Don't bank on it

Hello one and all, cor blimey it has been precisely one week since my last post, I cannot believe how time flies.

Not too much excitement to be had, I am helping to organise a year 6 leavers party as our babies are moving on to pastures new in the form of secondary school, (Caitlin will be 11 next year). So I have been roped into organising it, it isn't until July next year but like everything it requires some planning. It makes me laugh, my good friend Denise who has a child in the same year as Caitlin mentioned that she was organising the party as her son started secondary school this year and she had helped with the party last year. She mentioned that she needed to type a letter asking parents if their child would be interested in attending a leavers party. She said in passing that she needed to write the letter but she didn't have a printer. I piped up with 'oh I have one, would you like me to write it for you?'. Needless to say I have now moved on from the secretarial and found a suitable venue for the party so I really have been roped in. Not that I mind.

Our 'little' doggy has a poorly paw, she cannot walk on it so a small but expensive trip to the vet was required today. She hasn't walked on it since yesterday afternoon, she didn't walk on it when I took her in the car, she didn't walk on it walking into the vets. When the vet asked me to walk her up the corridor so she could get a better look she walked on the paw in question. I could not believe it, it was like she was calling me a liar. Not to worry as it isn't serious, painkillers and bed rest was what was prescribed.

Please take a moment to read the letter that I sent to Abbey National regarding my debit card. I know that it is not a priority when you think about how hard some people's lives are but it is important to me and I am just so upset and angry at them.

Letter to Abbey National

I am writing in reply to your letter; reference AC1/CARDC1/1119.

I am certainly not satisfied with your investigation and I do not feel that you’ve offered a fair response to the issues I have raised at all.

I do not think that you could possibly understand the problems that I have as I have no readily available access to cash. I have spent countless times on the telephone trying to transfer money and even more amounts of time in branch queuing to withdraw money. Apologising for my inconvenience is not enough, not nearly enough. I have been without access to my money for 42 days. My multifunction card expired at the end of August and whilst being told on numerous occasions by two people in telephone banking and people in Romford and Hornchurch branches that ‘it was on its way’, only one person thought it necessary to check my address. If any of the people had though of checking they would have seen that the replacement debit card had been sent to my old address. I have been at my new address for over a year and all my statements are sent to my current address so I do not understand why my replacement debit card was sent to my old address.

I cannot use the automated service on the telephone as it will not accept my expired debit card and I cannot check my accounts online as once again it will not accept my expired debit card. I am still waiting for my card, I cannot withdraw money without going into a branch and I can only transfer money by spending time and money speaking to your telephone banking.

I certainly do not see how ‘Abbey strive to provide excellent customer service’, only today I have been in tears as one of your staff at telephone banking refused to allow me to transfer money as my multifunction card had expired. Although the lady could ‘understand my frustration’ she refused to help me. The lady that I spoke to was extremely unhelpful and only when I asked to be put through to customer complaints was my money transferred. This is certainly not the way to deal with loyal customers like myself. I do not think you realise the seriousness of the matter at all. I have no other accounts to access money and I have no credit cards. The only positive points that I can raise from this are that; you should not have one account with one bank and that Abbey do not care about their customers.

I will be taking up my father’s offer of a loan to repay my overdraft, I will find another company to provide me with House Insurance and I will take my business elsewhere. I am only one person but I have many friends and I will be telling all of them that Abbey do not care about their customers. There are plenty of other banks who do appreciate their customers and I will be joining them. Please take a copy of this letter to the managing director and tell him or her that this is the view of an average person, an ex customer.

I will also be sending a copy of this letter and all other correspondence to the Financial Ombudsmen Service and Watchdog.



So that is that, I am sure that nothing more will come of it but it certainly helps when you vent your anger and I do love letter writing.

Today's medical fact; You can only smell 1/20th as well as a dog.

And boy can they smell sometimes