Friday Night Get Shafted By The Bank

[St_Eddie]

The Nationwide adverts can get to fuck. So bad that the people in them were getting death threats!

Those death threats were harsh but fair.

I jest of course.

_{They wasn't harsh.}

[Vodka Margarine]

Are you due any incoming over the next few days or weeks whilst this (hopefully) gets sorted out?

[St_Eddie]

I've spoken to my parents about the advice which I've received within this thread but they don't think that I should contact the Financial Ombudsman until the 19 days are up.  I don't agree but I'm loathe to go against my parents word.

Are you due any incoming over the next few days or weeks whilst this (hopefully) gets sorted out?

I'm next getting some money through on the 28th of this month.  At this point it's mainly about getting reimbursed so that I can pay my parents back (who've covered my costs) and of course, the damn principle of the thing.

[Emotional Support Peacock]

I've had several occasions where banks have denied me access to my money despite being well in the black and not doing anything remotely dodgy.

My advice would be to not put all your eggs in one basket. Have another account somewhere with another bank and card provider or get a credit card. It's worth getting the latter if you can for online purchases anyway. See my earlier post. If that was a debit card they Could've emptied my account and the bank would've frozen everything meaning I couldn't pay rent and could be potentially be put out in my arse.

^+1

[Desirable Industrial Unit]

I've spoken to my parents about the advice which I've received within this thread but they don't think that I should contact the Financial Ombudsman until the 19 days are up.  I don't agree but I'm loathe to go against my parents word.

The important thing to do is put in an official complaint to the bank right now if you've not already done so.  The financial ombudsman can only get involved if the bank's response to that isn't good enough, and they have 2 months to respond.  Even if you've called them a sack of cunts down the phone, at the moment it'll be classed as an account query rather than a complaint.  The wheels turn very slowly with these things and nobody involved acknowledges that money can be a thing people need in the meantime.

[St_Eddie]

I was just looking at the Financial Ombudsman website for the relevant information pertaining to my case and this greatly concerns me (look at 67/01).  Now, the thing is; I definitely did wait for at least 30 seconds.  Also, I received a message on the screen saying that 'this process could not be completed' and I then re-inserted my card to check my balance (so in effect, I was the next customer).  Surely, there's no way that the ATM could have dispensed my cash after all of this?  Am I right to be worried?

The important thing to do is put in an official complaint to the bank right now if you've not already done so.  The financial ombudsman can only get involved if the bank's response to that isn't good enough, and they have 2 months to respond.  Even if you've called them a sack of cunts down the phone, at the moment it'll be classed as an account query rather than a complaint.  The wheels turn very slowly with these things and nobody involved acknowledges that money can be a thing people need in the meantime.

I put in a claim the day after it happened (Saturday).

[paruses]

Your case seems different from Mr O's in that you did receive a message from Bank B telling you the process could not be completed. I think it's very important to stress that in your complaint along with stressing you waited for an amount of time. The fact that the machine allowed you to perform a balance enquiry suggests the machine considered your first transaction to be complete.

It also seems from that complaint you link to that Mr O cracked like an egg when questioned in any depth about his incident and probably just wandered off.

[Desirable Industrial Unit]

Also that you were definitely the next customer, which is where it differs pretty significantly.

I put in a claim the day after it happened (Saturday).

Sorry if this wasn't clear - a claim isn't a complaint, and you'll have needed to have formally complained to the bank and allowed them the time to respond before you go to the ombudsman.  You have grounds to do this right now as you were misled over the time it'd take to resolve your claim, so even if they do refund your money I'd still consider doing so.

[paruses]

Also that you were definitely the next customer, which is where it differs pretty significantly.

Yes - that's what I should have said about being able to perform the balance enquiry - the machine had made itself available to the next customer which the transaction logs will show was you.

I liked the complaint from the man who claimed he had taken out £30 but a different machine had also debited him £100 -something like that - and the Ombudsman concluded that Mr A's birthday celebrations had perhaps gone on much longer than he remembered.I wonder how redacted the text was in that finding.

[NoSleep]

You can withdraw cash with your debit card over the counter at the Post Office. Make sure your bank is one of those where this is allowable. The queue is often shorter than the the one at the ATM and you can withdraw any amount down to 1p, so you can get a pound coin out for the trolley at the supermarket, for example.

[timebug]

Went into Lloyds Bank to close Marcs account after he
passed away.Three times in fact. Each time, I was told
that 'the person' who would do this,was away. So a
mighty ginormous organisation like Lloyds,has ONE
person to close accounts? I was given the chance to
'book an appointment' almost three weeks hence,but
declined and walked out. I finally wrote to them with all
the salient facts,and shall in future,treat them with the
contempt they deserve! Never had my account breached
but I know three people who have, and who have been
through the same ballsaching process as the O.P of this
thread. Bunch of bastards, in my humble opinion.

[Icehaven]

Yep most banks do make closing an account difficult, even in cases where someone's passed away. I think they'd rather the account just languished rather than it look like they've lost a customer.

A few years ago I finally decided to close a HSBC account with about £2.50 in it after not using it for nigh on 15 years, never even changed my address with them so the only reason I still remembered it existed at all was because my Mum would occasionally mention I'd had another statement from them. Went into a branch loaded with ID and, y'know, actually being me, withdrew the small fortune and said I wanted to close the account, and was told ''No, you can only do it in writing.'' So I got a paying in slip, wrote the date and ''I want to close account number XXXXXXX'' signed it and gave it to the cashier. It still wasn't closed, I still get statements.

[St_Eddie]

Your case seems different from Mr O's in that you did receive a message from Bank B telling you the process could not be completed. I think it's very important to stress that in your complaint along with stressing you waited for an amount of time. The fact that the machine allowed you to perform a balance enquiry suggests the machine considered your first transaction to be complete.

Also that you were definitely the next customer, which is where it differs pretty significantly.

Yes - that's what I should have said about being able to perform the balance enquiry - the machine had made itself available to the next customer which the transaction logs will show was you.

This puts my mind at ease somewhat.  Thanks.

Sorry if this wasn't clear - a claim isn't a complaint, and you'll have needed to have formally complained to the bank and allowed them the time to respond before you go to the ombudsman.  You have grounds to do this right now as you were misled over the time it'd take to resolve your claim, so even if they do refund your money I'd still consider doing so.

Ah, okay.  So the Financial Ombudsman won't deal with my case until I've lodged a complaint (not a claim) with my bank, is that correct?  If so, how do you think that I should go about doing that?  Do I phone up the head office of Nationwide and tell them I'm lodging a complaint because I was misled about the time it would take to process my claim?  Do you think that I should tell the bank that I'm lodging this complaint in case I have to take it up with the Financial Ombudsman, or should I not mention that part?

Sorry, I'm useless with things like this.

You can withdraw cash with your debit card over the counter at the Post Office. Make sure your bank is one of those where this is allowable. The queue is often shorter than the the one at the ATM and you can withdraw any amount down to 1p, so you can get a pound coin out for the trolley at the supermarket, for example.

Regardless of whether this ever gets resolved or not, I'm going to be extremely wary of using the ATM from now on.  When it comes to withdrawing large amounts, I'm definitely going to go into the bank or Post Office to do so, from now on.  My Mum suggested that I use my phone to film the screen when withdrawing cash and then the dispenser (but obviously not filming me entering my pin), as a means of having proof should things go wrong in the future.  However, my Dad thinks that this is likely an illegal thing to do.  *shrugs shoulders*

[Desirable Industrial Unit]

Ah, okay.  So the Financial Ombudsman won't deal with my case until I've lodged a complaint (not a claim) with my bank, is that correct?  If so, how do you think that I should go about doing that?  Do I phone up the head office of Nationwide and tell them I'm lodging a complaint because I was misled about the time it would take to process my claim?  Do you think that I should tell the bank that I'm lodging this complaint in case I have to take it up with the Financial Ombudsman, or should I not mention that part?

You can just do it online:

https://portal.nationet.com/nationwide/forms/making-a-complaint.asp

I wouldn't mention the ombudsman at this point, they know the drill, just state what your complaint is.  If they fuck up further (as in, you don't get your money back, but I'm pretty confident you'll be ok there eventually) there's nothing to stop you lodging a second one which will further help your case.  They've got eight weeks to respond in a manner that you find satisfactory.  If they blow smoke up your arse or don't bother at all, then you hit up the ombudsman.

It's a really petty distinction, given that calling them to tell them they've fucked up is a complaint by any reasonable human understanding, but it's not considered an actual complaint until you've formally submitted it as such.

I hope this gets sorted very quickly, anyway, but do kick their arses after the fact.

[St_Eddie]

THURSDAY (WEEK 2):  Just a quick update to say that the matter has now been resolved.  I checked my account today, to find that I had been refunded the £230!

Thank you all for your support and advice.  It's was hugely helpful and greatly appreciated.

I'm off to the post office tomorrow, to withdraw the money to pay my parents back the money that they so kindly lent me to cover my costs (no more ATMs, when withdrawing large amounts, for me).

WOOT WOOT!

[Sebastian Cobb]

I was going to bump this thread. Know how I mentioned I got credit card frauded? Guess what ticketing website I used several hours before?

[St_Eddie]

I was going to bump this thread. Know how I mentioned I got credit card frauded? Guess what ticketing website I used several hours before?

Ah ha!  Ticketmaster!  Now it all makes sense.  My Dad was fuming about this earlier because he ordered our tickets for The League of Gentlemen Live using Ticketmaster and is now rightfully concerned that his credit card details have been half-inched.

[iamcoop]

Damn right. Nonsense institutions. I was until a few weeks ago with RBOS. Now they are basically fucked, the branch in Newcastle is now like an 80s doss house. No life, no energy, sad looking staff. The true character of banks exposed when the money runs dry. Their fakery dissipates when they have nothing to gain from you anymore.

I went into my branch of the co-op bank to request a printed statement that I needed as part proof of an address for a licensing course I was due to go on. The lady behind the desk told me it was impossible and that I would need to print one out from my online banking at home. When I told her I don't own a printer she cheerfully gave me directions to a library and told me to do it there. I mean really. It beggars belief. I was incandescent with rage.

[Malcy]

Glad to hear you're sorted St Eddie!

[St_Eddie]

Glad to hear you're sorted St Eddie!

Thank you.  It's a real weight of my shoulders, as I had convinced myself that the bank were going to tell me that they wouldn't be refunding my money and as such, I'd have a lengthy and ongoing dispute to deal with.  I've got enough problems in life as it is, so having this issue behind me is a blessed and welcome relief.

WOOT to the WOOT to the WOOT!

[DArtagnan]

A tad disappointed by this, after reading the thread title.
To we dyed in the wool, lifelong Londoners, "by the Bank" means in the vicinity of Throgmorton St., Threadneedle St., Lombard St., Lothbury, or Princes St.
I had visions of some #metoo female City worker, having had a few too many white wines in one of the bars in the Royal Exchange on Friday night, being manoeuvred up Token House Yard, off Lothbury, and not enjoying a little sexcapade, before going to Liverpool St. Station, and getting the last train to Palookaville, Essex.

[goinggoinggone]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlW2tg-t1y4

[goinggoinggone]

And I watched this the other day for the first time in decades...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3SgyxwpOKE

Flo and Joan are a delightful bunch of lasses compared to this embezler in the making!

[St_Eddie]

And I watched this the other day for the first time in decades...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3SgyxwpOKE

The actor from that advert is now middle aged and homeless, having had his house repossessed by Nationwide.  He can currently be found sat in the doorway of the Nationwide branch in Worcestershire, begging for money and death.

Nationwide; the bank of and for the people.