My parents have been receiving yearly bank statements from an old Burmingham Midshires account. Recently they handed me a pile of statements and a letter stating that because I hadn't been active on my account for 15 years they would transfer my £200 to a reclaim fund if a failed to contact them. Unfortunately, my parents gave me this letter 2 months too late to do anything about it and the money has been transferred.
I filled in the online form on the www.mylostsaccount site (I cant recall the exact name, but it's a government site) and processed the search and sent me an email saying there was no trace of my account.
I contacted the BBA (who sent the above email) to enquire. I explained I had statements of my account and a letter regarding the transfer of the money so was a little confused as to why there was no trace of my account since it had been transferred so recently. They advised me to send a copy of the letter to a manager at BBA and he would re-investigate.
He tried and failed. Stating that Halifax had taken over Birmingham Midshires and a search of Halifax's records fod not find any dormant account in my name.
So I phone Birmingham Midshires to enquire. They tell me that they have not been taken over by Halifax and that the person I'm talking to at the BBA is incorrect! They told me to suggest that the BBA do another search but for the dormant accounts for Burmingham Midshires or Lloyds
I did this and received an incredibly curt/rude response from the BBA literally saying NO in capital letters!!!
I'm at a loss now. Birmingham Midshires have sent the money to the reclaim fund and they are contradicting each other!! I know its only £200 but I'm about to have a baby and it would be really handy.
Is this the kind of thing I coild contact the financial ombudsman over?? Seems like quite a dramatic step but the truth is I don't have any faith that a complaint to Birmingham Midshires would go anywhere and I'm still in shock at the incredibly childish reply I had from a manager at the BBA. So I'm thinking the ombudsman might be the only other option......?