TD Bank mixup takes New Glasgow couple months to unravel
A New Glasgow couple is relieved to have their money back after a three-month struggle with TD Bank.
Cecil and Greta Hatt made an online bill payment of $716.57 to Central Home Improvement Inc. on Oct. 31, 2014, but the money went into an account that no longer exists.
They tried for three months to get their money back. During that time, they received past due statements from Central Home Improvement Inc. — as the interest charges accumulated — and worried the account would be sent to collection.
"It was very frustrating," Cecil said. "We never should have had to go through that, especially being senior citizens."
The Hatts met with their own bank branch through which the payment was made, and with the TD Bank — where the money was sent — but they say no one was able to help.
"I said to them, 'What do I have to do? Do I have to take this to court?'" he said. "The reply was, 'You do what you want to do, we can't do nothing for you.'"
The couple had just about given up hope of getting their money returned when they contacted CBC News.
"We just come to the conclusion, that's that, we're not going to see it again," Greta said.
CBC News then contacted TD Bank.
Within days, the money was back in their account and the bank apologized.
"In cases where funds are transferred to an account that no longer exists, it's our policy to issue a cheque back to the customer within 90 days," said Meghan Thomas, a spokesperson for the bank.
That didn't happen in this case.
"It appears to have been an unfortunate situation where the employee they dealt with at the branch thought the issue had been escalated to our customer cares team to help resolve when it wasn't," Thomas said.
Thomas said the bank has provided coaching to the branch to prevent something similar from happening in the future.
Central Home Improvement Inc. has removed the interest charges.
Cecil says he's convinced going public made all the difference.
"I'm 100 per cent convinced that if it hadn't been for going to you, we'd of never got it. I'm sure we'd have never got it," he said.
