Surely not.

Data is archived in stages. But if you don't believe them, you could invest in a SAR.

£10 today or free after 25th.

Surely you are not suggesting they should be in breach of the data protection act.

Ironically, the GDPR is more stringent on data destruction than the DPA. And it is retrospective. So, greater levels of data destruction is going to take place after May 25.

Thanks for the replies. What I should have said is I have not been a customer of Clydesdale bank since 2001 and all I wanted to know is do they keep the account numbers and that you were a customer indefinitely, but not the paperwork relating to those accounts.

It's more than possible they have account details on one system and old archived data linked to those accounts somewhere squirrelled away like on microfiche and the only way to find them is via account number.

You said you found an old credit card statement - easy to check if you had PPI if the card had a balance not paid off in full - simply look for the charge on the bill for PPI

As mentioned, the destruction of data is phased over time.

If you had remained a customer, the destruction rates would be slowed down and extra remnants of data would have been in their systems. However, when you cease the business relationship, the destruction level is increased.

They don't regurgitate old account numbers. So, that account number is forever allocated to you. So, that bit of data is not something that gets destroyed.

The paperwork for the account would start its destruction sometime after 6 years after repayment of the debt. (maybe extended if you had remained a customer).

i.e. the guidance we have been given under GDPR and the FCA rulebook is that when a client service ends, destruction of non-liability documents should be destroyed after 5 years. However, where the person remains a client, the destruction should be 10 years. Destruction is not required to be instant on an anniversary and can done in phases. And some documents are kept longer than others.

Sometimes, snippets of data can exist which are not personal data but can give a clue. For example, Lloyds Bank had a different account code for loans with PPI and without PPI. So, they can tell from the account number alone if there was PPI on it or not. They know their historic PPi premium rates so can often consider a complaint where no documents exist.

This is why firms all have different periods where data is and is not available.

Sorry I should have said these aren't the bank account numbers but the loan account numbers, which I didn't have to hand apart from my bank account number and the credit card number.

I would definitely send a SAR and ask them to retrieve your statements or transaction history for all accounts because these documents will show the reference numbers for the loans and ppi charges. Clydesdale will probably have this information held in their electronic systems and microfiche records.

When the FCA conducted a review in 2014/15 they found Clydesdale had customer statements going back further than 2000 even with some closed accounts. A relation of mine received copies of his credit card statements dating from 1994 for an account that closed in 1998. Hope this helps.

Which is why you are more inclined to believe them now after what the FCA forced them to do.

Hi sun73 thanks for the reply. Yeah that is what I don't understand I never gave them the reference numbers for the loans but they somehow managed to find them and put them on the letter I received and then say they don't have any info on the loans. If they can find the ref no's from an account closed nearly 20 years ago surely they must have the details. I will send away for a SAR and see what happens.

One doesn't follow the other - having an old list of clients and loan numbers doesn't mean they hold old details of the actual loan and so on

They've already told you that they have no detailed records of the loans. If you really must have a SAR to confirm what you've been told , I recommend you wait until the end of this month when such requests are no longer chargeable.

Hi quick update. Clydesdale have told me they have archived records but I had to fill in the complaint form and ask them to search those records, the first form was to check if I believed I had PPI, so it looks as though they have the accounts on microfiche. I'll wait and see how I get on.

Hi everyone just received a letter today telling me that my PPI has been upheld and I will be receiving £10976. There were about 6 loans dating back to 1996. So anyone who thinks they have had PPI from years ago it is worth a punt. I also received £872 from Bank of Scotland for a loan from 2000. Happy Days!!