Bank has closed my current account

GeoffTF

eskbanker said:

MacSue said:

eskbanker said:

 to be honest a 50 year old account was unlikely to appear on your credit files anyway, as it would have predated the reporting that happens now.

The credit report does say the date of opening the account surprisingly! - 12/02/1973!

Fair enough, I stand corrected!  On reflection, I presume that it will have gone through various iterations over the years, as I don't believe that Santander was present in the UK market fifty years ago, so presumably came under their banner via one or more of the institutions that they acquired over that time, which may have resulted in it being notified to the CRAs?

I got an email from the Santander CEO a few weeks ago saying that I had one of their oldest accounts. I have an Experian credit report from 2016. It does not show my current account (originally with the Abbey National Building Society, which was demutualised in 1989), but it does show the Co-op Visa card that I opened with it on 01/12/1984.

DiamondLil

eskbanker said:

 to be honest a 50 year old account was unlikely to appear on your credit files anyway, as it would have predated the reporting that happens now.

The credit report does say the date of opening the account surprisingly! - 12/02/1973!

Fair enough, I stand corrected!  On reflection, I presume that it will have gone through various iterations over the years, as I don't believe that Santander was present in the UK market fifty years ago, so presumably came under their banner via one or more of the institutions that they acquired over that time, which may have resulted in it being notified to the CRAs?

To be fair, your point was broadly correct. For example, my main current account is with Barclays and was opened in 1982,  and it never appears on the credit reports of any of the CRAs.

My bank account was opened when I was six years old according to my credit reports... I tried to correct the date with both the bank and with the CRAs but apparently it's not possible for the bank to correct its automated systems. And yes, it's a little more than 50 years since I opened the account.

boingy

Take the £200 then dump them. 

dealyboy

@MacSue said:

The bank has restored the account fully and is offering me £200 compensation. Do you think that is a good amount and I let it go?

"technical error"!

Great news   but I would be pushing for a better explanation than "technical error". How could this happen? Did the computer say no? Was this operator finger trouble? How many others are affected?

Without answers I am worried that it could happen to me or others.

I know I am not you but I would expect an explanation, it's easy for them to just chuck money at you, they're a bank, they've caused you major distress and have already admitted a major mistake. They can explain to you or the Ombudsman.

GeoffTF

dealyboy said:

@MacSue said:

The bank has restored the account fully and is offering me £200 compensation. Do you think that is a good amount and I let it go?

"technical error"!

Great news   but I would be pushing for a better explanation than "technical error". How could this happen? Did the computer say no? Was this operator finger trouble? How many others are affected?

Without answers I am worried that it could happen to me or others.

I know I am not you but I would expect an explanation, it's easy for them to just chuck money at you, they're a bank, they've caused you major distress and have already admitted a major mistake. They can explain to you or the Ombudsman.

I expect that is a waste of time. The Ombudsman may award a little more, £300 perhaps, and IIRC Santander will have to pay the Ombudsman a fee. If the OP took the trouble to write a formal letter of complaint describing what happened in great detail and the impact that it had on her, I expect she would eventually get some more money for her efforts. The rate of pay would not be impressive and it would prolong the pain. Complaining to the Ombudsman that you want a detailed explanation of the bank's failings? Forget it.

dealyboy

@GeoffTF said:

dealyboy said:

@MacSue said:

The bank has restored the account fully and is offering me £200 compensation. Do you think that is a good amount and I let it go?

"technical error"!

Great news   but I would be pushing for a better explanation than "technical error". How could this happen? Did the computer say no? Was this operator finger trouble? How many others are affected?

Without answers I am worried that it could happen to me or others.

I know I am not you but I would expect an explanation, it's easy for them to just chuck money at you, they're a bank, they've caused you major distress and have already admitted a major mistake. They can explain to you or the Ombudsman.

I expect that is a waste of time. The Ombudsman may award a little more, £300 perhaps, and IIRC Santander will have to pay the Ombudsman a fee. If the OP took the trouble to write a formal letter of complaint describing what happened in great detail and the impact that it had on her, I expect she would eventually some more money for her efforts. The rate of pay would not be impressive and it would prolong the pain. Complaining to the Ombudsman that you want a detailed explanation of the bank's failings? Forget it.

I think there can only be some form of 'forgiveness' if there's an open and honest apology. Call me old fashioned but it's not the money.

eskbanker

dealyboy said:

@GeoffTF said:

dealyboy said:

@MacSue said:

The bank has restored the account fully and is offering me £200 compensation. Do you think that is a good amount and I let it go?

"technical error"!

Great news   but I would be pushing for a better explanation than "technical error". How could this happen? Did the computer say no? Was this operator finger trouble? How many others are affected?

Without answers I am worried that it could happen to me or others.

I know I am not you but I would expect an explanation, it's easy for them to just chuck money at you, they're a bank, they've caused you major distress and have already admitted a major mistake. They can explain to you or the Ombudsman.

I expect that is a waste of time. The Ombudsman may award a little more, £300 perhaps, and IIRC Santander will have to pay the Ombudsman a fee. If the OP took the trouble to write a formal letter of complaint describing what happened in great detail and the impact that it had on her, I expect she would eventually some more money for her efforts. The rate of pay would not be impressive and it would prolong the pain. Complaining to the Ombudsman that you want a detailed explanation of the bank's failings? Forget it.

I think there can only be some form of 'forgiveness' if there's an open and honest apology. Call me old fashioned but it's not the money.

But it comes down to realistic expectations - an institution can issue a sincere apology, but is highly unlikely to give chapter and verse on the finer details of exactly how the situation arose, and FOS couldn't force them to disclose any more than they already had....

MacSue

I got an email from the Santander CEO a few weeks ago saying that I had one of their oldest accounts. I have an Experian credit report from 2016. It does not show my current account (originally with the Abbey National Building Society, which was demutualised in 1989), but it does show the Co-op Visa card that I opened with it on 01/12/1984.

Oh I got that email too!!! I thought it very odd. At first pleased, then it left me feeling a bit empty! 

Yes, I opened the account with National Girobank, which became Alliance & Leicester and then Santander. Might have missed some out I forget!

MacSue

UPDATE - Finally I know the reason for the mistake and now I'm angry all over again! 
Firstly I didn't accept the £200, said I needed to think about it and the next day she had spoken to supervisor and offered £250. Having read case studies at the Ombudsman site I think I could have got more but not that much more and, as someone said, I didn't want to go through the hassle, so I have accepted the £250.

At the end of July I discovered that I had a dormant Cahoot savings account. Following instructions over the phone I wrote to Cahoot re the dormant account and asked them to unblock it, close it and put the money into my Santander current account. The bank advisor/operator/whatever they are called closed my current account having seen the letter!!! I didn't have the account number for the dormant account, he couldn't tell me that because it was dormant, so the only account details in the letter were the current one. I also didn't know that Cahoot was now part of Santander, which might have caused me to try to be clearer BUT the letter began "Re my dormant account". I feel affronted that there was a bit of an implication that it was my fault or at least that the mistake was understandable. I had put my email in the letter and said to contact me if they need to know anything else so if it wasn't clear they could have done that. 

I've spoken to Cahoot this morning and the dormant account has been reactivated and closed and the money should now be moved to my reinstated bank account, watch this space! 

The only positive about finding out is that I know how the mistake happened rather than a vague 'technical error' so I'm less worried that it could happen again. I certainly will be over emphasising all I say in any letter to the bank in the future!

Sorry to go on, it's been great to have your interest in my problem and I'm grateful for your thoughts. Now I'm slowly learning how the DD system works as my account tries to sort itself out. 

Last thing, talking to the complaints person, she said that if I accepted the offer I couldn't then complain to the ombudsman. But I got an email from them that said, as well as the complaint is closed etc, -
"If, for any reason you subsequently decide you are not satisfied with the resolution of your complaint, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge, but you must do so within six months of the date of this email." So maybe I do still complain? Do I risk it being awarded less and have to give some back? I probably won't because of the hassle and stress of it but just thought I would share! I want to forget about it all now! Thanks

Exodi

MacSue said:

maybe I do still complain?

MacSue said:

I want to forget about it all now

In any case, it's great you have accepted compensation (and you still have the option of switching for another £200 if you feel particularly aggrieved) and also the closure of understanding the reason for the issue. It's at least more understandable than 'whoopsy, pressed the wrong button and closed someones account".

Personally, I'd leave it there and move on now.