ExSp33db1rd - the symptoms are all too familiar. I don't trust any of those "online" systems to store passwords that matter. I do use them for the variety of forums and online shops that I visit from time to time.
The passwords and codes that matter are in an Excel file, passworded. It's on my desktop, iPad and iPhone. I have only one password to remember, and I use it often enough that I'm not likely to forget it.
Both daughters have it in case I pop my clogs and they need access to stuff.
Originally Posted by
ExSp33db1rd
A cheque I sent to a UK address in Southampton - which is hardly tucked away out of sight - in October, is still undelivered...
It happens. A letter I wrote, many years ago, was delivered over a year later. The outside of the envelope was mangled at the top and had several blurred copies of the postmark. It looked as if the postmarking machine ate it, and wasn't repaired for over a year.
There wasn't a cheque in there, but the letter was important and the non-arrival had some "interesting" and sad results. It was before the days of photocopiers and word processors, so I didn't have a copy.
It's one of my niggles with e-mail these days: if I type one character wrong in an e-mail address, most systems don't return the message with "Idiot!" messages; they just quietly dump it. Hence I think it's been delivered...
As for Barclays: UK banking is becoming less and less customer-friendly these days. I'm told it's to do with anti-money-laundering, but when I see all the High Street branches being closed while the top employees get bonuses in the millions, I have another theory.
A suggestion for you: make it a joint account with someone you know and trust in the UK. They can receive all the mail for the account and forward it to you, and do anything that needs doing locally. Alternatively, contact the UK banking ombudsman and ask what you are supposed to do...
The ombudsbod was slightly helpful when Santander took over one of my banks and refused me access to my money. I learned two things: ombudsbod is a little bit more useful than a chocolate teapot, and avoid Santander like the plague.