@santanderbankgb Nothing but problems and charges,

[jo5ephedward5]

I emailed the CEO last week and got this response in a matter of hours...wonder how long it will take them to throw it out again...

 

I do hope they can see my side on this occasion.

 

Thank you for your email addressed to Ana Botin, Chief Executive Officer, and for taking the time to bring your concerns to our attention.

 

One of our Executive Complaints Team will be responsible for carrying out an independent review of your complaint in the hope that we can reach an acceptable outcome.

 

Once our review is complete we will provide you with the details of our investigation and the proposed outcome. If you remain unhappy and do not feel we have resolved your complaint to your satisfaction you are entitled to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service as detailed in the attached leaflet.

 

Until our investigation is complete, I do not know what the outcome will be. I do hope however, that we will be able to find a solution that you are happy with.

 

Thank you & kind regards

Denise Moran

Executive Complaints Team

[jo5ephedward5]

WOOHOO!

 

I’ve just had a call from the executive complaints office at Santander and they have been through the ‘entire’ case and concluded that they are at fault – they have now paid off the balance to zero and they have contacted their data controller to remove all adverse history from my credit record – needless to say I’m over the moon with this, it’s been a 12 month slog but I couldn't have done it without CAG.

 

The letter confirming all is going in tonight’s post but assuming it arrives early next week I think this thread can finally be updated to say *won*

[dx100uk]

hey now that is news.

dx

[jo5ephedward5]

Well last week I did finally receive the letter from the CEO complaints office to confirm they were very sorry about everything I’d been through and that the balance would be cleared and their data controller had been contacted to remove the adverse data from my account.

 

I’ve been keeping a close eye on my credit file and yesterday I got an email from Equifax saying there had been a change to my credit file – I’ve just had a look and the change is:

 

‘you’re Santander current account status has changed from ‘D’ (Defaulted) to ‘S’ (Settled).

 

I assumed what they would do would be to remove all evidence of the account existing but what they have done is to change the status, update my address and remove every ‘late’ marker off the history suggesting that it was paid off in full and closed in 2011. Whilst I’m not really sure this is a ‘true reflection’ of my account I’m happy with the result as there is no trace of a default on the account anymore.

 

Thanks everyone for all your help, this thread can now be changed to ‘Won’, but before I go, does anyone think it’s still worth me writing to the Financial Ombudsman to tell them what I’ve been through? Just because I got the right result in the end doesn't mean that Santander have operated in a professionally adequate manner, they destroyed my credit file for over a year, I think that the relevant bodies should be made aware of it.

 

J

[dx100uk]

sri without scanning through

 

did satans bank offer any kind of compo with regard to the 'damage'

this has done your credit rating since it was there?

 

don't get me wrong, great result, but, in most of these cases

certainly the ICO etc all end in compo.

 

dx

[jo5ephedward5]

No compensation at the end, I had a couple of small payments in the middle as apologies for their short falls in communication etc as follows:

 

£100 for account 1 as this was a joining incentive which they initially diddled me out of [although I don't consider that compo]

£150 for account 2 to say really sorry we messed up before they closed it and removed it from my file [again, this was technically an account that they already signed off so doesn't count towards this]

£60 for not replying to my complaints in a timely manner.

 

I was refused a mobile phone contract when I wanted to change accounts

as well as a credit card with a zero % rate,

 

both due to my credit file a

 

nd as this was the only blemish on the files they referred to I have to assume it was Santander that were causing it.

 

the other item was a loan from my bank for a car purchase,

I've got a 9k loan at 14% instead of the advertised 5.1% which I'd had on 2 previous loans

- the bank couldn't explain why as I'm a 'perfect' candidate for their lowest rate

however the computer generated results from my credit file was suggesting i was a higher than average risk.

[dx100uk]

then you need to put that in a letter to satans bank about all three.

 

they should be offering compo

they caused these issue as some of them have cost your MONEY!!

 

and are still doing so.

 

p'haps it might be an idea to ask brig to pop in and comment

 

dx

[jo5ephedward5]

I've sent Brig a message so we'll see if he gets 5 mins to take a look...Obviously I'd love some compensation as to say this has been a stressful and costly problem would be an understatement!

 

J

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi J,

 

Just going to read through all of the thread now.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

OK, a couple of questions please.

 

What actually shows on the CRA files (have you checked all 3 main agencies?) Are LP markers still showing?

I may have missed this so please bear with me! Was there any agreement with Satans Bank to remove all adverse data from CRA files?

From the details in post 56# I agree with dx there is a case for financial redress,.

 

I'll draft a letter for you if you wish.

[jo5ephedward5]

Hi Brig,

 

Satan agreed to remove all adverse data - I assumed this would mean wiping the account all together but they have actually done just that - removed all the negative data so it looks like I had the account for a year with no late payments, no overdraft no default and then closed it - its now marked as settled, there are no LP markers and no whiff of the default - this is reflected on Call Credit and Equifax, the account never showed on Experian in the first place.

 

If you could draft a little something I'd be really grateful for the help.

 

J

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Ok good!!

 

What level of redress would you consider appropriate? To give me some idea of which way to play this.

 

How long was the adverse data displayed for. What actual financial loss and or disadvantage did you suffer?

[jo5ephedward5]

Hi Brig,

 

Sorry for the delay it’s taken me a couple of days to dig out the information; a summary of the accounts is as follows:

 

Negative data [late payment markers] started to appear on Account 1 in May 2011 as follows:

 

May 2011 - 2 late payments [LPs]

Jun 2011 - 3 LPs

Jul 2011 – 4 LPs

Aug 2011 - 5 LPs

Sept 2011 - Default £718.

 

The default remained for 2 years until September 2013 when Santander wiped all the data back to September 2011 and removed all the late payment markers before this and leaving no trace of a default on my credit file.

 

Negative data started to appeared on account 2 in June 2011 as follows:

 

Jun 2011 - 3 LPs

Jul 2011- 4 LPs

Aug 2011- 5 LPs

Sep 2011 - 6 LPs

Oct 2011 - Default for £1800

 

The default remained for about 2 years until May 2013 when Santander admitted they shouldn’t have given me the account in the first place – they wiped the account completely as if it never existed and it no longer shows on my credit files.

 

Between Sept 2011 and Sept 2013 the accounts status was also listed as gone-away even though I was in full written contact with Santander for over a year.

 

I received the following ‘goodwill’ from Santander:

Account 1 - £100 cheque to say sorry for the terrible switching experience and here’s the £100 incentive you joined for originally.

Account 2 - £150 cheque to say sorry they shouldn’t have given me the account in the first place.

Plus a £60 for not responding in a timely manner [several months].

 

I believe the financial actual repercussions of the above are as follows:

 

In October 2012 I was refused a mobile phone contract with t-mobile based the results on my credit search [this was when I first applied for my files to see what the problem was as to all intents and purposes it should have been clean] – I had to stay with o2 who were £10 per month more expensive, so over 24 months it will cost me around an extra £240.

 

In Feb 2013 I applied for a loan with my long term bank [i wish I’d never considered leaving as they’ve always been brilliant – the things we do for a quick buck!] this was when they said they couldn’t offer me the low rate they have in the past as the credit score was coming back lower than normal – the only blemish was the 2 Santander accounts – this loan is for 42 months so based on the £9600 I borrowed over 42months I’m looking at around £1900 in ‘additional’ interest over their best rate.

 

In May 2013 I applied for an AMEX card with a 0% transfer incentive, this was declined, again due to credit score and Santander was the only blemish I had so I have to believe it was a large influence on their decision. This means I still had 3k on my credit card at 18.9% apr so at the rate I’m clearing it that’s approx. £800 extra interest.

 

I’m not someone that exclusively lives on credit, I have a good income and I’ve worked really hard to get a good credit score – I chose to ‘spread’ payments on a few select things, unfortunately Santander have left me with 3 long term problems which are ultimately going to cost me around 3k in additional interest over the best deals which I can only assume I would have been a prime candidate for.

 

I’m not sure on what redress they are likely to consider appropriate, but the fact is I feel as if I’m out of pocket by 3k – what are peoples thoughts?

 

J

[jo5ephedward5]

Did you have any thoughts on this Brig?

 

J

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Sorry Jo Missed this been away for a while.

 

On those instances my feelings are £750 per instance of being declined for credit for the stress and embarrassment caused by the refusal.

Then sums equal to the extra costs incurred because of the adverse data Satans caused to be displayed o CRA files.

Finally I would suggest sum of £1500.00 in regard to the overall time, trouble and stress caused while attempting to settle this matter.

[jo5ephedward5]

Thanks Brig,

 

So to your mind it’s potentially:

 

2x £750 refused credit with t-mobile and AMEX [£1500]

1x £240 extra cost from having to stay with my mobile phone supplier

1x £1900 extra interest from my personal loan

1x £800 extra interest from my credit card

1x £1500 for time, effort, postage and research to fight my corner.

 

So £5940 would be considered a ‘fair’ figure for compensation or have I misinterpreted somewhere?

 

Also how do I go about wording something like this – I assume it has to be to the point, well backed up with evidence and written with the view that if they won’t play ball I should take them to the small claims court?

 

J

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Thanks Brig,

 

So to your mind it’s potentially:

 

2x £750 refused credit with t-mobile and AMEX [£1500]

1x £240 extra cost from having to stay with my mobile phone supplier

1x £1900 extra interest from my personal loan

1x £800 extra interest from my credit card

1x £1500 for time, effort, postage and research to fight my corner.

 

So £5940 would be considered a ‘fair’ figure for compensation or have I misinterpreted somewhere?

 

Also how do I go about wording something like this – I assume it has to be to the point, well backed up with evidence and written with the view that if they won’t play ball I should take them to the small claims court?

 

J

 

That is what I would work on it's calculated on the actual financial loss incurred plus compensation for the for the stress and embarrassment of refused credit and takes into consideration the extended time to rectify the matter.

 

It's not making a 'profit' just rectifying actual calculated loss + damages.

 

Very fair I think.

[jo5ephedward5]

OK I'll get something written up and in the post this week - is there something 'official' to look up / quote when making this claim...I.e some code of conduct that sets out some guidelines on what can be claimed.

 

J

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I don't think it is needed, as said your 'claim' is for proven loss, and redress for the effort, embarrassment and stress the bank has caused.

[jo5ephedward5]

quick one - should I send this request to the CEO executive complaints team that finally gave me some results or should I fire this to the data controller?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

quick one - should I send this request to the CEO executive complaints team that finally gave me some results or should I fire this to the data controller?

 

Yes! exec team.