The bank has lost our money (well some of it)

alferret · 08-08-2011, 17:28

We paid into the bank via cheque a largish sum of money (this was on a Saturday morning over the counter)
Come the Tuesday evening it didn't even show on our account, even as uncleared funds so my wife phoned the said bank (Barclays) & they said they didn't have any record of it being paid in, so the following morning off I trudge to the bank to quickly rectify this problem.
Armed with the paying in slip stub and a day off of work I sit in the bank explaining the conversation we had with their customer services the previous evening & how we was told to visit the branch we paid it in to.
Off they trot with the stub in hand leaving me sitting alone browsing the web on my phone.
15 minutes later she returned with a co worker saying that they can’t find any record of it being paid in but that they would look a bit further.
Another 1/2hr passes & they come back & suggest we phone the bank the cheque was drawn against (Yorkshire) & if the cheque hasn't been cashed, put a stop on it and another re-issued or if it has then go back to them & they'll look some more.
So I drive home, my wife phones Yorkshire & they tell us the cheque has been honoured that very morning.” Oh cripes some git has our money sitting in their account & we're skint!”
So back I go to Barclays armed with extra information. Now don't get me wrong the people that dealt with me at the bank were apologetic & seemed to do all they can, but after another 45 minutes of using up more of my data allowance on the phone they came back to me & said that we will need to get a photocopy of the cheque from Yorkshire & then take that back to them & they will then sort it out.
Now as some may know getting a copy of a cheque isn't straight forward & could take up to 6 weeks, once we have that it could take another 2-4 weeks for Barclays to find out where it has gone and resolve the issue.
In the mean time we are being penalised for Barclays mistake, this money was paid in so that we could pay other bills & have a fighting fund (what with cost's going up on a daily basis)
So we sit here still skint waiting for a copy of the cheque & still none the wiser as to where our money is.
Needless to say we are not happy bunnies.

It isn't rocket science, all Barclays have to do is run a search for the exact amount we paid in for the day it was cleared. That would whittle it down to probably a dozen or so customers & from there on a little investigative work and we would have our money.
Instead we are reliant on selling off stuff we don't use\want to cover added expenses. Not a good scenario but what can we do?

007stuart · 08-08-2011, 17:57

Phone the Customer Complaints Dept at Barclays now demanding they reimburse the funds immediately, also ask Yorkshire BS to confirm that it was presented for payment by Barclays and that it was the branch that you went into that made the presentation. This should besufficient for Barclays to investigate from their end.

Follow your phone call with a letter confirming any actions agreed by you and or Barclays, send it recorded delivery, also demand compensation.

PS also get in writing that any interest charges and bounced cheque/returned Direct Debits charges will be waived during the period of investigation.

If they cannot reimburse you immediately demand an overdraft facility to the value of your cheque as this will avoid charges and any effect on your credit rating.

devilincarnate · 08-08-2011, 18:41

This may help you?

Quote:

What is the cheque clearing cycle and how long does it take?

When you pay a cheque into your account it has to be sent to the drawer's bank for payment; for that bank to decide if it will honour the cheque. It may not if, for example, the person who gave you the cheque hasn't enough money in their account. This process is known as the central cheque clearing cycle and normally takes three working days. We also need to allow extra days for an unpaid cheque to be returned.

http://ask.barclays.co.uk/help/day2d...chequeclearing

martyh · 08-08-2011, 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

This may help you?

http://ask.barclays.co.uk/help/day2d...chequeclearing

It should show in his account as a uncleared balance the next working day ,and it is 3-5 working days for a chq to clear as was explained by my freindly Nat West branch last friday ,this is increased time is due to the utilization of supa dupa modern tech

devilincarnate · 08-08-2011, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

It should show in his account as a uncleared balance the next working day ,and it is 3-5 working days for a chq to clear as was explained by my freindly Nat West branch last friday ,this is increased time is due to the utilization of supa dupa modern tech

OK then I stand corrected as I am not a banking person

martyh · 08-08-2011, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

OK then I stand corrected as I am not a banking person

not having a dig

i always thought it was 3 days as well but got enlightened by my bank when i asked what day i could draw on the money paid in ...coincidently it was a barclays chq

SimpleSimon · 08-08-2011, 19:22

Doesn't the paying in slip not have the Banks stamp on it from when you paid it in. Surely that would be enough evidence to prove that it was paid in.

martyh · 08-08-2011, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimpleSimon

Doesn't the paying in slip not have the Banks stamp on it from when you paid it in. Surely that would be enough evidence to prove that it was paid in.

yes it should and so should the serial number on the paying in slip

devilincarnate · 08-08-2011, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

not having a dig

Did not think that you were

Ramrod · 08-08-2011, 20:05

Quote:

said that we will need to get a photocopy of the cheque from Yorkshire & then take that back to them & they will then sort it out.

Thats completely unacceptable. You have a paying in slip that proves that you should have the funds.

Ramrod · 10-08-2011, 13:57

Hows this going?
Just spoke to my practice manageress (who is an ex-Barclays manager) and she says that since you have the paying in slip, the bank has to give you the money now and then trace the cheque in their own time.

**Mick** · 10-08-2011, 15:04

You have the paying in slip with cashier signature? - that should be enough evidence.

If they are still not forthcoming with your funds, I'd bring in the Police as this appears to be a borderline attempt to defraud you.

alferret · 10-08-2011, 17:50

We got a photocopy of the cheque from Yorkshire yesterday & I took it to the bank yesterday afternoon (had to take time off of work as my working hours extend past Barclays opening times) & the money was put into our account a couple of hours later.
I will be writing to them this weekend with a full list of additional expenses that their error has cost us & we'll see what happens from there.
Very disappointed with Barclays and their handling of their loss of our money.

**Mick** · 11-08-2011, 16:12

Make it clear to them that if you are not satisfied with their commitment to resolve your issue in full, including covering your expenses, that you will take the matter up with the Financial Services Authority and or Financial Ombudsman Service.

Ramrod · 11-08-2011, 16:49

Been with Barclays since 1991. They have managed to feck up every task I have ever asked of them that was outside of 'normal' everyday banking transactions.
The only reason we have an account with them is because they have branches everywhere.
Recently moved our business banking accounts to Santander and they are almost as bad as Barclays.....