OneSavings Bank

I have tried to be unbiased in this review to enable individuals to form an informed decision regarding Kent Reliance itself, the staff representing the company and the systems and practices they both work to.
We all make errors and deserve the opportunity to put them right. However continual systematic failures and repeated assurances that the matter will be or has now been resolved when it hasn’t, in my view is totally unacceptable. Financial and health impacts cannot be understated from such a lack of action and the time spent trying to resolve the matter and waiting for excessive amounts of time in a telephone queueing system. Kent Reliance are clearly inundated with calls and cannot cope with such a volume.
My circumstances are:
09/06/2022 – A letter was received from Kent Reliance stating my fixed rate mortgage was coming to an end and outlined several options open to me. One of those was to choose another fixed rate deal. I chose a fixed rate five-year deal at 3.44% and applied for the same as this was similar to my existing mortgage.
19/07/2022 – A letter was received from Kent Reliance outlining a mortgage offer of five years at a fixed rate of 3.44%. The various forms in accepting the offer were completed and returned.
15/08/2022 – A letter was received from Kent Reliance stating that my mortgage was linked to a Standard Variable rate and the rate was now 7.83%. The payments were over double what I had been paying and what the mortgage offer was.
22/08/2022 – I telephoned Kent Reliance and after a considerable time in the queue spoke to an agent who informed me to ignore the letter I had received, that I would be on the new product from 01/09/2022 and that I would receive confirmation soon after that. There was nothing further I needed to do. (To date (24/11/2022) no communication has been received).
28/09/2022 – Without explanation an amount was taken out of my account by Kent Reliance at almost three times the fixed rate amount and far more than the letter stated on 15/08/2022.
30/09/2022 – I telephoned Kent Reliance and again spent a considerable amount of time in the queue. I explained everything to the agent, who informed me there was nobody available to deal and that somebody from the retentions team would call me back later that day. I stated that I wasn’t happy with this and a complaint was raised. I was told somebody would call me back within three days in relation to the complaint. (No call backs were made). I followed it up by sending an email of my complaint.
04/10/2022 – I telephoned Kent Reliance at 10am and was informed I was 129th in the queue. There was an option to save my place in the queue and have a call back. I chose this option. No call back was made.
05/10/2022 – I telephoned Kent Reliance at 9am and again waited a considerable amount of time to speak to an agent who informed me that the new fixed rate mortgage would be in place this month and overpayments taken would be refunded. I further call was received from Kent Reliance who confirmed the new product had been activated and I would receive confirmation shortly. To date (24/11/2022) the new product is not activated and no confirmation has been received by myself.
07/10/2022 – A letter was received acknowledging my complaint, which would be investigated and responded to within four weeks. A telephone number was provided as a contact for any questions.
28/10/2022 – A further letter was received from the complaints specialist stating that the matter was still being investigated and a response would be sent within a further four weeks. A contact number was provided for any questions.
28/10/2022 – An amount was taken out of my account by Kent Reliance at almost twice the fixed rate amount. I telephoned Kent Reliance and after twenty minutes pressed the option to keep my place in the queue and receive a call back. I also tried to contact the complaints specialist and left a message for them to call me back. No call back was received from either an agent or the complaints handling specialist.
31/10/2022 – I telephoned Kent Reliance at 9am and waited a considerable amount of time to speak to an agent. They informed me that the new mortgage was active and that the significant overpayments would be refunded within ten working days. (To date (24/11/2022) no refunds have been received).
To date (24/11/2022), after almost six months from the first letter, the matter is still not resolved and no monies have been refunded.