Close Brothers can’t find details

samsam89

Morning - anyone else had this experience so far?

Submitted commission complaint to Close Bros who have generically replied stating they can’t find my previous agreement.

I gave them the agreement number (correctly) along with vehicle reg, all addresses etc. I’ve even got the email confirming settlement of the account together with the WorldPay number from the payment.

Has anyone else experienced this with Close Bros? There’s no info on who you can contact via phone either - it’s all email or online forms.

dunstonh

Morning - anyone else had this experience so far?

Plenty.  Indeed, even the FCA is having the same difficulty when asking firms for historic data.

Alikanas

Hi I have recently sent a claim Email to Close Brothers and have not even received an acknowledgement email 

[Deleted User]

When did your agreement end? If it was over six years ago they may have destroyed the information in line with the data retention guidelines. If it was me and I was determined to pursue a claim I would issue a reply asking for a final response and once 8 weeks passed from the date of your original complaint refer the case to FOS. Part of the review should deal with advice on claims where information is incomplete. PPI became ‘average redress’ not saying that will happen here. As you have evidence of the account and the settlement figure this may be enough (maybe dig out other payments? Pref the first one in there). FOS will accept your claim as it is not a DCA commission, the commission type is unknown, so the current pause until September doesn’t affect your claim. Not least FOS would require evidence that CB had no record of your agreement and had checked properly which might poke them to suddenly find it…

Alikanas

Just had the we can't find your details email from Close Brothers, so I will be complaining to the FOS and sending all paperwork to them, I feel Close Brothers our just trying to brush people off 

[Deleted User]

Good for you, don’t take it lying down! You will need to issue a complaint to CB first before going to FOS, it is the process. Even if their final response is simply ‘we cant find you and / or dont know what the commission was’. You need that final response (or 8 weeks passing with no final response and evidence of your dated complaint) before FOS will take your referral. You may also find when you log an actual complaint they look a bit harder… Best of luck.  Ps to clarify if you have already issued a complaint, not just a commission query, you only need wait 8 weeks from that date, unless your existing response states ‘final response’ and gives FOS rights.

katbag

I have had the same issue with close bros. They said they couldn't find my details, I resent the complaint twice and had the same response. I have sent an email to them and attached a photo of a close bros statement with all my details yesterday and within the hour I had a reply. They miraculously found my agreement and have said I WAS subject to a discretionary commission arrangement. My complaint is now logged. 

[Deleted User]

Isn’t it just the way? Suddenly tripped fell and landed on your information. Honest mistake or deliberate? You decide. Kudos for keeping at it and best of luck with the (eventual) outcome.

dunstonh

katbag said:

I have had the same issue with close bros. They said they couldn't find my details, I resent the complaint twice and had the same response. I have sent an email to them and attached a photo of a close bros statement with all my details yesterday and within the hour I had a reply. They miraculously found my agreement and have said I WAS subject to a discretionary commission arrangement. My complaint is now logged. 

That is not unusual.    Often when documentation is archived, it is under agreement numbers and not by customer name or address.      

It was similar with PPI where firms eventually got archived data back on their systems and earlier "cannot find details" responses were then able to find it.

Nasqueron

Alikanas said:

Just had the we can't find your details email from Close Brothers, so I will be complaining to the FOS and sending all paperwork to them, I feel Close Brothers our just trying to brush people off 

They cannot just "brush people off" for legitimate complaints.

They can come back and tell you they cannot find any record of your finance agreement and the FOS cannot force them to find documents they don't have. Regardless the FOS will not do anything with it until after the FCA review is done and all you'll be doing is sitting in a queue which will be bounced back to the lender once the FCA is done

[Deleted User]

It would be helpful if they relayed that information in their reply though. Some do, others just say unable to find you. If in the response they said ‘we archive information by the agreement number, providing this may help us locate you’ that would be very helpful as people may not realise this. Blackhorse for example do archive by the agreement number for all accounts 6 years after they ended. Not once have I seen them mention it. The FOS can and do ask for evidence of the thoroughness of the search if your referral is because the firm cannot locate you, something you can also ask for. My advice would always be to provide as much information as possible with any request. Previous names, previous addresses (preferably noting the name and address at the time you took the loan), account numbers, registration numbers (inc previous if it changed whilst you had the vehicle), approximate dates of finance… basically everything you have, the more you provide can only increase the likelihood of success in finding your information.