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Don't you just love the feeling of finding £1 down the back of the sofa? What would you do if you found out you were sitting on much more than that? Go for a slap up meal, take that long-awaited holiday or start saving for a rainy day? There's about £12 million lying in forgotten bank and building society accounts in Northern Ireland. If some of it's yours, the Consumer Council wants to make sure you get it back.

To check if you're in the money, contact the Consumer Council on 0845 601 6022 or complaints@consumercouncil.org.uk. We can send you all the forms you need. We can't do the search for you but we can guide you through the process. It may take a little time and effort, but if you're not in you can't win!

You can also visit www.mylostaccount.org.uk, click the 'start search' button and follow the simple steps. It's a free, easy service from the British Bankers' Association (BBA), the Building Societies Association (BSA) and National Savings and Investments (NS&I).

What do I need to put on the form?

o Your full name (and any former names)
o Date of birth
o Every address you've lived at
o Any information that may narrow down the search.

What happens next?

The BBA will check with banks; the BSA will check with building societies and the NS&I will check whether you have any savings and investments with them. They will get back to you to let you know either:

 There is no record of any accounts in your name; or
 There is a match and where it's held. After that, the bank or building society will contact you directly.

Can I search for accounts held in my deceased relative's name?

Yes, but if accounts are found you'll have to prove you are legally allowed access to any money.

I've heard that the Government is going to give the money in forgotten accounts to charity; does that mean I can't get my money back?
You'll always be able to get your money back. Just call us on 0845 601 6022, contact your bank or building society or visit www.mylostaccount.org.uk.

I'm having trouble getting my money back, what do I do?

Complain to the bank, building society or NS&I first. Your complaint will be acknowledged promptly and you'll get a full response within eight weeks. If you're not satisfied with their response you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for free, impartial advice.

Let us know how you get on ....

We want to know how the banks, building societies and NS&I are helping customers get their money back - so tell us your stories. Was it easy? Were you successful or disappointed? Would you recommend it?
To get the forms or tell us your story, contact us on 0845 601 6022 or complaints@ consumercouncil.org.uk.

Forms are also available from the British Bankers Association - 020 7216 8909
Building Societies Association - 020 7437 0655
National Savings & Investment - 0845 964 5000
Financial Ombudsman Service - 0845 080 1800

Notes

1. The Treasury Select Committee estimate that there is £300 - £500 million in accounts in the UK that have been untouched by customers for at least 15 years. The Consumer Council estimates that as much as three per cent could belong to consumers in Northern Ireland based on Northern Ireland's proportion of the UK population.