So I’m dealing with CBA refusing to provide me with a paper statement. This seems a bit of a “So what?” and normally I’d be fine with an online statement, but there’s a reason I’m specifically requesting one. I need it to renew my passport.

Technically I can use any document with my current address on it, but the only thing I have that connects me to my current address that I should be able to get a delivery of a document with my current address on it at the moment is my account with CBA. If I still had to worry about power bills, this wouldn’t be an issue. However, I don’t, so I need to rely on CBA.

I contacted them last week, was told I need to go through their messaging service. Couldn’t do that at the time, get around to it yesterday. Make my request, am told I can download my statement. As previous statements have the address on the account at time of generation, I can’t use them. I reiterate my request, add the context of it being for my passport, am told that CBA’s system would not allow them to mail out a statement as it can only be accessed by me. I question this as I have the option to set my receiving method as paper, rather than digital.

Whomever I’m speaking to advises that they’re generating an out of cycle statement, then tell me I can download it. I ask if they can mail it to me, they tell me I can download it, then advise that they can’t email a statement. I reiterate that I want a paper statement, they tell me there’s no option to send me a statement. I ask how that’s possible when I can receive paper statements. They tell me they are unable to provide them and tell me to download the statement instead.

There’s a bit of going in circles here, and sure, I could download the statement and then print it somewhere, but I don’t want to be using work resources to be printing non-work documents. So I ask when their manager can call me. They tell me that call services are limited so I’d be directed back to messaging. They then ask me to confirm my address as they’re checking if statements can be mailed. They then advise that the request will close in a few days, and to reply if I still need help, then tell me how I can view my statements, how I can update my statement preferences, and to get a paper statement I’ll need to visit the nearest branch, but this might come with a fee.

I’m digging around the website as this is happening and there’s confirmation that CBA can provide paper statements via mail. I advise this, advise they haven’t told me why they can’t do this for some reason and point out that they’re refusing to escalate my enquiry. I’m told that calls can’t be arranged by messaging and that they don’t have the option to mail out statements, then go to close the request again.

To add some clarity here, this is a statement for a loan that I’m requesting. Part of the terms and conditions specifically state (I had to check this to make sure) that CBA will provide a paper statement upon request. So I advise this. Whomever I’m speaking to tells me that in order to do so, I need to change my receiving preferences, and if I need a statement sooner, to go to my nearest branch. More back and forth, then I’m told about the statement cycle.

I’m in the process of raising my complaint away from message chain, tell them I’m raising it, tell them to not contact me again. They then contact me again, raise their own complaint on my behalf, advise me that if it were an option to send me a paper statement, they would have, then tell me again that I can update my preferences.

So I have a feeling that, despite CBA’s chatbot initially telling me it’d put me through to the loan team, it put me through to another chatbot, based on the continued repetition and lack of understanding the request, and also the vehement denial of being able to do something their terms and conditions advise they will do. It’s another notch in a long list of grievances that has left me wondering if I can still be lazy about staying with them. I have no loyalty to CBA; I’ve just not wanted to do the inconvenience of changing banks, even though it’s pretty minor. But it’s stuff like this; stuff that comes with hours of trying to get answers  as to why and being told the same thing which goes against their T&Cs; stuff like this that creates an unnecessary amount of stress, that makes me more inclined to start looking elsewhere.