Help With A Complaint Against My Bank

Leon_Telford

FAO Martin/Anyone who could help

I’ve just started a complaint procedure against The Royal Bank of Scotland Group with regards to a Standing Order that wasn’t set up for me despite giving the bank over 3 weeks notice.

Rather than explain the entire story again I will paste the letter I sent to the branch manager which explains what has happened –

---

“Dear whom it my concern

I wish to formally make a complaint against the “service” I have received with regards to a Standing Order which wasn’t set up/paid to the CSA (Child Support Agency).

The CSA sent me a Standing Order mandate which is for £*** a month which is payable on the 25th of each month starting from the 25th of February 2008. All I simply had to do was to hand it over the counter in the branch.

Three weeks prior to the first payment coming out of my account I did this, I was ensured by the member of staff on the counter at the time (Naomi?) That it would be “set up” for me and I had to do nothing else towards it.

This morning (25h February) I logged onto the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Digital Banking service (a very good service I must add) to find out to my horror NOTHING has come out, nor is anything set up under the Standing Orders section.

I instantly rang the branch to find out the Standing Order Form was logged and scanned onto the system yet nothing was processed nor set up for me, almost like someone “forgot”, I spoke to Alison at the branch on the phone.

This service is not on, being an ex employee of RBS (I was based at *****************) I am well aware of the terms and conditions of being a member of the FSA.

I believe one, if not more of these have been broken in this incident.

My wish is for the bank to make me a gesture of goodwill and an apology in writing within 7 days from the date of this letter otherwise the FSA will be contacted and Martin Lewis’ Money Watchdog Website will be informed of my disgust at this service.

My banking will also be switched to another high street bank as the delay will set back my CSA payments and I maybe charged by them when this is clearly your mistake and not mine, I’ve wasted time while at work as well ringing the branch for this mistake which you have made.

I look forward to hearing from you within 7 days of the date of this letter and an outcome I am happy and satisfied with.”

---

The *** is private information.

That was the letter I sent to the Branch Manager.

Today (26th Feb) I received a letter from the branch manager explaining what has happened and admitted they have made a mistake. They have offered to pay any charges I may get from the CSA and have offered me £25.00 for the “telephone charges” I have occurred. Also they have rearranged for the Standing Order to leave my account this Wednesday the 26th.

They have enclosed a letter for me to sign and send back if I accept there offer of “compensation”. Considering I get charged £28 each time I go over my overdraft (a very rare occurrence I may add) I think the £25.00 is an insult.

Anyways my question is shall/can I demand more in terms of compensation? Would the FSA/Financial Ombudsman rule in my favor? How much should I ask for as a full and final conclusion to this complaint? Basically I know for a fact I shouldn’t accept the first offer!

Any help/advice more than welcome J

Thanks Leon

itsallaboutyou

Personally - as the bank have admitted its their fault and the fact they have offered to pay charges for you plus a 'little sweetener' is probably a good deal! You could probably moan and moan and get a bit more - but as long as you're not out of pocket - I think they've probably offered you a fair deal...

'tis upto you - If you have the time and energy to pursue it go for it - you dont get anything without asking!

Good luck either way!

Tom

jonesMUFCforever

I have to say a lot of the letter is rubbish and over the top.

Ok someone has made a mistake (did OP never make a mistake when he was an employee?) but nobody has died as a result and the mistake can be rectified pretty quickly.

An apology is all that is warranted here in my opinion.

Switching banks will almost certainly delay the payment of the standing order much more than what has happened here.

As for 'I am well aware of the terms and conditions of being a member of the FSA.' what on earth does that mean?

emma396

if you had access to the internet, could you not have set up the standing order online? (don't know if rbs have online banking)

itsallaboutyou

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

I have to say a lot of the letter is rubbish and over the top.

Ok someone has made a mistake (did OP never make a mistake when he was an employee?) but nobody has died as a result and the mistake can be rectified pretty quickly.

An apology is all that is warranted here in my opinion.

Switching banks will almost certainly delay the payment of the standing order much more than what has happened here.

As for 'I am well aware of the terms and conditions of being a member of the FSA.' what on earth does that mean?

On second glance I kind of agree - it seems to go to town on a point that the bank have offered to rectify... If you incur charges etc, they've told you that they're happy to refund!

Probably flogging a dead horse to chase it up I think..

Tom

PBA

£25, they're being extremely generous. Yes a mistake was made, it was spotted and corrected. If they'd set up the standing order to be paid to the wrong account and it wasn't spotted for several months then you could justify asking for more, but given that you're not out of pocket except the cost of a phone call and a stamp then you've done well.

jonesMUFCforever

He started another thread on another board. The response was the same - ie lucky to get £25 compo. nobody said he would get/expect more but if he wants to waste his time trying who am I to stop him?

Leon_Telford

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

He started another thread on another board. The response was the same - ie lucky to get £25 compo. nobody said he would get/expect more but if he wants to waste his time trying who am I to stop him?

I was asking peoples advice pal!

Thats all.

I started the thread on what I thought was the wrong page hence I posted it on here as well.

Didnt know how to delete threads, get the facts right before you "flame" mate. :rolleyes:

_Andy_

Extremely over the top.
An error was made, a standing order wasn't set up - admittedly this caused inconvenience but I think you'll find the FSA have bigger fish to fry.

In any case the section in the letter about taking your banking elsewhere is a textbook mistake - why would the bank want to compensate you further when you've just said you won't have any business with them?

You didn't specify in the letter what financial amount the 'gesture of goodwill' should be therefore there is no reason to negotiate more (in any case, £25 seems fair given the mild situation).
If you felt that a higher amount of compensation would have resolved the complaint to your satisfaction then you should have decided in advance what that amount was and requested it in your complaint letter.