Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

[argentarius]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

I must have missed your advice.

I think that's a bit of pointless sarcasm, Amy. The advice was to cut out the irrelevant stuff in the complaint and to stick to the three line version of "you didn't cancel my DDs when I instructed you to do so; that led to an unauthorised overdraft and related fees. Please correct your mistake and refund any related fees".

Regarding "confuse"/"wind up" I think that both apply.

For someone dealing with complaints, don't you believe that it is easy to get distracted from the essence of a complaint if it contains pages of irrelevant stuff making what may seem to be unfounded and incorrect statements.

[Amy]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

I think that's a bit of pointless sarcasm, Amy.

Then I humbly beg your forgiveness, please accept my apologies.

Regarding "confuse"/"wind up" I think that both apply.

I was being more eloquent and avoiding the use of the term "wind up"

For someone dealing with complaints, don't you believe that it is easy to get distracted from the essence of a complaint if it contains pages of irrelevant stuff making what may seem to be unfounded and incorrect statements.

I believe it is easy yes, if a letter is not written correctly.

[argentarius]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

I agree. Confuse is more eloquent.

And I agree. The OP's complaint letter wasn't written correctly, which was rather the point I was seeking to make.

[Nattie]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

Jester I think we have a new letter for you to write to Alliance and Leicester. Argentarius, who do you think is the best person to address the letter to, in view of the fact it may have spiralled to either a collections team or even further to a recoveries team?
Is the branch the best place to start and should A&L have responded to the initial letter as per FSA complaint handling guidelines?

[argentarius]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

The branch is always the wrong place, for A&L current account issues.

The starting point with any query needs to be the call centre, whether in writing or on the phone. Jester started at the right point.

An initial query/complaint regarding DDs & SOs not being cancelled in accordance with instructions should also go to the call centre, in writing or on the phone. And failing that, they should go to the complaints team. So that would be (all details taken from A&L's current account user guide - not hard to find):

Customer Service Centre / Telephone Banking Alliance & Leicester plc
Bootle, Merseyside GIR 0AA
Tel: 0844 800 9000
Tel outside UK: +44 870 909 6060
Minicom/Textphone: 0844 561 9645
Only accessible to Minicom/Textphone users. You cannot be transferred to a Customer Advisor or access this number from a standard or mobile phone.
Web: www.alliance-leicester.co.uk

Complaints

Current Accounts Direct
Freepost PO Box 645
Liverpool L69 8HF

Once the current account complaints avenue has been exhausted without success, there is a further tier of complaints in Leicester, but this link (http://www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/...age=complaints) says that individual complaints should be sent to the relevant product area i.e. the details I provided earlier.

There's no reason why A&L shouldn't have responded in accordance with FSA complaint handling guidelines, but they will probably treat the original letter as an "OFT case" deferred complaint and take no action, as previously stated.


I think I agree with Nattie. The best thing to do is to start again, and deal with the issues individually.

The first (and only real) issue is that the DDs and SOs weren't cancelled. That led to everything else.

But given that the account has gone into default, it's worth noting in the letter that this is the present situation and asking that recovery action is put on hold whilst the initial complaint is resolved.

[Jester]

Re: Alliance & Leicester Suing For Overdraft

Whatever the rights and wrongs are of this situation (and it seems many of you feel I was in the wrong), I have had a resolution from Alliance & Leicester in that they are refunding the £2047 in charges and so the threat of legal action has been lifted.

I got the letter stating this last Saturday and all I have to do is sign a form accepting the terms and it is all done and dusted.

So all has been resolved amicably