Overpayment of standing order

R

Rhonda33

Guest
I am trying to gain some understanding of how I move forward or quite why my bank value my custom so little.

Perhaps you can help me shed some light on the matter

I bank with the Ulster Bank Ltd part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and have done so for some 17 years even though I have lived in England for the last 10 years.
I cancelled a standing order with my bank on payment to my landlord on about the 26th Jan effective immediately.
I explained that this was because I was moving house.
They told me that they could sort it out immediately and key it onto the computer but that I should also back this up with a letter of confirmation. (they won't accept and email or fax)

I sent the letter of confirmation and my new address on the 30/31st of Jan.

I called to confirm that they hadn't made any mistakes and that they hadn't paid the landlord and that everything was ok later that week, after the due date on Feb 1st, and all fine.

Then.....evening March 3rd I went to the cash point to withdraw money and noticed that the balance was much less than I expected.(-£1000)
This morning March 6th when I contacted my bank it seems that they have started the S/O again as they didn't receive confirmation of my request by post.

It seems that there has been a serious postal strike in Northern Ireland and the bank manager told me today that they are still receiving mail posted on Jan 24th???
I was completely unaware of this.

They have said that they will not try to get the money back that they have paid to the landlord against my wishes.
They have said that it isn't their problem.

I have explained that if they try to recoup the money that they will be able to do so easily but that if I try to do so it will take an age and I will have to go through the small claims court.
I have explained that this is a small amount of money to the bank but a huge amount to me.

I have explained that I followed exactly the procedure that they asked for and even called to check that they had carried out my wishes.
I have requested, given that I have followed their procedures exactly, can they explain to me why this is my fault and why the bank has no liability?
I have explained that they acted on my initial request and then knowing that there was a postal strike they started a S/O again without ever trying to contact me. Surely there was some point in which they took some responsibility?

Please, please, please, help!!

I don't know what to do and feel completely helpless!!!!
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

You could firstly call the Landord and ask for it back.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Funnily enough the landlord has used a silent treatment as a response and I am aware that he has massive cash difficulty. Surely the issue is that they have made the mistake and can chose to rectify...I KNOW the landlord will make more of an effort for the bank and that they are financially better able to persue/ write off the money

Any other ideas?
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

When you say the small claims court you mean take a claim against the bank!
I think if you issue the notice now it will cost you 6 euro, the bank will make an attempt to right the situation rather than pay 250 euro for a solicitor to attend the small claims court to sort it out.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

You can do two things:

1. Threaten the landlord that you will take him to the small claims court (Claim under €2000).

2. Your case with the Bank is a little more tedious as your assertion that they agreed to cancel the Standing Order was nt executed, but they then never received the letter or at least claim they did not. You could lodge a formal complaint with them and if thats not satisfed go to Financial Ombudsman. You could also threaten them with small claims court.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

I would agree that if legal action was issued against the bank they would settle rather fast as it would cost them too much to defend an action that they would probably loose.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Many thanks for your advice ...i'll try the bank first and then move onto the landlord...I think I was just surprised by how completely unhelpful and disinterested the Ulster Bank were. Loyalty and being a customer of good and longstanding means nothing to this bank.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

why do you say legal action, if the bank requests written confirmation of the action, then if not received by the payment date, surely they are within the rights of processing the action, the fact that there is a serious PO strike in the North's in not the banks concern. If it were me and I knew there was a PO strike, I would have dropped a copy of the letter into my local branch of the bank and ask then to send it internally to get the matter sorted out.

Not that it is any good now, but if it were me I would have called the bank a few days prior to the SO due date to ensure that it was cancelled.

Also the bank can't take the money out of the receivers account without permission.

I think your only course of action is to contact the landlord and request in mwriting the money back as it was t/f in error, and ask for his comments/response in writing. Then you have put your position to him, prior to seeking legal redress.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

I bank with AIB and last year they made an error with a standing order and withdrew all my money from my account and gave it to someone else (decimal in the wrong place). I have to say they were good about the whole thing - extremely apologetic. The money was returned without delay and I got two letters and one phonecall as an apology and then to top it all, they gave me a voucher to say sorry.

Although it was very upsetting to find all my money gone, the way they treated me after was much better than I expected given all the things that have been said about the banks in the last few years - cheers AIB.

(I don't work for AIB, by the way)
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Your best course of action is probably the Financial Ombudsman. Even though there was a postal strike, UB gave you no indication of that fact & gave the impression that the SO was cancelled.........they did not give you full info.

www.financialombudsman.ie
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Rhonda,

Which juristiction do you live in, bank in, work in?

aj
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Is the account held in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland? If it is in N.I., the the Irish version of the Small Claims Court and FSO have no remit to act.

Much as we would like them to, banks aren't required to let us know that they haven't received instructions from us. It would be nice if they did obviously, but that's another matter.

It is the dishonest landlord that should be blamed here-he is in reciept of money that he is not entitled to. Or, maybe the striking postal workers etc.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

Rhonda33 said:
I cancelled a standing order with my bank on payment to my landlord on about the 26th Jan effective immediately. I explained that this was because I was moving house.

They told me that they could sort it out immediately and key it onto the computer but that I should also back this up with a letter of confirmation. (they won't accept and email or fax)
Click to expand...

Maybe I have picked this up incorrectly, but did UB not say they could sort it out immediately & that they only needed letter to confirm? If they keyed into system, as they said they would, that means someone went back in & reactivated it because they didn't receive confirmation. To my mind, a simple phone call from the bank to Rhonda33 would have prevented this & if I were her I'd make an official complaint.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

The bank said the instruction would be confirmed when they received written notification. They didn't get this, so the instruction could not be fully processed. A phone call wouldn't have made any difference, they still required written instruction.

The OP is entitled to complain, but banks generally require written instruction to stop direct debits and standing orders.

UB can't be held accountable for the actions of the NI postal service or the landlord.
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

ajapale said:
Rhonda,

Which juristiction do you live in, bank in, work in?

aj
Click to expand...

I live in England and bank in NI.
Therefore was unaware of the postal strike and unable to drop into a branch etc.
S/O was effective one month but reinstated the next I did check the first month!
 
Re: Overpayment of standing order?!?!?

The UB have ended S/O's for me previously without written confirmation and in fact I only actually confirmed in writing as I also had to update with my new address.
I think that they have made a mistake in the payment and are blaming the postal strike....yesterday they were aware of my new address in a "oh yes i see you have moved" sort of fashion but now they have no knowledge of the move and no receipt of the letter and are quoting the postal strike. I think that I have tipped into madness but that you for your help
 
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