Template letter

M5958

Hi. I'm not sure if this is the correct category for my query, but here goes anyway.
My bank, Virgin Money, refuses to reimburse me any of the £18,500+ I lost to scammers through a combination of Authorized Push Payment Fraud (APPF) and the use of my debit card.
My next step is to make a formal complaint to the bank. 
Is there a site online (here?) that I can find a template letter which I can use to make my complaint? 

Or, does anyone know if Richard Emery can be contacted, perhaps by email, and would he respond? I know he was active in fighting the corner of those in a situation like myself. He has a website for stuff like this, but on it he says he no longer replies to individual queries. On that site (4 Keys), he does say, "I am planning on writing a “Guide to Writing a Complaint to your Bank” which will set out those things that you should consider with links to the Regulations and Codes of Practice that are most likely to be helpful." Does anyone know if he did indeed go ahead with this, and if so, where can it be found? 

Thank you for any responses.

sourcrates

In my experience, if your complaint is more complex than a standard issue people tend to have, its much better to just write down your concerns yourself.

So for example -

(1) Explain what has gone wrong,

(2) when this was, and how it happened (if you are aware),

(3) what you have lost in relation to this issue,

(4) and finally what you want the company to do to make things right.

M5958

Hi sourcrates. Thanks for responding. Unless I do come across a suitable template letter, I may well follow your advice. And thanks for the ideas on how to compose a letter to the bank.

dunstonh

Is there a site online (here?) that I can find a template letter which I can use to make my complaint? 

Something like this is very personalised and it's unlikely a template letter would do the job.  Also, remember that template letters have a lower success rate than personalised letters.

"I am planning on writing a “Guide to Writing a Complaint to your Bank” which will set out those things that you should consider with links to the Regulations and Codes of Practice that are most likely to be helpful." Does anyone know if he did indeed go ahead with this, and if so, where can it be found? 

To be honest, you don't need to.    The wording of letters rarely changes the outcome in complaints unless you overdo it and contradict yourself or tell lies.

Use your own words in a complaint and outline the issues in bullet point form.   Don't insert accusations you cannot prove and don't lie.  Keep it short but include pertinent information.    You want the complaints handler on your side.  So, don't use language that is going to make them dislike you.    Don't go off on tangents that increase the length of the letter and make it harder to follow.    Don't go quoting rules or laws that you don't understand and probably have wrong.  They know the rules and laws.    At this stage, you just need to give the problem, how it happened, what effect it has had on you and the outcome you are looking for.   Remember that you have the FOS to go to afterwards if you don't get the outcome you desire and they are very consumer focused (although not a consumer champion, they are unbiased)

M5958

Hi dunstonh. Thanks for your response! Lots of good advice there which I will follow when compiling my letter. Your points are very valid and make a lot of sense. Thanks again!

Jasonsmith13

Hi All
were can find the template letter online?