NATWEST/RBS Complaint - HELP!

[DebtDefyingActs]

Hi all,

This is my first ever post on any forum anywhere, so be gentle.

Basically, my complaint to RBS/Natwest is a simple enough one, poor customer service.

 

Back in 2004, me and my business partner started up a small construction company and we ticked along quiet nicely. However, the problems we had with RBS started pretty much as soon as we opened our business bank account with Natwest, we were assigned a young (probably fresh from college, not that theres anything wrong with that mind you) business account manager, now whether he was out of his depth or he just wasn't up to the job, either way we had awful trouble getting him to do things HE'D said he would, or getting information from him or even getting hold of him. So, obviously we complained and our account was transferred to a new business account manager, and i have to admit she was brilliant, no problems or complaints at all, everything that was said was done and never had any trouble contacting or getting calls back. So, everything's great and we're happy for about 18 months.

 

Then for no reason that even to this point has ever been explained we were given a new account manager. Ok. No big deal. Except he was as bad if not worse than our first account manager, albeit slightly older. Within a few months, we had been called in a number of times to discuss any and every product that he could think of to try sell us from invoice financing to pensions to insurances. Even after we had made it clear we weren't interested in any of these products he persisted.

So ok, roll on now to around November/December 2008, remember when the proverbial financial s**t hit the fan. Well, we being in the construction industry were one of the first sectors to feel the pinch. Contracts were cancelled, work dried up and generally things got tough. So, we arranged a meeting with our business account manager to talk about extending the overdraft or getting a loan or just generally seeing what the bank could do to help. He was full of great ideas and ways to help us part with our money, but we eventually agreed to applying for a loan to pay off the overdraft and give us some cash to keep us going. So, we filled in the paperwork etc and left him to crack on with his side.

 

Then for the following 3.5 months i tried to get a response to our loan application, I phoned, text, left messages, had other members of staff in the branch leave messages/ faxes, called into the branch to try and catch him and even drove to the other end of the city to try and corner him at another branch, with no luck. I subsequently, spoke to numerous people at Natwest call centres and even the area manager, again with no result, closed ranks and ignored me. And subsequently without the funds we needed our business went to the wall around April 2009.

 

I just feel as though we were hung out to dry when things got tight for the banks, even though we had put quiet a considerable amount of money through our account over the years.

 

Anyways, thats the back story, now the complaint.

 

My complaint to RBS/Natwest about the complete lack of customer service and i feel as though it has never been taken seriously at all and according to the FOS i cannot go through them to complain because the business is no more. It just seems wrong that the bank can turn its back on its customers and leave them high and dry, force them out of business and them come back asking to be repaid the overdraft, and yet i can't even get a complaint taken seriously!

So, i'm hoping some-one on here may have some ideas or suggestions that could help me to further my complaint or just generally help me.

Thanks

DebtDefyingActs

[elsinore]

Hi DDA,

 

Was the business a limited company?

 

Are you still involved with your erstwhile business partner?

 

Els

[DebtDefyingActs]

Hi Elsinore,

Sorry, but have been away from computers for a while, however the compliant rumbles on. The business was a limited company, there was a personal guarantee in place and no, the erstwhile partner is no longer on speaking terms, even if i knew where he was.

DDA

[DebtDefyingActs]

Just a quick update.

Have since written to Natwest requesting all the information the hold on me for the entire length of time I've had dealings with them.

Hopefully, this might shed some light on what or what they did'nt do for me during the final months of my business.

Fingers crossed.

[DebtDefyingActs]

Can someone please give me some advice.

 

I have now had notification from Natwests solicitors that they are taking me to court and that I cannot apply for a Subject Access Request, as they are not required to under the Data Protection Act 1998 to supply that information, as it is limited to personal data only.

 

Is this correct?

 

How do I go about getting all the information they hold on me and more importantly the records they hold concerning their own conduct and call records, etc?

[DebtDefyingActs]

Really really really need some help! Please!!!!!