Abbey banking advice

[Majorbludnok]

I am having a problem with Abbey Business Banking and I'm looking for advice on how to proceed. The next step, according to Abbey, is the Financial Ombudsman? Is there any other action I can take? Here is a summary of the events. I have also posted this on another forum in order to make anyone who is thinking of banking with Abbey aware of what sort of treatment they will receive!

On 28th May wrote to Abbey banking asking that they cancel a cheque for £1261 which I had made out.

A week later we discover that the cheque has been presented, and that it has been cashed on 4th June. We call at Abbey (Union St, Aberdeen) and speak to A show her a copy of the letter we sent to Abbey. A issues a ‘service request’.

Later that week I call at Abbey (Union St) to do some personal banking. I ask what is happening with the ‘service request’. Staff say it has been issued but no action appears to be taken. Someone will contact me.

No response (1)

Since we receive no response on 7th July write a letter to the Manager at Abbey (Union St) asking what is happening?

No response (2)

Since we receive no response on16th July (am) I phone Abbey (Glasgow) and speak to D I explain the problem. D contacts Aberdeen, I am informed that the Manageress (A) in Aberdeen will be contacting me after 1pm.

No response (3)

On the same day at 16.30 (approx)16th July I make another call to Abbey (Glasgow)since no one from Aberdeen has contacted me. I ask for D but she is on a call. The person sends D an email asking her to contact me.

No response (4)

On 17th July I phone Abbey (Glasgow) but D is not available. I explain my problem to someone else, who contacts Aberdeen. I explain my problem to K (Aberdeen) who says that she will get A to phone me and says that she has put the details on her desk as she is in a meeting.

No response. (5)

On 20th July I phone Abbey (Glasgow) and speak to F. I explain all the details again. He then informs me that we should have phoned Abbey in Glasgow to cancel the cheque! This is the first I have heard of this! I ask to be put through to A. F tells me that A is not available, and he says that they are not being very helpful! A complaint is raised by F .F gives me the number for the Complaints team at Milton Keynes 01908344942.

I phone the Complaints team at Milton Keynes on 01908344942. I am informed that this is not the correct number. I am then given the number 08456006014.

I phone the Complaints team at Milton Keynes on 08456006014. I speak to V, who listens to all the details. V raises a complaint and says that she will contact both teams and find out what is happening. V states that she will call me back after 14.30 today.

No response (6)

V calls me back at 9 am ( 21st July). Unfortunately I miss the call. I phone back but V is on a call. As I do not have my account details, and the reference number of the complaint, I say that I will call back. At 16.30 I phone back but V is not there. I speak to S, who tells me that V has escalated the complaint to a Resolution Manager. S explains that this is a fast track to getting the issue resolved. However it could take 2-4 weeks. I say that I only want my money back. S says Abbey will write to me informing me of what is happening so that I have a hard copy. Once a Resolution Manager gets the case they will phone me.

On 22nd July I receive a letter from Abbey (dated 21st July) confirming that they are dealing with my complaint. No contact from Resolution/ Complaints handler.

On 29th July I again phone the complaints team and speak to V. I ask what is happening? V informs me that a case handler will be assigned any day now and they will contact me. I stress the urgency of the matter and V reiterates that they can do nothing until a case handler has been assigned.

 

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[yourbank]

Can I ask whether the letter was sent recorded delivery or handed into the branch?(to cancel the cheque)

[Majorbludnok]

Hand delivered to bank.

[yourbank]

Next thing then is why was the cheque being stopped ie had you paid them a different method and did you get the funds back?

[Majorbludnok]

Without going into too much detail, we had made an application to an organisation, whose charge for the application was £1261. When we met with the organisation it was apparent that we did not meet their criteria. We went back to our office and tried to find ways round the obstacle but decided to withdraw our application. We wrote to the organisation, on the same day as we wrote to the bank, asking them to cancel our cheque. Instead of canceling the cheque, they presented it. Now they are saying that they do not give refunds. Whilst we also have a case to argue with the organisation, we feel that Abbey is at fault for not carrying out our instructions.

[yourbank]

Without going into too much detail, we had made an application to an organisation, whose charge for the application was £1261. When we met with the organisation it was apparent that we did not meet their criteria. We went back to our office and tried to find ways round the obstacle but decided to withdraw our application. We wrote to the organisation, on the same day as we wrote to the bank, asking them to cancel our cheque. Instead of canceling the cheque, they presented it. Now they are saying that they do not give refunds. Whilst we also have a case to argue with the organisation, we feel that Abbey is at fault for not carrying out our instructions.

 

 

They are at fault but they won't reimburse £1261.00 to you either. They certainly owe you a bit of compensation for the wasted time and effort you have had plus the fact that they failed to carry out an instruction to you.

Worth relooking at that companies policy since if it was for a service there might be an opt out in a specific period for a full refund.

[Majorbludnok]

Unfortunately the organisation is saying they have a policy of no refunds. I asked the organisation whether they had a cooling off period, but all I got was a curt reply saying they did not give refunds. I pointed out in a letter to them that they had been asked not to present the cheque but they did so anyway . I also asked how they could justify charging someone £1261 for a cup of coffee and a chat? It seems like sharp practice to me. However the bank should have carried out our instructions, but failed to do so.Is the Financial Ombudsman worth a try or should I start thinking about the small claims court?

[rickyd]

It seems clear that the organisation are at fault here for charging for something you haven't had - therefore this looks a breach of contract. Unless their terms of business contain such a clause and they were presented to you before you signed up for their service.

 

Regarding calling the bank to cancel a cheque - this would be the first time I've ever heard of that. Telephone calls usually leave no audit trail so requests have to be in writing. Why couldn't the recipient of the letter make the phone call for you?

[Majorbludnok]

Thanks for the reply rickyd ! Nice to know someone else thinks the same as me. I just wish I could get Abbey to see sense.