State Bank Of India [SBI] — sbi home loan top up - a/c [protected] - inordinate delay

We applied for a top-up on our existing home loan on the 19. Aug.2019 and being member of staff did not insist on any acknowledgement for the same. It would be a huge understatement to mention that we have had a highly disappointing level of service from the bank staff. Absolutely no intimation of the status at any time till the date of this complaint, consistent flip-flops and no transparency in the information provided whenever asked for.

We were given a list of documents required for the application to be processed which we submitted on the 19. Aug.2019 hoping that the loan would be processed smoothly.

On 20. Aug.2019 we submitted an undertaking in the form of a letter explaining the reason for the top up and status of our interiors including flooring in select areas within the flat as part of interior related customization.

On 23. Aug.2019 we were told that my daughter’s home loan account and my son’s home loan account were linked due to bank error and had to be de-linked for the application to be processed. We were very strangely asked to submit the loan account statement of my daughter’s home loan account which should actually be accessible to the bank automatically.

After nearly 2 weeks, post submitting all documents as requested from time to time and upon our persistent inquiry, we are told that site verification needs to be done. The verification agent took pictures of the flat but apparently did not submit the same. The bank staff said that the agent went abroad (Highly irresponsible excuse) and hence it had to be re-done. After waiting for a week for it to be re-done, the re-verification did not happen and the site verification was apparently completed.

After nearly 6 weeks post application, we were refused the loan on the basis of absence of handover letter. It was not refused based on our eligibility or any other reason but based on absence of a document.

How is the bank being compliant by processing an application without intimation of requirement of a certain document on 19. Aug.2019 (Date of application) itself and then after 6 weeks the application is refused citing the absence of the said document.

We now submitted the handover letter (Only reason for refusal) on the 28. Oct.2019 at the saket branch. We are back to where we started and have got absolutely no response till the date of this complaint. We had emailed the bm saket branch on 01. Nov.2019 asking for the status with a reminder on the 04. Nov.2019 but as expected no response or even acknowledgement at all.

We would now like a written reply giving answers to the below mentioned points as a last resort before we further escalate this to the banking ombudsman, consumer forum and consider our legal options.

1. What is the exact process that is followed to process a home loan top-up application along with site/field agent verification and the timelines for the same from the date of application.

2. Our home loan is with saket branch. Why was the application sent to kapra branch without any intimation or authority from us? For the only internal purpose of commission, do you understand the impact it has due to delays for the customer?

3. We had already given the reason for top-up and clearly mentioned in the letter submitted that the flooring of the flat in certain areas was not done as it was to be done along with the interior designs. Why is the agm - racpc now claiming that the flat is incomplete in construction after having submitted the handover letter? There are 943 families that are living in the said community with some of them being sbi customers and this is supposed to be an approved project by the bank. Is the agm qualified to understand the difference between incomplete construction and pending works linked to interior design?

4. Has the bank been compliant by processing an application devoid of a document and 6 weeks post application refuse the application citing the said document?

5. If the application process is non-compliant, and has been refused, on what basis and authority has the fee for advocate been charged on the 16. Oct.2019?

6. On what basis has the bank carried out two cibil enquiries for one top-up application made on the 19. Aug.2019. The enquiry on the 21. Aug.2019 for home loan is followed by another enquiry for a personal loan on the 17. Sep.2019. When there is no personal loan application made, on what basis has the bank made the 17. Sep cibil enquiry?

If there is any credibility left with the bm kapra branch and his agm, we would like a written reply to the above points from the bank, preferably signed by the said bm & agm who had refused the application. The bm saket branch for now can live with the excuse that agm/racpc has not progressed the application and complete the passing of buck along with bm kapra branch and the agm.

We are still not sure if this callous, highly irresponsible and arrogant attitude is limited to the above three individuals or if this is an institutional practice within the bank. We may be forced to think that its institutional practice based on the times of india nov. 6th article where the cbi has booked cases against rm-sbi. Responsible, accountable & credible people not available in sbi we suppose.

Being owners in the said community, we have already shared our nightmarish experience with sbi in the owners whatsapp group. My son being in the profession of structural consulting is associated with such owner groups with access to around 35, 000 families and is mulling to share this experience with those groups soon. We have also posted our complaint on two other forums as listed below and will hope that our post gives customers an idea of service to be expected by the bank with regards to such instances.

https://www.complaintboard.in/new_complaint/
https://www.consumercomplaints.in/new_complaint/

The most painful and ironic part of this never ending nightmare is that i’m 72 years old and my husband is 77 years old and had served the bank as an employee for more than 2 decades. He had to travel from chandanagar to kapra and then to saket in spite of having numerous medical difficulties just to gather information and submit documents only to end up being refused for lack of document post 6 weeks. Rbi guidelines of door step banking for such seniors just lie as guidelines on paper and the oldest bank of the country does not bother about the spirit of these guidelines.

Our only humble request to higher authorities (Provided someone is credible and responsible) is to give us a concrete decision as sbi is not the only bank in the country and this is our last attempt to remain with the bank.

Highly disappointed
Gopi ratnam a

Ambati. [protected]@gmail.com