First Trust Bank

[noomill060]

Good for you, but they wont turn up.

 

They will have settled in full long before that!

[onetwothreejump]

just printed out my 2 letters before action and will deliver them tomorrow! have more to do (for other accounts with the bank that are still open!) but on reading further i now wonder whether i have claimed all i could - have just gone for charges like referrals and unpaid direct debits, and also interest as it appears on the statements - not 'fees'. anyway, will be glad to get anything! you've a long time to prepare, will77 - all the best!

[onetwothreejump]

just received the SAME standard response to the letters before action - we're investigating, details of complaints procedure, etc. PLUS another letter, dated yesterday, from the branch demanding immediate repayment of unauthorised OD and charging a further £13... (repaid by cheque yesterday). am so fed up with this, it's really encroaching on my life, but great to read other's experiences, and hopefully this will all be over soon. two more preliminary letters to write and send in the next week or so - waiting until enough funds to close account. roll on summer!

[noomill060]

dont worry onetwothreejump- once you file against them, they will soon change their tune!

 

Dont forget to claim back all the interest they have scammed you into paying them as well as the basic charges.

[noomill060]

will77- if you'd like some moral support, I'm in Portadown and could meet you at Craigavon Courthouse.

[onetwothreejump]

thanks noomill. i need to make separate claims, don't i, for 2 x personal accounts when the actions were started separately and some time apart? also for a 'trading as' account? the amounts aren't enormous but it's a matter of principle, they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. could say more but would be defamatory, so will save it for court!

[noomill060]

Yes- One claim per account.

 

Good on you going for the lot.

 

Give em hell!

[onetwothreejump]

it's a nightmare! in getting away from the first trust we set up company/personal accounts elsewhere - all so far, so good - and transferred our household account (all direct debits) to an existing, virtually unused account elsewhere. didn't A STRANGER WITH A SIMILAR ACCOUNT NUMBER just set up not one but THREE direct debits on our account, in the first month (march) that it was being 'used'?!!! it took about 10 phone calls to sort it out last week, but the good news is that it was only some clampet, not an identity thief.

they refunded the money within 48 hours, but we've had nothing in writing to outline what happened, reassure us etc (we only found out when the bldg soc dishonoured a DD!). due to "special circumstances" they won't be charging us the £30 the unpaid DD should have cost - but what about my time and the inconvenience?!! thankfully card provider agreed to waive the £25 charge... don't want to seem militant, but don't think this is acceptable either.

at least it is free to set up and cancel dds with the bldg society - £4.50 to set up and £8.50 to cancel DDs with first trust!!!

[onetwothreejump]

just read the above and it's clear as mud - someone else set up three unauthorised dds on our account, which meant that my figures were out, which meant that there wasn't enough money in the account to pay one of our dds, which was returned unpaid - when i became aware of this, i checked the account to find the other debits! shocking, isn't it?!

[bally35]

I thinl the clampet , was the bldg society

[fr0gg3r]

Just wonderin if anyone has checked the delivery of recorded letters to first trust on Royal Mail's site, as I have sent 4 letters to first trust, none of which have regestered on Royal Mails site. However I know for a fact at least two of them have been received by the bank. Trying to figure if they dont sign for their recorded mail????

[sparky1001]

hi everyone,

i've been reading the posts on first trust with interest,i had a buisness account with them which has since been closed and i know that because the account wasnt controlled properly i ran up a lot off charges.do you think if i send them a dpa and a cheque/postal order for £10 recorded delivery will they still send me all my charges.i have some of the old statements but not them all.does it matter if its sent to the local branch or a head office?cant wait to get the ball rolling and see what happens.

[johnspeehs]

as long as you follow the correct procedure that you find on here they have to send you your info. as for getting your money back well that takes a bit longer with th FTB they like to stretch it out a bit.lol

regards john.

[onetwothreejump]

i sent dpa request to local branch, it was forwarded to head office. use letters from the template section (i first wrote and asked for details of charges and got reply that these had been notified to me at the time) - you need to use the terms "subject access request" and "data protection act" and they'll know you mean business.

good luck to you!

[xlr8r_y2k]

sorry for hijacking your thread but just for your info there are 2 cases up against the First Trust in court TODAY! one is a personal and one is a business account, as of yesterday FT hadn't setteled and had filed a standard 'you agreed to the terms when you opened the account' defence.

[bally35]

Just wonderin if anyone has checked the delivery of recorded letters to first trust on Royal Mail's site, as I have sent 4 letters to first trust, none of which have regestered on Royal Mails site. However I know for a fact at least two of them have been received by the bank. Trying to figure if they dont sign for their recorded mail????

Yes, i have had that problem too,.What it also means is that you can claim for the non-delivered post.Royal mail are of the opinion that it would be very unlikely that theeir staff would not be updating thewir records as they should.(lol aye right)

By any chance is this a town in Tyrone with a very long street?

[fr0gg3r]

Not sure what you mean by Tyrone. I have now sent 5 letters to First Trust, none of which are showing on Royal Mails tracking system, 3 of them have definately been received as a postal order (crossed) has been cashed and I have had a response to another two!

I am assuming that the bank is in receipt of a lot of mail on a daily basis and simply doesnt sign for the recorded items. Is there any way of claiming from Royal Mail for not upholding their service, after all that is what the extra cost of postage is for, to ensure a signature and be able to track the letter?

As far as my letters are concerned Royal Mail think they are are lost, when told about the ones I know have been delivered, they say maybe the paperwork has been misplaced, what am I meant to do? Really don't want to let them away with it as it makes my dealings with the banks a littlke trickier.

Furthermore if your mail is in fact lost Royal mail will only refund the actual loss (up to £32) of what was sent, which is less than what they compensate for late mail, which again doesnt make sense, as at least late mail gets there and tou dont have to re-type letters, aquire another postal order, chace the first postal order and stop it, resend letter etc.

Quote from Royal Mail's website:

"Has your mail item arrived five or more working days after it was posted?

If so, your mail is classified as ‘delayed’, and we’ll give you compensation of 12 First Class stamps. If you provide additional evidence of delay and your claim for compensation is accepted, you will be sent a cheque for £5, or for £10 if your item has suffered substantial delay (i.e. was delivered more than eleven working days after the day of posting') and you provide additional evidence or proof of delay."

Sorry about the length of this post lol, i've got it off me chest now!

[bally35]

The Tyrone reference was because I had sent original letters to local FT branch, and they havent been on track and trace, so I thought it was a local problem.

I wonder if other Norn Iron bank customers are having this problem or just First Rust?

Hmm wonder if there is a deal between FT and Post Office here, so that we cannot prove letters ever actually senT???

Makes ye wonder??

[xlr8r_y2k]

just an update on one of the caes that was up today, basically FTB said they haven't had time to prepare a case (yeah right) and got it adjourned to 14th May, the judge has stated he wants full evidential disclosure from both side but has also said that he would not expect the bank to give a breakdown of charges. He also implied that he wanted a mutual agreement to be reached before the court date.

[sadie123]

Hi

 

Just reading some of the threads regarding recorded mail to First Trust. I know that all there mail is diverted from the local branches and sent to a central head office. eg If I post something for the Holywood branch, they will not receive it. First trust pay for a divert service in which the mail is put into an envelope and diverted to, i think it is ann street. So if the recorded items are going through the system they are being placed in a sealed envelope and diverted. That would explain why they are being received and not signed for. The best thing to do would be send the letter special delivery as this would not be placed in the envelope and would be signed for.

[fr0gg3r]

Thanks for your input. However all my mail that I have personally sent, that haven't appeared on Royal mail's track and trace have indeed been sent to head office, Ann st. Do you, like me suppose that they are getting a lot of mail delivered, maybe in bags??? and therefore dont sign for recorded mail? If this is the case can Royal Mail not be claimed against for failing to fulfil the agreement of signature on delivery, considering that the extra cost charged for this sevice is specifically for a signature???

[sadie123]

Im not sure I would phone their customer services number and ask why!!

[bally35]

Final Response from Ft today that they would be unable to refund my claim for "2837.50.

"the bank is entitled at all times to collect its fees as outlined in our Price List.In the circumstances we egret to advise that your complaint has been rejected...."

 

Case is already with Ombudsman, over the inordinate time which it took to respond.

With the other bank errors that I have uncovered amounting to some £16 odd grand, the bank are really going to look foolish.Am About to phone the ombudsman on this.

Has anyone elsr received this rejection letter?

[bally35]

Spoke to ombudsman who are dealing with case.

I pointed out that they actaully publish these fees , includiing letter fees as penalty fees in thier terms and conditions and on website.

Ombudsman now dealing with this under FSA guidelines of Treating Customers fairly i.e they have offered "goodwill payments" to others but not me in similar complaints therefore not complying with above guidelines.

Also looking at the inordinate time taken to send this letter, which also contravenes above!!!!!!

Hope Ombudsman kicks their ass!!!

[noomill060]

I hope you are claiming back all the interest you have also been decieved into paying on these charges, as well.