It was a very personal post, but because
many businesses are effectively being destroyed by this meltdown, I felt that I had to reach out to others that find themsleves in the same boat as me. You can read about the impact this has had on me
So many of us have been so badly affected by the crisis and so much has been written about incompetence and the way this is dragging on. It strikes me however that there is not much online about what to do to help ourselves.
If you bank with TSB and the crisis is hurting you - do this, and do it now!
Change bank
Open a new bank account. Even if your credit rating is poor, you should be able to open at least a basic account with a cash card with almost any high street bank or even the post office. These accounts allow you to have Direct debits, standing orders and pay money through internet banking. If you struggle with the high street banks you can open an account with Cashplus online. You can set up direct debits and standing orders and use online banking, but you cant pay cheques in and paying in cash may cost you a fee, but its accessible and you can receive salaries into the accounts as well. Cashplus also provide Business Banking even with bad credit.Ask for help
Ask friends, relatives and neighbours for help. If you live in social housing ask your housing officer for a food bank referral. If youre on benefits ask your job centre for a food bank referral, they are well aware of the problems surrounding accessing funds by now. Its not a shame to go to a food bank when you cant access your own money for no fault of your own. You can always make a donation once you have access to your income again. If youre on benefits and have been unable to access your funds, ask for a crisis loan to be paid into your new bank account.
Make a claim
Think about the financial impact this has made and write it down. For many this has been a lot worse than a mere inconvenience. Write down the effects and the consequences and how this has affected you and your family both emotionally and financially. Then write to the bank and complain. Send the letter recorded delivery if you can. Send the letter in the regular mail. Then send them a copy by email. Also state your complaint using their social media coounts. The latter is not to get resolution but rather evidence that you were seeking redress early on.The longer you take to make a compensation claim, the lower down in the pile of claims your complaint will be.Keep records
Keep a record of everything. Take screenshots of complaints on the social media accounts (They can delete things from their side) keep copies of letters you send and the proof of recorded delivery. If you can actually get into a branch make sure there is record on the account of your visit and ask for a time stamped balance slip. This will prove where you were and when. You can bet that TSB records will go missing under the cover of "it was lost in the IT disaster".Write to your MP
Your vote is one the most powerful tools that you have in the UK. Your MP has the power to raise the issues that this #TSBmeltdown has caused. With enough people asking questions, demanding coherent answers and insisting on compensation for the innocent, there will be a lot more pressure to put it right and not just for those that have money.Dont wait for things to get better. This crisis has been a financial holocaust for many families that live on the breadline. TSB are a corporate structure, they are not going to feed your hungry children or heat your home. Look after yourself first and start doing that by following these guidelines.
What I can help you with
One of our business projects is 30 ways in 30 days which teaches ways to make money online. For those that want to seek ways to create an additional income while wading through the consequences of this crisis I have created an Offer.All fellow TSB customers who can send a screenshot of their failed access to their account/s and a redacted copy of their bank card (You need to blank out at least four of the digits on the front of your card and part of your account number in the image) We certainly dont want to make the data protection mistakes that our Corporate nemesis did. I will give you a years free access to the course if you sign up before the 12th May.
There will be no pressure to buy any other products and if you do so it will be your own choice. This is an offer of help, and it costs nothing. You can find out more about the topics we cover at the blog by clicking here.
To take up on this offer go to this link and fill in the form here. This link will go live Midday the 4th May We will then send you a registration link with a coupon code. Codes can only used once.
