Clydesdale Bank Nightmare

[allybally1]

Hi everyone, im relatively new to this site but have found it very interesting and its brilliant how many are getting their bank charges back - i'm really pleased to have found this site. Hope someone can help me with this problem I've been having with the Clydesdale Bank. The basic outline is: I applied for a current account + offset mortgage 13 months ago and had an interview with mortgage manager. I left him our personal documents (passports, bank account statements, bills, driving license) which he promised to send by end of week. 6 weeks later still no documents and heard nothing re mortgage. A further 6 weeks later he admitted he had lost our documents and had done nothing re: our mortgage. I finally got passed to someone else who apologised and said she would take care of it. One blunder followed another and the end result was that it was finalised in Feb 07 but the current account offset part still was not set up, so we were not getting our mortgage offset by savings we had in bank. They set up a direct debit with our old bank and were taking their payments from our old account. We had no bank cards and no account (they had been opened - but then closed) but nobody knew who was responsible. After many more setbacks we finally got the product we applied for two weeks ago. All of this cost us a lot in interest rates, phone calls, working time, stress, frustration and we did not get our summer holiday last year because we had no passports! A senior member of the complaints department told me I would get compensatet for the trouble and expense we had been out, but I heard nothing more. I phoned the other day and he asked me how much I was looking for. I did not give him a figure - he promised that they would be in touch with a final offer next week (there has not been any other offer - so dont know why he was going on about final offer. I think I should have given him a figure of what I was expecting as I think they are going to offer a mediocre amount. What is my rights here? Can anyone tell me what I should/can claim for? It really has been a nightmare. What should take 6 - 8 weeks took 13 months. Grateful for any advice.

[kennythecelt]

Found your post, and hello to you!

 

This seems like a bit of a nightmare for you at a stressful time. It has also been hugely inconvenient.

 

I am not an expert on what appears to be unrelated to bank charges etc. This is general incompetence which has caused you upset and inconenience and possibly financial cost.

 

They are obviously running scared. Have you got the right products now ie mortgage and accounts.

 

You need to work out what you are out of pocket and what suits you. I am hoping that someone with experience in this type of case will contribute and help you.

 

Remember to increase the sum you are out of pocket, including all expenses and stress/ inconvenience. The banks won't negotiate upwards, only downwards, so start high and be prepared to give a little.

 

Have you put in a formal complaint. Have you considered some other action?

[allybally1]

Thanks Kennythecelt. I have been made an offer but I dont think its enough for what Ive been through and the gross incompetence - 13 months before it was set up, tut tut. They mentioned that this is my final offer (although it is the only offer they have made) and told me if Im still not happy to go to the ombudsman. It covers most of what Ive been out but not any of the stress, frustration etc. I dont want to accept this figure - I want more for what we've been through. Any thoughts. Thanks