she would investigate why through their back room dept. No one wrote emailed or phoned me in response. I phoned again and complained to a manager who said no, the certificate wasnt retained and was sent out to me. I said you cannot just change your tune now, it's in your own records as being retained, and I certainly have never received it.
They say I must pay for a copy certificate and their insurance fees, all costing hundreds of £'s, but would waive their administration fees of £45. I escalated my complaint. Nothing received in response except a repetition of the fees involved.
Meanwhile deadlines have come and gone. I last wrote to LinkAsset a month ago requesting a copy asap of a letter they said they sent to me in Feb this year, also not received by me. They have my correct address. Again they have not replied.
Another share offer has come in and another deadline. Can I write to the Financial Ombudsman re my case?

Thanks people in advance...

sevenhills

GRyder said:

They have my correct address. Again they have not replied.

Are you getting mail from them? There should have been updates and perhaps dividends over the years.  Was the original certificate sent to a different address to where you live now?

GRyder

Thankyou FeralHog and sevenhills.
Yes they've had my correct address all along. I received regular dividends over the years.
As per your advice FeralHog I will await a payout if that's how it works. You've saved me a huge headache. Many thanks. 

maxsteam

I can't see any options other than paying the fees or waiting for a corporate event (like a takeover). You can try to persuade the registrar to issue a certificate for free but it's easier for them to ask for payment. I suspect that the ombudsman won't help after so many years, but it's worth a try if the takeover doesn't go through.

wmb194

Never say never but it looks like a done deal. OP should soon receive something in the post from the acquirer and will then be paid six weeks later.

"Allied Bidco will shortly despatch formal compulsory acquisition notices under sections 979 and 980 of the Act (the "Compulsory Acquisition Notices") to G4S Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer. These notices will set out Allied Bidco's intention to apply the provisions of section 979 of the Act to acquire compulsorily any remaining G4S Shares in respect of which the Offer has not been accepted on the same terms as the Offer.

On the expiry of six weeks from the date of the Compulsory Acquisition Notices, the G4S Shares held by those G4S Shareholders who have not accepted the Offer will be acquired compulsorily by Allied Bidco on the same terms as the Offer."

https://www.investegate.co.uk/allied-universal-sec/rns/compulsory-acquisition-of-g4s-shares/202104130700042159V/