Natwest Bank Cannot be Trusted with Personal Documents
A Summary. In these times of identity theft and heightened security, Natwest bank do not seem capable of keeping hold of very important personal documents.
They have twice lost copies of my passport and home bills. The saga goes on………..
So where to begin? Well let’s start at the beginning....
My family have a requirement for 2 bank accounts that we can all access. “All”, in this case refers to myself, my mother and my sister.
As my mother has been with Natwest for years, and as the accounts are for her benefit, we decided to give Natwest the opportunity to provide us with the services we require.
My Mother and sister filled in all the relevant forms and then sent them to me to do the same. These we then returned to the bank in Eastbourne.
A few weeks later I was informed that I must go to the branch in Eastbourne with my Passport and some other documents to confirm my identity. I live in London and this was somewhat inconvenient, but I made the effort to be in Eastbourne on a Saturday morning in September ‘06 with the required paperwork.
I filled in some more forms and copies were taken of my Passport and other documentation.
Now I am a busy person, and so I really did not give it another though.
In March ‘07 my sister told me that she had internet access to the accounts and I though that would be useful if I had the same. Then it dawned on me that I actually had received NOTHING from the bank to indicate that I had access to the account!
On the 21st of March, after much messing about in Natwest’s, phone system I managed to get through to a “Sharron Dixon” on the help desk. I explained the situation and she said she would investigate.
She also informed me that, contrary to the banks adverts, there was no point talking to the branch as they cannot do anything to help anyway. She could give me the number if I REALLY wanted it, but it was of no use to me.
At this point I started tracking the events and will now carry this on with reference to my notes….
March 22nd
Call from Sharron Dixon (at 13:57), the branch, she tells me, cannot find any record of me going in and do not remember me!
We get cut off and I call straight back (at 14:02), to be told that she goes off at 14:00 and has left!!
Ask to speak to manager and am left holding for 5 mins. “Karren Stott” 08456 072323. Speaks to me
I repeat the whole story yet again and tell her that they have lost my documentation and I may go to the banking ombudsman or take legal advice.
She says she will get back to me ASAP
March 22nd – 16:33
No call from Karen
Tried to Log a complaint with Customer Relations Department
Sarah Jedrzejczyk tells me that I have made the wrong choice on the menu (even thought I pressed option 2 "Customer Complaint")
I spend a further 50 minutes on the phone waiting for her to put me through to the correct department.
Julie Oswold - 0131 338 0235 - She is now trying to help. 17:32
I called the customer number again, and now option 1 says "Customer Complaint!"
March 23rd
I have made a formal complaint to Natwest about their loosing my personal documents, in the interim and in order to progress things, I will be filling in paperwork again.
I will, today, go and get a form from a chap in my local Natwest Colin Harroll. I will then get mum to sign it, and I will sign it. I will, at that point, give it to Mum to bring it to my sister who can fill in her parts and take it in to the Branch in Eastbourne. We have been given the names Keri Cook or James Beaston in the Eastbourne branch. They will know what this is about and will ask my sister to sign the form again to add me to the account.
At the same time Colin Harroll will send the copies of my documents to Eastbourne by the banks couriers
This was the plan. I made Colin copy and sign the copies in order that I could retain proof that I had been there. Turns out this was a good thing to do.
Collin did not give any papers to fill in.
Tried to call Julie Oswold to discuss; had to leave a voice message.
March 23rd – 17:19
Call from 0800 0154212 Jackie Kempton.
She is now running the case from their part
April 2nd
Jackie called. They have not progressed. She has sent my mum a form I told her that mum already had one. We have signed it and she is getting my sister to sign it and take it in.
She will call back Weds
My sister calls and tells me that she has been to the branch.
One of the named contacts was running out of the door and would not stop to talk.
The other does not know what this is all about!! She explained the story and he took the papers.
April 20th
Spoke to Melanie at the complaints line at 14:34.
My sister has been to Eastbourne branch and they have lost the info yet again.
April 23rd
11:30 - No call back, from Friday. Try to contact Jackie
11:37 - Still holding, tried again
11:40 - Got through. She is busy and will call me back
15:56 - No call back. Called Jackie. They do not know who she is!!. They are trying to find her.
They have found her, she is on the phone, I explained that she was supposed to call me Friday and this morning. I will hold.
Naseer Zamir - 0845 6000732 - Says she will call before 6
Direct line for Jackie 0800 0154212 - Option1
17:22 - No call-back. Tried to call again. She has just popped out. Will call me back ASAP.
17:50 - No call-back. Tried to call her. The office is closed!!!!
April 24th
10:35 - No call back. Called Jackie. On hold for 21 minutes. Shamima says she will call back within 30 mins.
11:06 - Jackie called back. She will chase Aldersgate branch to see what they did with my details.
11:20 - Jackie Called back and told me that now Aldersgate seem to have lost my details!!! I have asked for the manager to call me.
14:45 - No call back from manager. Called Jackie again. Got cut off twice. Got through after 10 minute wait. Jackie has popped out, but will call me back.
15:15 - Call back from Jackie - Branch manager has promised to call me before 16:00
16:12 - Colin calls from Natwest Aldersgate Branch. He is sure he sent the info. He is chasing Eastbourne to see where it has gone. He will call me back.
020 7600 0207 - Colins DDI
17:25 - Colin called back. Eastbourne denies all knowledge. He is chasing.
May 30th
Got Letter from Natwest Customer Complaints department (Elisabeth Mann). Lot’s of waffle and let’s brush it under the carpet. I will attaché it here at some point.
12:50 - Called Looking for Jackie - She is not there. Left message for her to call me.
14:15 - Jackie called back. They are still investigating but did not know the account number!!! We supply it to her.
June 6th
Called Elisabeth Mann. She is not there so spoke to her "boss" Graham Edwards.
I am now faxing the docs I have to him to see if we can progress. 020 8236 8010 That was 13:07. He is supposed to call me back to confirm reception It is now 14:16 and I am still waiting. 14:19 Graham has just called he has the Fax, but cannot find the account number!!!
I told him to look harder.
Ok. So that is the story so far.......... Let's see how we progress.
