To tell you all about my shocking experience with Barclays

[LolaGracie]

Posting here for traffic. I can’t actually believe what we’ve experienced with Barclays Bank over the last few weeks. I really just need to vent. My DH is self employed and has not been able to work for 6 weeks (and counting!) due to COVID-19. We knew he was due a tax rebate because he’d overpaid in the previous tax year. It was a decent amount that would really help us right now. On the first day of the new tax year we did his tax return. HMRC were absolutely fantastic and paid his refund within a few days.

DH logged in one morning and it was paid and in his available balance. I am 30 weeks pregnant and we need to start getting things ready for baby. DH logged on to his banking app the next morning before we started shopping online and suddenly the rebate money was gone! DH phoned the bank. We were on hold for FOUR hours. When we finally got through we were told that HMRC requested the money back. Cue total panic! We called HMRC and they said they had done no such thing. They said they could never just take money from someone’s account and that it must be a problem on the bank’s side. We got in touch with Barclay’s again and this time we were told there was a ‘glitch’ in the system and that thousands of people had had their HMRC tax rebate payments put on hold. They assured us it would be rectified within 48hrs. Within 48hrs it was not rectified. Things had now actually got worse because suddenly DH couldn’t use his account at all. No transfers, cards blocked, no access. We then received a text to say that they know it’s ‘not ideal’ (they actually used those words!) but all HMRC payments were being returned to HMRC and that everyone would be able to access their accounts within 4 days. It has now been nearly a month since this all started and we’ve only just been able to access the account from today. Still no money from HMRC.

I have to say that HMRC have been fantastic though. They told us that Barclays security systems rejected all of their payments and that they would be sent back in due course. They’ve been as helpful as they could possibly be and so friendly. I’m just so upset because we’ve had no money for food, all of our direct debits bounced and we’ve not had a single apology from the bank or even an acknowledgment that they’ve messed up. It’s been an absolute nightmare! All of the Barclays advisors have been downright rude. If COVID-19 wasn’t the only thing that mattered right now I’m sure this would be on the news, thousands of people locked out of their accounts for weeks with money just blocked for no good reason!? I just needed to rant somewhere! On Barclays Facebook page a few people have spoken up too. I just can’t believe how flippant they’ve been. The last few weeks have been hell.

Bloody hell that is shocking. No words of advice I'm afraid, but I am genuinely shocked at that behaviour!

That’s awful OP. You should contact Martin Lewis on Twitter, he’s great at bringing attention to this sort of thing.
Good luck!

This sort of thing by banks gives me the rage.

If it was you who had made a mistake you'd be slapped with a fee. Things happen but where is the apology? Where's the solution for how they're going to help in the interim? Pregnant person and family left in those circumstances, it's disgraceful they've in effect stopped you access to your own money.

Its convenient but sometimes I wish we were a more cash society as banks have too much power. It's fine until it goes wrong - then we're all at their mercy.

Go to the papers or Martin Lewis OP. Also write to the CEO to complain. I work for a (different) bank. That's shocking.

Tweet them as well.

OP, that's terrible service from Barclays. If you're looking to change, please don't switch to TSB! I was sadly one of the people affected by their shitshow 2 years ago (locked out of accounts, direct debits rejected, no online banking, you recognise the story). They eventually paid me compensation after a year, but I was long gone as a customer. Their systems are still unreliable so don't be attracted with their offers! Touch wood, I've had no major issues with other banks, though. You should file a complaint, although be prepared for a delayed response. Best of luck!

Been with the TSB both personal and business for over 30 years and have never had an issue with them.

Table - that's great news, very lucky considering 1.9 million of us were in a mess thanks to them in 2018!

I recommend a service called Resolver.com who have helped me to file consumer complaints on several occasions. Each complaint was resolved to my satisfaction.

One involved my bank who suddently blocked all my debit cards. When I rang them they said I had got their security questions wrong and would have to go to a branch with ID. They were not interested in the fact that I am housebound disabled with no car. I had to pay for a return taxi to the nearest branch.

It turned out they had got my date of birth down wrong and the staff at the bank gave me a complaint form to fill out. They offered me £50 plus my taxi fares but I did not feel that covered the inconvenience and stress I suffered. I made a complaint through Resolver and got a much better offer.

I completely understand after having a issue with Barclays and being on the phone on hold for hours, still not resolved. Barclays have been of no help what so ever.

This is shocking OP- unfortunately I’ve had issues with Barclays in the past as well so shut down my account.

I hope it gets resolved soon, I can imagine how stressed you are. Definitely file a complaint as they are likely to resolve this with compensation.

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

Meant to add there're bloody useless right now, normally their nothing special no better or that much worse than anyone else but a friend of mine has bene raving about how good this lot are!

www.starlingbank.com/

They have an english call centre thats open I belive 24 hours thats London based!

Another vote for Kate Morley in the Telegraph.

Just to add a bit of balance - Barclays acted on our behalf recently when another bank-Paragon, recommended by MoneySupermarket- paid £80,000+ of our money into a bank account in a different bank (where we have never had an account), in a city 200 miles away (where we have never lived) and to a different name, branch and account number none of which bore any similarity at all to ours, and refused to discuss it with us or try to resolve it, saying the fault was ours.

Barclays sorted it out calmly, were absolutely insistent on the phone to them that they had made an error (although Paragon would not accept that), insisted it was escalated to an investigation and dealt with immediately. 2 hours later Paragon confirmed they had indeed made a mistake and the next day the money was returned to our Barclays account with compensation.

We were horrified by Paragon, closed the account immediately, and will never have an account with them again.

The manager at our branch if Barclays was wonderful. So they do get somethings right.

I’ve also had numerous problems with Barclays since lockdown. I’m considering closing the account with them.
Op

This is so crap Op! Some people are using COVID19 as an excuse for when they fuck up.

Sky have pissed me off, tang up to change my package due to reduced income, for a letter through saying I’ve signed an 18 month contract?! No I didn’t. They’re just taking advantage - so if anybody here has adjusted their sky package, check they haven’t signed you up to a new contract term

agree with those who said to contact the Financial Services Ombudsman. And when this is all sorted out, transfer to a new bank!!

No point staying with them/propping them up, after the lack of support - show them your displeasure by taking your business elsewhere.

I run two bank accounts. My personal account with one and joint account is with another. It sounds you have grounds for complaint. You might also get compensated.

If you're changing you could do worse that Coop bank. Just had a letter from them saying that due to covid they are delaying charge increases. Not had any problems at all with them.

'This is so poor. But not surprising. I see this a lot in my job, with banks, HMRC all sorts.
So blasé! Insulting.

I am another person who has had terrible experiences with Barclays and would never bank with them again.

Terrible experience and definitely complain, but something that could have helped from day one would have been to have a separate payment method available, preferably a credit card, with another bank.

Then you would have been able to carry on as normal paying for food etc while the matter is resolved and it would have bought you a few weeks and you just pay the card off when you get access to your account again.

So when you're sorting out your new bank account, it's probably a good time to also apply for a credit card. Look on moneysavingexpert for a cashback one to get a bit of free money on the money you spend. Lots of advantages of having one, none of which relate to spending money you don't have as most people pay them off in full every month anyway (set up a direct debit so you don't forget to pay on time and if there are any issues with the DD it's the bank's fault not yours).

I am another person who has had terrible experiences with Barclays and would never bank with them again

This for me as well

I can 100% assure you that once HMRC have done extensive checks into repayments (due under self-assessment) and have processed them they NEVER recall them. It is shocking for Barclays to make up a story like that and blame HMRC.

Same thing happened to us with a refund cheque with another bank Part of new money laundering regulations. We had a new dd declined and stop on accounts etc. Took ages to sort out. When we finally got a letter they had a cheek to say that they were going to close our account unless we could satisfy them that payment was genuine.
Ended up contacting their complaints dept but they maintained they behaved correctly.