Bank Smart IMPORTANT UPDATE

[Tidyboy22]

Hi. I have had a letter from Bank smart which I found when I logged into my bank smart account. Please see below. I would advice anyone who is still with bank-smart to do the same. I have removed my person details from the letter below.

Can I just say a special thanks Exc for all the hard work you have put into this for everyone needing help with this awful company Bank-smart and thank you for helping me along the way.

Please see below Bank-Smarts letter.



Symmetric Systems Limited T/A Bank-Smart 7 Bell Yard
London
WC2A 2JR

7 April 2023


MR.

Our Reference:

Dear Mr.


Your Bank-Smart account

We are writing about your Bank-Smart account, Client ID BLANK, please use this reference in any contact.

The status of your claim(s)

You currently have claims recorded against your Bank-Smart account, which remain outstanding in some way. We have attached a summary of them to this letter which shows 3 are active claim(s) which remain unresolved.

Why we're writing to you

We will be stopping providing claims management activity from 13 April 2023, and we are required to write to all our customers who currently have ongoing active claims.

You have ongoing active claims that we have listed overleaf along with any relevant details to allow you to continue to progress those claims with the lender(s) or through alternative means. Alternative means that may be available to you are also listed overleaf.

To download a copy of your file please go to www.bank-smart.co.uk and enter Client ID BLANK and your usual password. If you have forgotten your password, or would prefer your file posted to you, please contact us so that we can post your file or email you a replacement password. Please note that you will only be able to download your file for 90 days from 13 April 2023.


Unless we hear from you, we won't contact you about these claims again.


Yours sincerely


Claims Department

Bank-Smart

[EXC]

Hiya

I'm really pleased for you.

While thats great news and means you are out of the woods, they should have written to people rather than rely on them logging into their accounts.

I'd like to report this the FCA. Would you allow me to have a look at your account so I can screenshot it for them? If so please email me the client ID and password to nick@legalbeaglesgroup.com

Thanks!

[Tidyboy22]

Hi Exc

There is alot of personal information shown when you log in as they have also attached all my paperwork with all the claims they have been chasing for me. Are you just wanting a copy of the letter or are you needing my log in to screen shot everything to send to FCA. I'm very happy to assist you reporting Bank-smart to the FCA however I shall be handing you alot of personal information if you have my log ins, it's not that I don't trust you as you have been very helpful. unless there is a easier way for me to assist you.

Thanks

[EXC]

Actually it's ok, someone else offered. But thanks anyway, totally understand.

[EXC]

FCA have finally published the Second Supervisory Notice which represents the final nail in Bank Smart's coffin.

Second Supervisory Notice: Symmetric Systems Limited (fca.org.uk)

During FCA's investigation they analysed 20 customer files picked at random and below are some of the gruesome findings. Although we saw this predatory conduct every day for years on end, it brings it home to see it officially recorded.

*A charge of £345 in respect of a claim against a counterparty despite there being evidence on the file that the counterparty had stopped selling PPI before the customer opened the account with the counterparty.

*A charge of £550.20 for cancellation of three PPI claims where the Firm had evidence on file that no PPI claim existed.

*A charge of £1,600 for breach of contract when a customer failed to provide further evidence in respect of 9 claims for which the firm held evidence that the accounts were opened after the selling of PPI had ceased.

*Charging £90 per claim for the uploading and verification of a single Letter of Authority containing multiple claims. This has resulted in charges of £810 in respect of one customer who signed an LoA containing nine claims, and £3,600 for another who signed two LoAs containing 40 claims.

*£90 cancellation fee per claim when no evidence the Firm did any work on the claims.

*Customer charged £118.75 plus VAT where the PPI claim appears not to have been made in time for the deadline.

*Charge of £1620 for cancellation of 18 default charges claims where there is no evidence the Firm pursued these claims or gathered any evidence to investigate the potential merits of the claims.

*Charges for the same letter being duplicated across all claims. One customer, who received four reminder letters between March 2020 and January 2021, was charged £240 plus VAT for those letters, as each claim incurred a fee of £12 each time the letter was sent. This pattern was seen for all clients who had outstanding information on more than one claim.

*One customer incurred additional costs of £150 plus VAT for the issuance of the breach of contract invoice itself.

*Costs of £168 being added to a customer’s breach of contract invoice, when the Firm ought to have known that the claim was without merit.

*One customer who was charged £71.25 plus VAT for the Firm’s costs in sending her the settlement cheque for the upheld Plevin aspect of the claim. She was ultimately charged a total of £474.30 for failing to agree to refer the unsuccessful mis-sale aspect of the claim to FOS.

*One customer charged almost £4,500 in cancellation fees when she had made multiple references to being disabled and stressed in correspondence, had significant creditors, and was in an active IVA at the point when the claims were initiated. The Firm cancellation fees worsened her financial situation considerably. The Firm’s response to her complaint letter was to halve her fees and allow her to pay at the rate of £5 per month, which would result in it taking her almost 40 years to pay her debt.

*One customer outlined various physical ailments to the Firm and indicated that he was struggling and only received Employment Support Allowance. His credit file shows financial hardship. The Firm proceeded with his claims knowing that due to fees, the customer’s debt was likely to significantly increase. He currently owes the Firm £2,767.29 and is paying this back at £20 per month, which will take 11 ½ years for him to repay.

[Weenateena]

How do I get help taking these on they have hounded me for 15yrs nearly and say they made a successful claim for me but never did. They want to take me to the small claims court for £1081. I have logged a complaint with the Financial Ombusmen. I have offered to pay £5 a month while my complaint is looked into I feel this company is the lowest of the low.

[EXC]

How do I get help taking these on they have hounded me for 15yrs nearly and say they made a successful claim for me but never did. They want to take me to the small claims court for £1081. I have logged a complaint with the Financial Ombusmen. I have offered to pay £5 a month while my complaint is looked into I feel this company is the lowest of the low.

Hiya

I'm responding to your email...

[Steellegion]

Hi. I've decided to join the forum as I need advice for a upcoming small claims by bank smart. I joined bank smart off a recomendation from a neighbour, but couldn't fill the forms in enough for them, so they did me for breach of contract. My bill quickly grew to around a thousand. I wrote to them and said Im sorry I can't continue, and was willing to pay a token payment, for the work they had already done. The bills kept coming and coming. Sometimes two would come in the same week. Sending them back full of junk mail, menus and flyers seemed to stop them. As I was in despair, I went to step change who said to pay one pound a month. I believe I did pay 2 payments of one pound, before deciding this company cannot be lawful, and doing my own research on the company. Covid happened about then.
Then, I believe there was a law change, and my bank repaid me over 600 pounds with no mention of bank smart, Im guessing it was repaid automatically. Bank smart are saying they did the work, to get me repaid, and are now charging me around 500. I have just had my mediation phone call and we cannot agree, so its going before a judge, which is what I wanted.
I have around 6 to 9 months to get clued up on this so would appreciate any help to fight. My plan, is to use statute barred as a defence, but I want a judge to look at this contract, I believe it is badly written, and too ambiguous. Sorry for the long hard to read post.

[EXC]

Hi. I've decided to join the forum as I need advice for a upcoming small claims by bank smart. I joined bank smart off a recomendation from a neighbour, but couldn't fill the forms in enough for them, so they did me for breach of contract. My bill quickly grew to around a thousand. I wrote to them and said Im sorry I can't continue, and was willing to pay a token payment, for the work they had already done. The bills kept coming and coming. Sometimes two would come in the same week. Sending them back full of junk mail, menus and flyers seemed to stop them. As I was in despair, I went to step change who said to pay one pound a month. I believe I did pay 2 payments of one pound, before deciding this company cannot be lawful, and doing my own research on the company. Covid happened about then.
Then, I believe there was a law change, and my bank repaid me over 600 pounds with no mention of bank smart, Im guessing it was repaid automatically. Bank smart are saying they did the work, to get me repaid, and are now charging me around 500. I have just had my mediation phone call and we cannot agree, so its going before a judge, which is what I wanted.
I have around 6 to 9 months to get clued up on this so would appreciate any help to fight. My plan, is to use statute barred as a defence, but I want a judge to look at this contract, I believe it is badly written, and too ambiguous. Sorry for the long hard to read post.

Hiya

When do you need to file your defence by? I would want to include a lot more than just stat barring. I'd like to see the claim POC and any documentation that relates to the payment you got from the bank and any fees BS are charging for it. Either post it up redacted or email it to me at nick@legalbeaglesgroup.com

[Steellegion]

Thanks for reply give us a day or two and I'll email you