Accessing Accounts/Disability Discrmination

[JonCris]

Person who having suffered a serious heart attack some months previously struggles to the local Abbey to deposit a tax refund cheque for £3,000 which he is told will clear in 3-4 days. Since becoming sick he hasn't used his account for some when he discovers that his cash card has expired & requests a new one.

 

Come cleared funds day & no card he asks the branch if he can transfer some of the funds into his partners Abbey account so she can use her card to draw funds & pay bills.

 

Agreed provided he can supply a current Passport (hasn't got one)

A current D/L showing his present address (not possible)

A current credit card (those that hadn't expired he cut in half so not possible) So has nothing "official" with signature

 

He can supply correspondence from the Inland Revenue notifying of the said tax refund. The local authority notifying him of his (DLA) Disability Living Allowance claim. The Job Centre notifying him of his present incapacity benefit etc etc etc

 

The staff in the Abbey know both him & his partner.

He currently has his benefits paid directly into his partners Abbey account

The cheque for £3,000 was from a government agency the Inland Revenue

 

The manager refuses & allow the transfer of funds to the other Abbey account

 

This bit is a little surreal.

Come cleared funds day & still no card he thinks OK I'll do a telephone transfer into his partners Abbey account so she can use her card

 

He phones India & after giving security info including confirming the balance he asks "has card been sent as it has not yet arrived" Operator checks "Yes sir it was sent on the day you visited the bank" Ok Fine may I transfer funds from that account to my partners Abbey account" Certainly sir do you have your card with you" "HUH but didn't we just discuss the fact that my card had not yet arrived. "Yes sir but I won't be able to do the transfer without your card for a security check" "But iv'e just given you my name, address, dob. You've confirmed my balance, we've discussed that fact that I visited the bank on a specific day. I told you what the visit was about. What more ID evidence can my new card supply which I haven't already. Sorry sir I can't do it without the card why don't you wait until your new card arrives. Because its my money & I want access to it NOW. Sorry sir I can't do it without your card. End of call

 

I realize that the banks are concerned about money laundering but this nonsense has reached rediculous proportions & is just a jobsworths charter.

 

In this case they know the customers & as its a tax rebate I hardly think the IR are going to be involved in money laundering.

 

This is a problem which effects many lower income families & in particular pensioners. I was thinking about finding another stick to hit the banks with & perhaps doing a bit of good for those people who through know fault of their own find that once handed over they can't get their money back without a lot of struggle.

 

I was thinking, issue proceedings for disabilty discrimination

 

Any comments or advice?

[JonCris]

Hi karnevil

 

Very interesting post & probably not uncommon

 

Anyway I'm a pedantic sod & don't intend to let the matter rest even when this guy gets his money. With consent I intend to demand his records using the DPA although I must say my request is a little less polite than most

 

Mine includes the following.........

 

For the avoidance of doubt I require all and any documentation relating to the above account which includes all letters, memos and any transcripts of any telephone conversations between the account holder and any others that relate to the this account.

 

I require you supply a list of your charges and how they where applied to this account.

 

Please note that there is a requirement that these records be delivered within 40 days from the day of receipt which is deemed to be in this case a maximum of 3 days from posting.

 

Please also note that this deadline is the maximum period allowed and in keeping with the guidelines should not be used as a means to delay compliance.

 

All the information you should require has been supplied but if there are any problems please contact the writer urgently either by telephone or letter at the address shown above.

Also don't forget to send £10 You may get a reply usually from a drone stating that the 40 days starts frm cleared funds. Rubbish not so write back & tell them the 40 days started from receipt

 

It works. At least 2 banks Amex & Abbey rather than comply have removed 4 year old adverse credit agency records without the need for further action

[JonCris]

Update

After much banging on the desk (metaphoricly speaking) threats of legal action by me such as disability discrimination the chap got access to his money yesterday'

However, as he was put through so much stress he could have had another heart attack (I do not jest) Abbey will find that this matter will not be going away.

Under the POC guidelines banks are only required to identify the person their dealing with. Once this is done, by whatever means that is sufficient for them to proceed without breaching the guidelines, as set down by the FSA.

It is nonsense for them to require a form of ID with a signature once the customer is ID (otherwise what’s the point of "chip & pin")

This instruction does not come from the FSA but from some eejit at Abbey headquarters who has an empire to protect.

All branch managers have a discretion which they can use particularly in the case of pensioners. Some however take great pleasure in refusing to do so. Its the one time they can tell a customer to **** off.......& get away with it

[JonCris]

This topic was closed on 11 March 2019.

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