I've messed up and only been here a month!

[Emmielu]

This is my first house ever. So im learning slowly but surely. But i've messed up badly. My building society told me they were cancelling my standing order to my landlord because i wanted it to come out 4 weekly and they dont do that they only do monthly, quaterly or yearly. I panicked since i recieved this letter the week before my rent was due to go out. So on the day the rent was due i moved my savings money into my current account and paid my rent. After that i thought i was in the clear and so went and did the final xmas shopping on wednesday. (spent about £40). On thursday i went to my online banking to move the money over to my new building society and the amount was -£525. I couldnt believe my eyes. How on earth had i gone from £220 on wednesday to -£525? So i looked back on my statement, i had made a single payment of my rent (£560) to my landlord on the 10th. On the 12th another payment of £560 was sent to my landlord again! But i didnt do it. So i called the bank and asked them where on earth did that come from and they said that because it was an standing order thats when its due to come out. I told her what the letter had said and she said there was no recollision of the letter being sent!

I hit the roof at this point. I asked her what i was meant to do because i cant get the money from my landlord cause it wasnt his fault. She said she'd fill in a form paying me back and apologised. I thanked her for filling in the form but asked what to do in the meantime because i have a bill that came out today. She advised me to cancel all direct debits and set them up in my new building account. So i have done that. Yesterday my dad got a call from my building society saying they wanted to talk to me. My dad gave them my number and said to call me after 4. I was at home from half 3. 8pm my phone rings and its my dad telling me they wanted to call me. They hadnt. So i called them this morning and was told theres nothing on my details that says who i spoke to, what the call was for and what the solution was! So this message couldnt be told to me. I now have to wait until monday for a call back but even then it might not be the message that i was meant to have. I have no money in my bank till wednesday and im bricking it! My friend took me shopping today and i spent £6 on meals that'll last me and dd 2 days. The rest will be beans on toast, spaghetti on toast and soup.

Im honestly really scared.

[Oldladypillow]

Call you bank (the one that cocked up) and ask them for a temporary overdraft (or extension) because it was their fault. If they have a record if what has gone in in your op they really ought to grant it. If the call centre advisor says no get stroppy and ask for a manager. They have really made things difficult for you I think you have some recourse to complain. Good luck

[ClareMarriott]

Emmielu You also said you wanted the rent to come out 4 weekly and the Building Soc only do monthly , quarterly and yearly. 4 weekly is monthly, quarterly is every 3 months and yearly is once a year

[RandomMess]

Clare, 4 weekly is more than monthly there are 13x4 weeks in a year.

[hophophippidtyhop]

If it helps, I pay my childminder using a regular payments button on my online banking - I do it like this as the amount can vary, so not suitable for a standing order. I am with nationwide online banking. I can go into my details, click 'make a payment', then I can click on the details for paying her, putting in the amount and when I need the payment to go out. This may be the best arrangment for future payment of your rent.
Regarding what's happened though, old ladypillows advice is right, they cocked up, they need to help you and sort it out. Can you get your dad or someone else to speak to them if you are unsure how to go about it? Having someone else with you to listen helps.

[Emmielu]

ironically it's nationwide who I'm having problems with. I can't use their internet banking as there is a security problem between my laptop and them and no amount of accepting cookies works. it's also them that I can't do 4 weekly payments with.

[RandomMess]

Can you do weekly payments instead?

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

can you not speak to your landlord and ask him to return the overpayment to you? You could set up telephone banking and ring them when a payment is due to your landlord - works the same way as online banking but no need to use the computer.

[Emmielu]

I can't do weekly payments with nationwide either. I'm switching to Lloyds. Nationwide are calling me back on Monday to tell me what the message was they were supposed to give me Friday. I knew I'd mess up with bills at times but I never thought I'd be overdrawn by that much in the first month.

[hophophippidtyhop]

Sorry to hear you can't do the online banking. And it's the bank that messed up, not you! Not much comfort, and I know it's swings and roundabouts, but I have to say I've been with them for 15 years and they've always been helpful. Try and look into the security issues your laptop has with online banking in case it affects it no matter who you bank with - online banking really helps at times!
Get in touch with nationwide and ask for the emergency overdraft - they granted me one straight away when I was a victim of bank fraud , the money was also back in my account within 10 days. Always ask for names whenever you speak to anybody, also a direct phone number in case you have to phone them again, to save you going through the automated system.

[Emmielu]

and now my card has been detained and has been eaten by the cash machine in town!

[hophophippidtyhop]

You can get money out via the branch with photo id if this happens

[Emmielu]

I have no photo id and my nearest nationwide branch is 30min drive away and I don't drive. ooh it's just not my day.

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

why have you got a bank account with a bank you cant access easily? I'd move your account to a bank/branch that is closer to you so that if there are issues they can be sorted out easier.

[Emmielu]

that was my intention on Thursday. to move the money from nationwide to Lloyds account but then I found out I was overdrawn and have no money in the bank at all. and now all of this. I've not had any problems with nationwide for 10 years until now.

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

Have you spoken to the LL? Im sure hell just transfer the money back.

[unexpectediteminbaggingarea]

speak to the bank that made the cockup and get an overdraft agreed until next month. Let your landlord keep the money as 2 months payment, so next month you will be back on track.

I pay my mortgage online each month, I just go onto my online account and put in the day of the month I want it to go out. It takes 2 minutes once it's been set up.

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

I'd ask your landlord to transfer the extra payment back - probably be quicker than getting the bank to sort it out as they would need to get his permission to take the money back anyway.

[Emmielu]

I called my landlord and he said either he pays it back or he keeps it and I don't pay next months rent. so I said to keep hold of the money cause then it's one less thing to worry about next month.

something I do wanna ask cause its becoming an argument between.me and OH, do the bank take the money back off the landlord or do the bank refund me?

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

They would have to get money back from the landlord if they refunded you-they wouldn't just write it off.

[Emmielu]

ooh I've made another mistake. or have I? should I tell the bank to forget it and close my account cause everything is transferred into my new one.

[DancingInTheMoonlight]

You won't be able to close your account if you are overdrawn so if you need ths back to refund you they will have to take next months payment off the landlord...

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

You can't close it with an overdrawn balance. Why not just get the landlord to give you the money back and start fresh from next month. The bank won't give you the money back without trying to recoup the money from the receiving bank.

[Emmielu]

so I get it back.direct from landlord into new account. but I want to close the nationwide account but can't cause I owe 525 overdraft.

[LittleChristmasBearPad]

The overdraft will need to be cleared before the account can be closed. This means you need to go through with the refund paperwork.

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

Once you get the money back from the landlord, put it into the overdrawn account and then close it.