Compensation culture - has it gone too far?

A friend of ours got a cheque from his building society and when he went to pay it over instead of being for £25,000 it was for £2,500. It was slightly inconvenient for him to go back but he got a payment in compensation which took 5 of us out for a meal. Banks and building societies must make shed loads of profit, it is a pity that they are paying such pathetically low interest rates.

I wrote to the CEO of my bank and received compensation for £100 paid into my account. I also received a large bagful of food which was superb and lasted me for ages.

All I wanted was an explanation. This is from a bank who is losing fistfuls of money- no wonder if they are so generous when one makes an inquiry about something.

I think that the Christmas goodies were sent because I first joined the bank as a teenager in 1964.

Maybe it does work with some people, but I agree it seems a stupid waste of money.
My names was passed on to a well known charity, I sent a donation, then they kept sending me quite decent gifts, eg stationary. I wrote to them to say I didn't want any more gifts, that's not what my donation was for.

Tricia do you think I should have sent it back with my comments? I agree about charities sending stuff, really irritating.

When we had a lot of trouble with our building society near the end of our mortgage - wrong amounts being demanded, incorrect statements, letters not being answered, someone else's documents being sent to us, and so on, and on, and on, I ended up with a file full of letters and emails, theirs and mine, and eventually wrote to their complaints department. Someone rang me up just as everything was finally sorted and asked what I wanted from them, and I said I just wanted an apology. "Sorry", he said.

I found out afterwards that the thing to do is to ask for compensation, and I'm told by somebody who works there that the minimum offered would have been £200.

Ridiculous. But thinking back, I wish I'd asked for something to cover the postage and printing costs and at least some of the time I'd wasted on all their nonsense!

Nonnie - banks are a bit different from charities, which are supposed to be helping people who are suffering.
I don't know what I would have done - it sounds weird to me, I can't imagine the banks in France doing that, they're too tight with their money.

Maggie I don't think it comes naturally to older people to ask for compensation. We just accept that stuff happens. Presumably there are others who don't feel as we do or they wouldn't dole out compensation all the time.

You're right, Nonnie. And once one does it, they all have to.

I do like the sound of your Christmas goodies for being such a loyal customer though, Charleygirl. That's quite heart-warming.

Of course it's gone too far,they even advertise on TV for christsake,that's why you've got so much health and safety,companies have to safeguard them selves, or try their best to,greedy unscrupulous solicitors will find any loop hole.
I'm afraid not many people can be trusted.

Maggiemaybe that was my assumption- why else do it? All I wanted was an explanation, I was not looking for gorgeous goodies or money but all contributions were graciously accepted here!

I think if an institution like a bank has been incompetent and wasted someone's time, paying for their time is quite appropriate.
If the bank's actions have been bad enough to cause anxiety/distress, then that should be compensated too.
Why ever not? Bankers receive large personal bonuses, and bank shareholders receive dividends.
Compensation should firstly be deducted from the bonuses and then from the dividends.