A letter that should never have arrived
IN SEPTEMBER, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) wrote to my husband saying that following a review of NatWest Life’s selling procedures, it was offering a £2,832.56 ex-gratia payment in respect of a High Income Bond. Unfortunately, my husband had died ten months earlier and his bank, NatWest (part of RBS), was notified of his death. When I told RBS this, they asked for the probate and death certificate. I was then told that because the payment was ex-gratia and was not an admission of liability for misselling, it was, therefore, personal only to the policyholder. They have not even returned the death certificate. I AM not at all clear about the distinction that RBS is making between a liability and a nonliability which, nonetheless, warrants a payout. RBS says: ‘ It is possible that the policyholder may have assumed, incorrectly, that there would have been a greater benefit — and that it was in that capacity that we felt an offer was appropriate.’
And if such a payment were appropriate for a living policyholder, why is it inappropriate to make the payment into the estate of a dead policyholder?
What I am clear about is that RBS was at fault in sending out this letter months after you had notified your bank of your husband’s death. In the circumstances, RBS has done the decent thing.
It has reconsidered its decision and will pay you the ex- gratia payment — nearly £ 2,900 — in respect of your late husband’s bond purchase. LAST October, I paid £220.25 for Rod Stewart concert tickets, using my NatWest Mastercard. Unfortunately, the concert was postponed and we couldn’t go on the rescheduled date. Meanwhile I had closed the creditcard account I had used to buy the tickets so did not receive my refund. Ticketmaster is adamant that they can only make a refund to the card used for the bookings.
P. W., Leicester. THIS chain of events is an unfortunate mix-up rather than anything sinister.
But it does reveal the difficulties when staff are not empowered to tackle unusual cases.
I am glad to say that the company is putting into place some new procedures to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Following my request, Ticketmaster has confirmed that a refund of £ 220.25, payable by cheque, is being organised and it will also be sending you a £ 25 Ticketmaster gift voucher by way of apology for the delay in returning your money.