I hadnt used my abbey bank account for about 2 years and there was such a hassle to reopen and use it (long story and shocking at that) that I got cross and demanded they cancel anything i held with them. I then find out that for six years after moving house they had been insuring me for home insurance at £20 per month. I worked out that this was about £1500 and that they had been taking it from my bank monthly. It may seem daft but there are so many abbreviations on my bank statement i just assumed it was for something else. Strangley though they definately knew i had moved as my bank account moved and my mortgage got cancelled with them.

I phoned to complain. they sent me three months refund £60 and a form to complain and the ombudsman address. I wrote in and ended the letter threatening to protest outside their branch.

The letter went in on the 21st of march and having heard nothing I sent it registerred post again last week. I think i read something about them being allowed 8 Weeks to respond. Not sure what to do next.

Anyone got any thoughts on this.

I assume the payments were made by DD?

If you are able to show that you definitely gave the bank instructions to cancel the direct debit then under the direct debit guarantee they are obliged to refund all money wrongly taken after that instruction was given.

Didn't you get insurance renewal notices each year telling you what the premium would be for the following year? If so wasn't that a clue?

I'm unable to provide evidence of dd cancellation.

There were no forms sent to me during this time period for renewal. This is something I find strange that they were able to take money for six years without once checking I still required their insurance.

I then find out that for six years after moving house they had been insuring me for home insurance at £20 per month.

Presumably all the renewal notices have been sent to your old address on the understanding that if you don't cancel by a certain date it automatically renews for a further year?

You are entitled to a full refund.

The question is who is responsible to refund you. Direct debits are operated by the recipient of the money, not the bank where the DD's have been set up.

Who exactly has been receiving your £20 per month? That's who you need to be writing to for a refund. Was it an Abbey insurance company? You would still need to go to them direct.

The payments have been made by mistake, the policy is invalid as you retained no insurable interest in the property therefore the insurers have never been on risk with this policy over the last 6 years since you sold the house, its as simple as that.

You need to be quick though if these payments have been made for six years otherwise you'll lose your legal right to enforce repayment of the earliest payments and I think we can guess what the response would be to suggesting that there may be a moral duty to repay you.

This may sound stupid, but have you sent them proof that you no longer own the property????

Even though they know you move, they do not know that you no longer have a financial interest in the property. Abbey has outsourced its Insurance so the people you will speak to are not employed by Abbey, therefore have very limited knowledge of what has happenned with your mortgage. For all they know you have let the old property out and transferred to a buy to let motrtgage.

Presuming there are no claims on the policy I cannot see a problem with them refunding your money. However, I suspect you will need to speak to a manager / Technical Advisor, as the Customer Service Advisor you spoke to will not have the "Delegated Authority" to refund such an amount.

This is if your policy starts with ANS, ANP or ends in CBC or BLD

Hope this helps

Yes its abbey national insurance company who have been recieving the £20 per month. Thanks for the advice there are a couple of good quotes in there that will help.

I got another letter back from abbey today basically saying. Nothing to do with them and that I should have checked my bank statements.

The financial ombudsman leaflets came with it.

Do I write to them now, is this my best next move.

The bit that gets me the most is if I didnt own or live in that house for 5/6 years what the hell were they insuring.

It may seem daft but there are so many abbreviations on my bank statement i just assumed it was for something else.

 

Not sure what to do next.

 

Anyone got any thoughts on this.

1. Learn from your mistake; you brought the trouble on yourself.

2. Don't be lazy; check your statements properly (six years to realise?!).

3. Be responsible for your own actions rather than blaming others (a growing problem in society today).

This topic was closed on 10 March 2019.

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