I've ranted about banks before, and I suspect this won' t be the last time.
I recently asked my RBS account lead to provide interest statements on my mortgage accounts for my UK tax return - for those that don't know, you can claim the interest paid on a mortgage loan against your tax liability.
I was quite promptly replied to advising that the policy had changed for 2010 and all such requests now carry a flat £10 charge per statement.  And that since this is my first request since the changing of the policy, I would be eligible for a waiver this time; the interest certificates will be with me at the end of next week.
Apoplectic is not the adjective to describe my somewhat over-reaction.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent back to them (enjoy):
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RBS,
I find this astounding...absolutely astounding.
RBS wastes  reams of paper every month by sending me TWO statements for each of my  mortgages under a SEPARATE envelope, then sends a statement of account  (3 separate envelopes) and  nowhere (unless I'm mistaken, and that's  been known previously) does it indicate the separation between interest  and capital repaid.  So even if I didn't mind RBS' inefficient statement  process, and the unnecessary wasting of paper, I can't even calculate  the interest payments myself.
So RBS' solution, is to charge me  for your own lack of information.
Citibank sends this information AUTOMATICALLY for  my Singapore mortgage at the end of each calendar year.
ABSA in South Africa (for goodness sake -  raised eyebrows in startled kind-of-3rd-world-way look) sends me annual  interest statements via email!
While I'm grudgingly appreciative of RBS  waiving the charge this time, I do not expect to pay this in subsequent  years.
I should be charging RBS for the extra time taken to open up all  of the unnecessary envelopes every month - I charge S$750 per hour at  work.
By  my calculations (conservative though they be) I spend an extra 90  seconds each month on this needless task and thus chalk up 7.5 minutes  each year - which at my rate converts to S$93.75 meaning RBS owes me  money.
If the irony of this mail is lost on you, I'm at a loss as  to what to say.
Sincerely sourly,
Darren
PS When  customers pay for this "service" does it always take you TWO WEEKS to  produce the said piece of paper?!  I have to concede that end of next  week is acceptable, having no other choice.
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I'm sure I'm blacklisted with RBS and all partner banks and will be ineligible for all types of loan in the future....but am I misplaced in my spleen-venting?  Am I unreasonable to expect a so-called 1st world bank to have information ready for its clients in advance?  Am I just too demanding in a world full of "customer-centric" hypocrisy and "customer always comes first" - (except when it impacts our bottom line too much) kind of BS?
Friday, May 21, 2010
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