The bank have stated it will take 8 weeks to resolve my complaint, why?

[Guest NATTIE]

I have recently read a number of people who have said this and so the answer is not a complicated one.

Are they stalling specifically on the bank charges claim? If i am being honest, Yes and so you must remember to stick with your timescales not the bank.

Why are they saying eight weeks? This bit is one that i know i could find out the info for but it is in line with complaints handling guidelines issued by the Financial Ombudsman Service. Here is the link

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/QG6.pdf

 

Please note top of page 2. I hope that this helps a lot of people to understand why they are saying 8 weeks. They are following industry practice but at the same time, you need to remember that you have timescales that the Consumer Action Group has given you so stick to yours and you will win.

[MARTIN3030]

Yes of course Nattie.......although am I not correct in saying that under the banking code a reply should be expected within 14 days ?

This is to the original communications where very often we hear that no response has been rec at all.......

[barracad]

And I think it is worth noting that we are not making a complaint. We are demanding repayment of charges which have been unlawfully taken. Therefore the guidelines to deal with "complaints" are irrelevant - we are informing the banks that we will be taking legal action, and when we will do so. If they choose to ignore the warnings, it is their problem.

[Spiceskull]

And I think it is worth noting that we are not making a complaint. We are demanding repayment of charges which have been unlawfully taken. Therefore the guidelines to deal with "complaints" are irrelevant - we are informing the banks that we will be taking legal action, and when we will do so. If they choose to ignore the warnings, it is their problem.

Well said...I remember my first LBA a year ago received "sorry about your complaint..."

 

I immediately wrote back and said that I wasn't complaining, I was suing...and their eight weeks meant diddly squat to me...

[Guest NATTIE]

This has been one of 2 threads i have managed to see over the last couple of days as I realise life does exist beyond the CAG but it is lonelier without it.

Ok, Barracad, we must agree to disagree, if we are advising someone to complain to the Bank Ombudsman Service about charges, we are......?

If the bank are responding to letters stating that bank charges are illegal/unlawful, they are.....? I think we are playing with semantics on this one. You sue someone by complaining initially and if that complaint is not redressed then we sue people.

[Seahorse]

Been advised that any complaint to the FOS will be looked at more favourably if you have given the bank their 8 week timescale. However, THAT 8 weeks is not at which point they have responded, but at which point the banks say they will give you a FINAL RESPONSE.

 

My complaint is off to the FOS tomorrow.

[Guest NATTIE]

I have had the discussion on here but the 8 week question keeps coming up so i guess with sadness i must say BUMP even though no answer is required to any question. Thanks for reading it.

[ricardo1979]

In response to SEAHORSE - the FOS will not consider your complaint unless you have received a final response from the bank or building society within 8 weeks. However if they fail to send you their final response within 8 weeks you can bypass this and complain straight to the FOS.

[linzi2011]

regarding sending the complaint to the FOS, has anyone done this and successfully got their full charges back from the bank? i have given Natwest the 8 weeks which is up 15th May and have spoken to the FOS and they said i could either send to them or go the court route. At the moment i cant afford the £120 to put the claim in and if i do get an AQ i'd have to find another £100, if i could do it through the FOS i wouldn't need to find the money but i want to be sure that it is a successful route before i do it.

[JOSH_IOU]

The 8 weeks comes from the banking ombudsman's complaint schedule.

 

Banks can not make the decision to transfer the complaint to the ombudsman.

 

Challenge there decision and claim costs.

 

Maladministration

[holster73]

Hi - just want to clarify this 8 weeks. You can see from my update today on Holster v NatWest that NW take the 8 weeks from the date they have entered your initial 'complain' onto their system, not necessarily when received.

 

My letter was sent recorded delivery and signed for on 14th May (I have proof), taking the 8 weeks to 9th July. However, as I apparently should understand that it took them until 26th May to enter my details on to their system, I should not expect a response until 24th July??

 

As per Nattie's advice, I'm not hanging around to see, but do feel that this attitude needs kicking into touch. Should I not get a final response, claim served or otherwise, I'm happy to take it to the next stage to show how shoddy this is.

 

Holster x

[dave]

I have no idea why anyone would wait the 8 weeks in any case, if you have sent them a letter telling them what you will do in 2 weeks, then do exactly what you have said.

 

These are big firms with virtually unlimited funds - they can employ more people if they can't keep up - you shouldn't start to feel sorry for them.

 

If they hadn't treated their customers like something that has just fallen out of an a**e, then they wouldn't be in this mess.

[holster73]

Don't get me wrong Dave - I feel nothing but contempt for them and have filed my N1 after 2 weeks and am going for the full whack (approx. £4900 inc. interest).

 

I'm simply amazed that on questioning why they gave me this date when I enquired as to the progress on my complaint, I find they are trying to push this extremely lengthy deadline even further! There's a word that rhymes with banker that is sufficient to describe the attitude.. think you can guess.

[hello1000]

When I worked for hbos our timescales were to issue complaint confirmation (and the "here's what we'll do" leaflet) within 5 day's and a resolution withing 8 week's and then we referred them to the ombudsman. The ombudsman states if you do complain and don't hear anything within the 8 week timescale you can complain directly to them..

[welshcakes]

With regard to meeting deadlines and workloads, does it follow that the majority of banks are bringing in temps or employing more permanent staff or is it simply a question of existing admin staff working o/t and weekends to deal with the claim issue?