Is this amount of compensation for distress reasonable?

[Wotagain]

My Darling husband died suddenly just over 5 weeks ago.
As the executor I had to contact our bank, First Direct about our joint accounts, and then of course send them the interim death certificate proving he had died. ( it’s an interim one as there will be an inquest).
This was all done within a few days and immediately after myself receiving the interim death certificate from the coroners office.
Two weeks later I received a letter from First Direct, addressed to the executor of Wotagain’s estate, sending their condolences on my death and asking for my death certificate.
To say I was upset is a complete understatement, I was devastated, tearful, shaking, and then really, really angry.
My view is the bereavement team at First Direct had one job, to get the name and details of the deceased person right first time, and not send such a letter to a widow numb with grief.

AIBU to ask for £500 as compensation for this distress?

First Direct have offered me £150 which amounts to just over 1p per day for the years that my husband and I banked with them.

I'm hoping the OP has taken the advice given above and walked away from the thread.

But to the very few respondents that are saying that it's not just a simple mistake - the important detail here is that it's a joint account, that has both names attached. The bank is under pressure to not delay dealing with such matters so as not to be the ones holding up probate resulting in the accounts being frozen for longer than necessary. Some people may not realise this, but when someone dies all their accounts including joint accounts they are a signatory to are frozen until probate is concluded. This can be a major problem for couples that hold all their cash in joint accounts.

The compensation offered seems adequate to most respondents. To push for £500 you would need to be extremely confident that your instructions to the bank at a time of emotional stress were absolutely clear and unambiguous.

There's a reason that it's advised to think very carefully before appointing a spouse or partner as sole executor. It's not something I would choose to put upon my spouse.

You're obviously allowing your grief to overcome your judgment in this matter, which I suppose is understandable.

I think they should compensate you, and I dont think youre unreasonable at all. They should be acting with precision and with compassion in these circumstances. Maybe they need reminding that they are dealing with real people

@Branleuse

I think they should compensate you, and I dont think youre unreasonable at all. They should be acting with precision and with compassion in these circumstances. Maybe they need reminding that they are dealing with real people

They know they are dealing with real people. Mistakes still happen though, humans make errors in all professions. £500 won’t serve as any more of a ‘reminder’ to them than £150 will. It doesn’t come out of the pocket of the person who made the mistake, it comes from the coffers of a multi million pound organisation.

I'm very sorry for your loss. Sorting out financial affairs is a nightmare at the best of times and I'm sure even more so when you are grieving.

I know when my dad died we had so many instances like this that we almost lost track in the end. Big companies should definitely put more effort and training so staff deal with these issues better.

That being said I think YABU making this about money. Let it go. Take the £150 and spend it on something your husband would like - a treat for yourself or a donation to a cause he supported. Don't let their mistake make your life any harder than it already is.

so what is peoples problem with it then, if OP feels that compensation is appropriate and its not going to be some poor old lady that has to give it out.

People in the UK are so weird about compensation

@Branleuse

so what is peoples problem with it then, if OP feels that compensation is appropriate and its not going to be some poor old lady that has to give it out.

People in the UK are so weird about compensation

They have offered compensation… £150, which is consistent with the financial ombudsman guidelines for this sort of error. The OP is perfectly entitled to ask for more if she wants it, although it’s likely to be refused due to said guidelines. My point was just that asking for £500 won’t ‘hurt’ the organisation (or the employee who made the mistake) any more than the £150 would. So if the desire is to teach them a lesson for their mistake, asking for £500 won’t do that. They will just continue to follow their compensation procedures.

Obviously if the desire is simply to get £500 rather than £150, then by all means ask.

I’m so sorry for your loss.
It was a shocking mistake, and whoever is responsible ought to get a right royal bollocking - and I’d want to be assured that this had happened and that some extra training was going to take place ASAP - but TBH I’d have thought that £150 was enough.

I'm really sorry for your loss but this was just an error. Someone probably got fired or severely disciplined for this. I don't see how the name being wrong was particularly distressing for you, or how any money can change the fact that they got the name wrong. You're understandably devastated about your husband but, gently, this was just a mistake and it's really not a reasonable request to demand money for it. I'm shocked they're even offering £150 to be honest! I'd be offering an apology but don't consider money suitable or necessary. Sorry

@Pandypuff

I'm really sorry for your loss but this was just an error. Someone probably got fired or severely disciplined for this. I don't see how the name being wrong was particularly distressing for you, or how any money can change the fact that they got the name wrong. You're understandably devastated about your husband but, gently, this was just a mistake and it's really not a reasonable request to demand money for it. I'm shocked they're even offering £150 to be honest! I'd be offering an apology but don't consider money suitable or necessary. Sorry

No one will have been fired, unless it was the latest of a series of performance issues for which disciplinary procedure has been followed.