mrsbaako-blog

[mrsbaako-blog]

The story of RBS, a missing bank statement and so my husband’s possible deportation.

A story for you folks - a day in the life of yours truly, wife of a Ghanaian Immigrant applying for my husband Adie's final UK Visa. We are seriously at risk of having Adie's application rejected because of one missing bank statement. RBS are unable to help us! Please read on……

I had a lovely reaffirming start to my day - Celia, a local accountant helped me by providing the necessary  evidence for Adie's final Visa application. After this Visa he can apply for a UK passport - so in 2 & 1/2 short years we will be able to go to Torremolinos together at last 😜. She turned out to be from Shetland, we know many people in common and her Uncle was a fiddle player. Fiddles duly brought out, tuned up and played, the lovely Celia refused payment for helping us with this 5 minute task - a massive gesture as other accountants were quoting us £400 + VAT. 

I left her house with a warm glow, faith in humanity restored, it being the 1st of February and all. Self employed friends will no doubt be able to guess why 1st Feb is a day of lightness and joy…….for the uninitiated, tax returns submitted on time and tax paid by 31st January deadline.

Next task, for Adie's Visa the Home Office require original bank statements evidencing income. I have 6 years worth of statements filed for 3 separate accounts and only one missing statement. As luck would have it, the missing statement is required for the Visa Application. But that's ok, as I only need my local branch to stamp a downloaded printed PDF of the statement to meet Home Office requirements. 

I enter RBS Dalkeith Branch full of the joys of new friendship, Shetland catch up and tunes - still happy. You'll be sensing the impending doom..... 

It was a case of computer says no. 

I'm going to spare you all the sordid details, but in brief, here is what happened. 

The Cashier said he could not stamp my online printed PDF statement. 

"Then can you give me a letter of confirmation on headed paper from the branch, confirming my printed online PDF statement?" I naively ask.

"Not possible, we can only certify statements issued within the last 6 months ". 

I ask to speak to the manager. The manager is on the phone. The Cashier and I go round in circles. I ask to speak to the manager again. The manager sends a verbal message that I have to order a new statement. 

I accept this and the cashier orders it. "That will be posted to you within 5-7 working days" he says. This is no good to us. It's the 1st of February and we must submit by 7th of this month. 

From that point on things deteriorated. There was an ever growing queue as the Cashier tried his poor best to help me whilst his colleague at the next desk tried and failed to keep up with demand. The queue extended out of the front door.... There were other staff around (doing not a lot as far as I could see, when and if dared look up toward the queue) but my problem, it seemed, was not within their remit. 

I stood there for around 40 minutes, publicly humiliated. At no point was I offered an apology or a more private space to deal with this clearly very personal and distressing situation. We are genuinely facing the prospect that without the original Bank Statement or a verified copy, Adie's Visa application will not meet requirements and he will be deported. Home Office requirements are very clear and you simply must meet them. I was armed with a letter from my Immigration Lawyer explaining what was required, but to no avail. I did explain all of this to the cashier. Repeatedly. I asked him to tell the Manager. I have no way of knowing if he did or not, because at no point did anyone more senior come to talk to me. 

After a 3rd attempt to speak to management and appeal for discretionary action, the Cashier returned saying that the Manager would not see me, would not verify a statement and that I could not book an appointment with the manager. So holding in a flood of tears, I left. 

I was handed a complaints leaflet on my way out.

After a restorative bowl of soup (I am a Scot after all, there's nothing a hearty plate o soup'll no sort), I plucked up the courage to phone the complaints line. Would you believe it - it's just RBS's standard phone line. I thought they had given me a direct contact to Complaints. Aye Right. 

I call and explain. A very pleasant soul tells me he can order me a replacement statement that will arrive in 3-5 working days. 

"3-5 days", I exclaim! "My branch didn't tell me that."

I order. It's still risky, it doesn't guarantee delivery in time. But it's an improvement and I'll take it.

"Is there any way to pay for a faster service?" I am a fool to ask. Of course there isn't.

I ask to be put through to complaints. Another stupid question. I don't get to call them, they e-mail me back in the next 5 working days. I stand my ground - I am not available next week, it has to be now. 

I WIN! He agrees to put me through. Amy 1 - RBS roughly  53,546748. Still, it feels good.

I am transferred to complaints. I speak to a kind human being. He did answer the phone as “Ben from Natwest”, which I wasn’t overly worried about, as I have no idea who owns RBS. I know they and Ulster Bank are as one, so why not Natwest? I told him the story. 

I opened with “I went to my RBS Branch in Dalkeith today because……..” and told him the whole story. 

He listened sympathetically, he apologised. Then he said “I work for Natwest, I’ll need to put you through to RBS”

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I mentioned my opening statement about RBS. I can’t even remember what he said in reply. 

After an hour on the phone I reach RBS complaints. I may as well be back in the Dalkeith Branch. I am asked if I am making one or two complaints - I explain that I haven’t made a complaint before, so I really don’t know how best to proceed, so please can the advise me. He advises two. I agree.

Complaint number 1 is that the RBS Dalkeith Branch won’t verify the statement. This complaint is rejected because statement verification is discretionary to the branch (now they tell me). I have a mini-meltdown when he asks me if I am “happy for the grounds on which this complaint is rejected”. I explain that I am not “HAPPY”. After some protracted discussion around semantics we revert to one complaint. Now I understand why he wanted me to go for two.

I recite the rest of my woes. At one point he says “we’ll credit your account with £30 compensation today”. I say he’d better not, that I am totally insulted that my married life with my husband when in jeopardy could possibly be compensated with £30. I started crying at that point. 

My complaint is in the system. I will be allowed to take it to the financial ombudsman. I expect this is far too trivial a matter for them, but hey it’s worth a shot. I am leaving RBS, but before that I would love this story to be spread far and wide. 

We still have no guarantee that we will receive the missing statement in time to submit with Adie’s Visa application. Please do a dance, say a prayer, keep us in your thoughts. 

And share this post if you know anyone that could help us get a single original or verified bank statement from RBS by Wednesday next week. Or share it so that no-one else need go through this and RBS might just get the message and change their ways.

My day hasn't all been bad, thanks to the Celia’s of this world.