Claret74 V s Barclays.

[claret74]

Hi All,

I'm new to posting in this forum but have been reading it for some time.

Last week I wrote to Barclays to claim back bank charges on my personal account and my joint account. Both have different account numbers( Huh obviously you might say!) and they have different sort codes. Today I received 2 identical letters. My first complaint is I signed the letter Mrs Clare Carter and both letters came back today addressed to my husband! Mr Carter has not written to the bank so why are they writing to him?!

The content of the letter is thus:

 

Dear Mr Carter

RE; Sort Code 201854 account numberXXXXX (Now both letters have the same sort code and account number despite writing to them about 2 seperate accounts)

I am sorry you are unhappy with the charges you have incurred. Your comments are receiving attention and one of my team will contact you as soon as possible.

May I take this opportunity to explain that whilst we endeavour to respond to you within timescales outlined in your letter, we cannot guarantee that we will do so.

Sometimes it does take longer to fully investigate a complaint. However we do aim to find a solution within four weeks. If we are not able to do so, we will always write to you explaining what is happening. A full report or an update on our progress will be sent to you within eight weeks.

 

Please refer to the enclosed leaflet which provides you with a more detailed explanation on how we will deal with this matter.

Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0207 116 4561 or via freephone 0800282390,

Yours sincerely,

Mike Brophy,

Customer Relations Manager.

 

My questions are as follows:

• Should I phone the bank regarding the wrong name on the letter?
  
• Should I also discuss the fact that they have written 2 identical letters about the same account rather that the 2 seperate accounts?
  
• Is this a standard letter?

Please help,

Clare

[claret74]

Hi All,

I'm new to posting in this forum but have been reading it for some time.

Last week I wrote to Barclays to claim back bank charges on my personal account and my joint account. Both have different account numbers( Huh obviously you might say!) and they have different sort codes. Today I received 2 identical letters. My first complaint is I signed the letter Mrs Clare Carter and both letters came back today addressed to my husband! Mr Carter has not written to the bank so why are they writing to him?!

The content of the letter is thus:

 

Dear Mr Carter

RE; Sort Code 201854 account numberXXXXX (Now both letters have the same sort code and account number despite writing to them about 2 seperate accounts)

 

I am sorry you are unhappy with the charges you have incurred. Your comments are receiving attention and one of my team will contact you as soon as possible.

May I take this opportunity to explain that whilst we endeavour to respond to you within timescales outlined in your letter, we cannot guarantee that we will do so.

Sometimes it does take longer to fully investigate a complaint. However we do aim to find a solution within four weeks. If we are not able to do so, we will always write to you explaining what is happening. A full report or an update on our progress will be sent to you within eight weeks.

 

Please refer to the enclosed leaflet which provides you with a more detailed explanation on how we will deal with this matter.

Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0207 116 4561 or via freephone 0800282390,

Yours sincerely,

Mike Brophy,

Customer Relations Manager.

 

My questions are as follows:

• Should I phone the bank regarding the wrong name on the letter?
  
• Should I also discuss the fact that they have written 2 identical letters about the same account rather that the 2 seperate accounts?
  
• Is this a standard letter?

Please help,

Clare

[maroondevo52]

Hi and welcome,

 

The answer to your first two questions is yes. ( at least that's what I would do). Your third, yes that's a bog standard reply, they will stall you as long as possible. Stick to your timetable.Have a look in the Barclays forum, there's plenty people there willing to help you.

 

Best wishes with your claim.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[claret74]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for replying.

I have posted the same message in the Barclays Forum earlier this evening and as yet had no replies. I'm sure they'll come thought, everyone seems really helpful to each other.

I was really p****d off with the letters back to my husband, what would have happened if he did not know that I was claiming (as is I'm sure the case with some people)?

[maroondevo52]

Hi Clare,

When BOS first sent me their offer, it had the wrong house number and the wrong post code, god knows how it managed to find me. Seems they have some wee lassie typing out piles of letters and she has not got a scooby! Still got my cash in the end, so can't complain.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[claret74]

Hi Scott,

I think they must mistype our letters in the hope that we won't get them!

Did you pull them up on the mistake they made with your house number and post code?

It's great to hear that you have had some success with Barclays, they seem to hold out to the very last minute don't they.

Do you have any words of advice??

I'm just at the start of all this and looking to claim £3400 without interest. It would be sooooooo lovely to get it all back.

[dar£n]

I had the same thing, Im claiming for two accounts and every correspondence from barclays returned with reference to just one, I have been advised on here to make sure YOU always refer to the two accounts when proceeding.

 

good luck

[claret74]

Hi Dar3n,

Thanks for the reply.

I think Barclays are just doing it to annoy us in the hope we'll go away!Well I'm certainly not going away.

Good Luck to you too.

[spooner78]

I had exactly the same letter from the same Mike Brophy this morning regarding my business account. What do they mean find a solution within four weeks but a report or update should be with you within eight weeks!!?? It must be a delaying tactic and a standard letter they now send out. So what next??

[dar£n]

Doesnt matter, Once you have given them your deadline [i.e 14 days], once that has past you can proceed to the next stage.

[spooner78]

I gave them seven days as it was the second letter reminding them that they had not replied to the first!! So now i wait and submit a claim??!!

[dar£n]

Firstly mate, you need to open a thread of your own [spooner v barclays for eg]

Your first letter asking for the charges back would allowed 14 days.

following their reply a LBA again allowing 14 days

they will respond with a partial claim or say they are unable to reach a mutual agreement.

if they do or dont bother replying after 14 days start your claim with MCOL.

make sure you send the bank a schedule of your claim before starting with MCOL.

[spooner78]

I have sent the first letter with no reply. I then sent the second letter and got the same response as the letter at the top of this thread which is basically a stalling tactic.

[dar£n]

Yep, Ive had the same letter nearly word for word, the next day I got a letter of their offer as a goodwill gesture which was accepted under the conditions i would pursue the remainder. if you hear nothing send your LBA.. keep going your on the right track

[spooner78]

Firstly thanks for the help and advice its appreciated. In total I'm owed around £500 pounds on my business account. Barclays gave me some very dodgy and false info when i set the account up. They told me I'd ahve to pay £700-800 to set up an overdraft facility of £500!!!! Needless to say I found this a bit strange. The £500 they owe me is from going overdrawn when I didnt have the facility. I have now switched accounts so I'm in no rush for the money which is why I will take it all the way.

 

So from what you are saying you recived a letter shortly after the standard one offering a part payment as settlement??

[dar£n]

YES the next day, but they were signed by two different people which suggests they dont even know what their own department is saying to customers, they are so slack which is why theyre losing out, hee hee.

good news for us though.

To be honest I cant see it lasting, surely they will find a loophole to get them out of paying up sooner or later.

[spooner78]

Well you would think they would come up with a way off not paying other than stalling people for as long as possible!! I'm sure all the banks between them would of got the best legal eagles on the case working round the clock to come up with something but obviously there isn't much they can do. They haven't stopped charging customers so it appear the money they are taking off people still outweighs the money they are paying out.

[claret74]

Hi Dar3n,

Just to clarify, do you think I should contact the bank regarding sending the same letter twice regarding the same account to Mr Carter not Mrs Carter?

[dar£n]

Barclays are so lazy they dont really do their job properly, what it sounds like they have done is responded to your letter for 'MR Carter' and then to the 'MRS Carter' but the admin staff forgot about changing the details, they probably just 'copy & pasted' your std letter, either way dont worry, as long and you referred to and always do in future correspondence with them stating BOTH account numbers you will be okay.

[dar£n]

my letters from Barclays only refer to ONE account when Im clearly stinging them for BOTH.

[claret74]

So,

They have responded to my letter within the 14 days but not satisfactorily, so do I still just progress to the LBA on the 14th day?

[dar£n]

I would wait for the 14 days to pass, I had a letter off Barclays on 9th saying now way would they entertain the idea of repaying the charges but then on the 10th I had another letter from another member of staff in the SAME department offering the 'offer of goodwill gesture'.

If you always let your deadline pass, they cant throw it back in your face later and you can calmly say, 'You had acceptable time limits to work with'

I know 14 days seem far away but you will look back and think it was worth the wait.

[claret74]

Can someone please help,

I used the excel sspreadsheet that I found online on the yahoo website, the one that was recommended here. Now I can't find it. Please help I'm desperate.

[essjaysea]

Try this one ...this is the simple spreadsheet that works out the 8% statutory interest. Remember though that you dont include the interest until you file your court claim

 

http://www.cag-files.co.uk/barracad/Spreadsheets/England/Simple-charges-calc.xls

[claret74]

Hi I was just wondering if it's still possible to get to the old one as I felled it out with all the details and I don't know how to get back to it>

Thanks.