Natwest letter received "ceasing banking relationship" - what on earth is going on?

[SWnewstart]

I've banked with Natwest for approx 45 years, same current account and more recently a little saver account with less than £30 in it. Came back from holiday 2 days ago to a pile of post amongst which was my salary slip from part-time job, a new bank debit card to replace the current one expiring at the end of June and a letter from Natwest starting off "were you aware that we couldn't make some of your payments because there were not enough available funds in your account" - NOT TRUE.

I immediately went online and checked - there was approx £800 and I don't have any regular payments more than £40 a month (retired and mortgage free). The strange bit is that under the heading of What Items Have Not Been Paid were details of my employer and salary which obviously goes into the account, not out of it! The online statement didn't show my salary at all for May. I contacted the virtual assistant at Natwest who could only advise me to speak to my employer. I did this the next day, only to be told the payment had been returned and had I changed account details or anything? No, nothing changed at all. This morning my employer advised they had again made a BACS payment for my May salary and to let them know if it worked. I checked and the payment was in my account.

However, in the post today was another letter from Natwest stating that "we regret to inform you that following a recent review we have decided to cease our banking relationship with you as from 1 August 2022". I immediately tried calling the Shared Services in Manchester on letterhead but number just rang out. The letter also says this decision is final and they are not able to discuss the decision with me or provide any further information in relation to the decision making.

Are there any Natwest people out there who could shed any light on this (or any other bank staff). What on earth is going on? I'm worried sick.

I just wondered if she was changing details for anonymity and accidentally changed something germane.

I wonder whether something has happened while you were in Italy and someone has tried laundering money which the bank has picked up on. What a nightmare

Go on Facebook and search a group called “ NatWest closed my account “ .
they are one if the sort banks . I was with them over 20 years , closed my old student account as there was no sense in keeping it open ( I had a savings and a current too ) and desde my I got 2 letters saying the same as yours .

so in that case where does the benefit / pension money go into? How do you get it if you havent got an account?

www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/manage-your-benefit

It's not that they don't have to tell you why, it's that they aren't legally allowed to tell you why.

@Spyderwillies is correct.

Most likely the reason that your wages were unable to be paid is that they blocked your account for both credits and debits whilst they carried out an 'review' of your account.

This usually happens after a 'triggering' event. You mention being in Italy for 3 weeks so it's probably this unusual activity has triggered it.

They will not and cannot tell you the reason they no longer wish to continue the relationship due to legally not being allowed to.

I wouldn't fret too much it can be lots of business reasons that they do not wish to keep your account open it's not always something nefarious.

I also wouldn't waste your own time chasing this as they will not budge on this decision, nor give you any further information. I'd take your closing balance check and go elsewhere.

if there is anything that needs waiting 6 years to clear off your credit file then a look at your credit file as the answer could be there

Look at all of them, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. They will usually give you the first months free so you don’t need to spend anything as long as you cancel in time.

Look at associates and credit searches etc

How on Earth do you manage without a bank account.

There’s lot of good advice on this thread, but also a lot of nonsense.

It’s pointless writing to the CEO. All it does is delay your complaint reaching the relevant team. It also pisses off the complaint handlers and makes you look arsey and less credible.

It will be quicker to complain directly to the complaint team.The bank will have processes and procedures in place including a standard time to reply to you. Writing to the CEO doesn’t put you at the front of a queue.

As pointed out by others, the bank is totally within its right to close down your account and to not give you any explanation, if they suspect breach of AML rules, POCA (Proceeds of crime act), and other serious fraud offences. If they have a suspicion and they explain it to you, this would potentially make them guilty of a criminal offence (tipping off). Hence why they are allowed not to give any reason at all.

I’m afraid there is nothing you can do about it. The suggestion to use a data request is going to be pointless as the bank can withhold information/data, if the disclosure would constitute a criminal offence.

If I were you I’d not waste any more time with them, and would move to another bank immediately.

X post with @Generix (slow typer!)

I used to work for a bank but not Natwest.
They suspect fraud and sue to the anti money laundering rules they cannot be seen to be "tipping you off" so the brand staff will highly likely not be able to tell you anything.

It will need to be dealt with by the specific fraud team.
In my 10 years with banking I've never seen a decision overturned I'm afraid.

We had to close accounts for abuse, for application fraud or because of reputational risk in that last case a business has just been discovered to be running fake ids on the side.

Definitely advise checking out credit score.

As pointed out by others, the bank is totally within its right to close down your account and to not give you any explanation, if they suspect breach of AML rules, POCA (Proceeds of crime act), and other serious fraud offences. If they have a suspicion and they explain it to you, this would potentially make them guilty of a criminal offence (tipping off). Hence why they are allowed not to give any reason at all

If they suspect all these illegal activities then surely the police are informed and can investigate or do they just suspect, decide you are guilty and then pass sentence/close your account and you have no right to defend yourself.

There are three correct replies on this thread and all are consistent.

This is a national scandal. Many people are denied banking services due to algorithms suggesting they are money laundering when they are not. Human intervention will not help. Once the algorithm says no, nobody in the bank has the power to challenge it. It is similar to the Post Office scandal, but on a personal banking level.

I have a client with an impeccable reputation who was also blocked. Even at the banks highest level, human intervention came back with “nothing wrong, but the computer says ‘no’ so we can’t do anything”.

Could it be sanctions related? Any links to Russia OP?

You've been issued a notice to close and under the terms and conditions you signed all those years ago, they can cease the banking relationship providing they give 'adequate' notice plus they don't have to explain why. Generally though, there would be an indication like someone's mentioned further above such as abusive to staff or payments from a potential dodgy source. Another reason could be incoming payments for items sold only the buyers state they've not received their goods - you've not recently sold anything and taken payment by bank transfer have you? In this case, it could be a complete error if you merely have a legit salary paid in, no recent payments etc.

I wouldn't bother going to a branch or ringing main telephone team because they really cannot help and it will only make you more frustrated. The team that issue these never normally leave notes or speak to servicing staff because there is a chance they will accidentally tip off a genuine fraudster whilst trying to defuse a situation for example.

I would recommend emailing the CEO with your complaint asking they look into the notice to close and how you believe this has been a complete case of mistaken account. Also highlight how this has effected you and if there is any vulnerability they need to be aware off. As someone else has said, they will acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours and they have a lot more urgency to resolve over standard complaint teams. If they agree with the original decision, you can then go to the financial ombudsman once they've issued their final response letter. The ombudsman will be informed the justification into why your account is being closed, although will not share this with you, and should they disagree or feel NatWest have acted incorrectly they will overturn the decision.

(I used to work for a bank actually dealing with these sort of issues and there is always a chance they can be overturned by the bank or as instructed by the ombudsman. You just have to put it on the right peoples radar to investigate.)

I'm on a group on Facebook about this. NatWest have done it to thousands of customers

What's the point moving to another bank immediately if the new account will be closed asap due to the same mysterious reason?
There must be a legal way to clear one's name?

What a nightmare. The injustice of it all would hack me off.

You can insist all you like but it will get you nowhere.

Well, I really don't know how these things work in the UK as I don't live there, but I have never head of it happening to anyone here. I've just checked the Banking Ombudsman website here and it says that while the bank doesn't have to give a reason to close an account most do so and also give you opportunity to respond. It seems you have more draconian rules over there.

If, as several posters have stated, it happens a lot with NatWest I'm surprised they have any customers at all.

This is currently happening to me too, after 40 years with NatWest. Currently I'm with NatWest International (only 25 years). With these kind of cases there is no loyalty to the customer.

I haven't been denied access to my funds, just required to move them elsewhere within 60 days. Only £100,000 ! They have told me that it's because I received money from the UAE, which was put on the Financial Action Task Force "Grey List" in March 2022 - it was part of my salary because I'm an expatriate, but not working in the UAE, that's just the subsidiary where my UK-based employer chose to pay from.

I've just submitted a DSAR to CIFAS, and asked NatWest if they have put a marker on me or are aware of one (also in the form of a DSAR request). I'm concerned that this would prevent me moving to another bank, which I've already started.

But all that takes time, also CIFAS is a UK organisation and although I have a UK address I'm with NatWest International because I've lived and worked abroad. Same applies to other credit reference agencies - also I have no debt at all in the UK or anywhere else so I'm not sure that they'd have any info about me.

This happened to me about 5 years ago with RBS, they sent a letter stating they were closing the account on a certain date and I wouldn’t be able to bank with RBS or NatWest again.

I’d had the account for about 7 years and had no idea why they were closing it, I’d never even missed a payment. I didn’t question it as didn’t even think it was worth the hastle, I just opened an account elsewhere and I’ve opened a second account since then with a second bank and had no problems.

I would definitely go in in person with all your paperwork. They have clearly messed up somewhere.

Do you have any links to any country abroad?

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I got the same letter from RBS! Turns out it was because they didn't have “appropriate contact details” for me - apparently they’d asked me for a mobile number and I hadn’t provided one (they hadn’t!)

It was all a computer error on their end. I went into the branch and spoke to a manager, who was able to send a request for review on my behalf internally to the right department. They said they were going to sort it but to be honest it was all taking so long that I just closed the account early and opened one with Lloyds TSB instead, which was no hassle at all.