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.

We did get a paltry about of compensationfor failure to communicate issue properly. We were told insurance company recalled payment initially and went back to branch where we paid in cheque who still didn't explain what we needed to do

A few years ago Barclays massively messed up over some fraudulent payments on my account, resulting in them clearing my bank account of £3000 and keeping hold of it for three months. Same experience as you, people I spoke to on the phone were rude and unhelpful and genuinely couldn't see why there was a problem. I was sobbing on the phone at one point as I had no money to buy food for me and ds and a call handler said "crying won't get your money back will it"
I raised a complaint directly with the CEO and financial ombudsman eventually but it took a long time to get my money back plus compensation and an apology. Still spit when I see their name.

I'm so sorry you've been through this op, it's not just the money but their awful uncaring attitude. I'd say if you can, change banks when this is over because their attitude won't change.

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@Justaboy I've moved from Barclays to Starling and you're right, they're brilliant

Barclays really are shit.

Financial Ombidsman Service

Crikey, OP, this is shocking. Might make the leap and completely move over to Nationwide once and for all.

My DH will be moving from Barclays when this is all over, his business manager has been as much use as a chocolate fire guard. On hold for hours and hours for days on end, you get through to people who have no idea what help is available, we seem to know more than them. Luckily we are not desperate as we have savings, but I feel so sorry for people who are.

Barclays have always been utter crud. I left them many years ago. Worst bank ever.

Just for balance, I've never had a problem with Barclays

Banks ,in my experience ,just don’t give a Shit
I’ve had a nightmare with santander,loosing documents,taking 5 weeks to sort out a power of attorney,stopping a direct debit for a care home meaning the fees were not paid ,and would not let me move money in the account to Pay the care home ..I got a £12,000 Bill in red from the care home ,that I couldn’t pay because santander weren’t getting back to me ,or replying to my emails ...you phone and your stuck on hold for hours.

Everyone I spoke to was very nice ,but it was just so hard actually getting hold of anyone,and then (3 people All together ) When I explained and they promised to sort it out and ring me back they never did .
Their complaint department were the only ones getting back to me immediately and gave me money twice as compensation,but I needed the power of attorney sorted out .
I had to involve my solicitor in the end and it’s now sorted out .

I never had a problem with Barclays until I did.
We sold our car for cash and raised a cheque to our finance company for full settlement of about £9.5k.
The cheque bounced despite having deposited the cash into the bank

Posted too soon, their reason was because i hadn't used the cheque book for some time, wtf? Who uses them often these days. I was fuming with their computer says no attitude. I closed the account straight away and had no problems with Halifax.

I'm so angry on your behalf, to behave like this now of all times! I really hope you can get the press/SM involved and get a quick resolution.

There are a large cohort of people my age who would never consider banking with Barclays due to their implied support of apartheid in the 80s....

@GrumpyHoonMain

"Let the Daily Mail know too if possible as they seem tend to get banks to provide compensation and refunds even without publishing"
What? A poster on MN is saying something favourable about the Daily Mail? Careful you don't get jumped on.

Just finished a 6 month investigation into Barclay's screwing me around - Banking ombudsman initially found in favour of Barclays. I rejected the Ombudsman findings and requested they investigate again. I finally got a decision in my favour, an apology, a plan to clear up the mess and compensation. Thing is - on the face of it, it seemed such a simple thing to resolve, it should not have had to go to the Ombudsman, regardless of how hard I tried - I just hit a wall of silence, literally no one would discuss my case, complaints said they couldn't access my files, bank manager tried but they ignored him too - and it was naughty - not sure whether it was a illegal or just against a code of conduct. I am glad I pursued them and cleared my name.

I would strongly recommend looking at the challenger banks (Starling, Monzo, Revolut). I've been with Starling for a year now and honestly, I would not go back to high street banks.

Historically I have had issues with HSBC. Nationwide and First Direct were fine, but Starling is on a different level. I find it so much easier to manage my money nowadays.

I've also had issues with Barclays in that they kept sending me statements for someone else (despite months of returning to sender) and refused to take down the details to stop it. Took me threatening them with action to finally get a resolution.

Barclays are awful.

Nothing on the scale of your issues OP, but many years ago I needed to freeze a joint account held with my abusive Ex because he'd been spending money and running up a massive overdraft (which I was then jointly liable for). I had found out that although you're both meant to attend the branch to freeze the account, in cases of abuse etc the bank can accept instruction from one person. I spoke to someone over the phone at Barclays, they confirmed this could be done and arranged for me to go to local branch.

Off I trot to local branch having taken a half day from work to get there.

The cashier flat out denies this. Tells me 'you need to bring your boyfriend in'. Speaks to me really slowly, like I'm not the full ticket. Just horribly patronising. I ask to speak to the manager, because I know this is wrong. Manager comes out and repeats same thing almost word for word, again treating me like I'm stupid and referring to my abusive Ex as my boyfriend.

I ended up leaving in tears. On the way to work, went to the branch nearest my office in London (wish I'd done that the first time round!) who sorted in in 15 mins. I complained and got some fob off letter and I think £50.

I also had a run in with some guy from Barclays over the phone once who shouted at me and threatened me with debt collectors. I complained and asked them to listen to the call recording. Apparently they couldn't find it, I think they gave me a token amount to compensate me but I can't remember.

I'll never use them again.

@LolaGracie this is where Twitter and Facebook comes in handy. I find complaints get dealt with super fast with a single tagged tweet.

Also First Direct - best bank ever!

Because of covid one of my relatives (vulnerable and no internet access) couldn’t access any of her money to manually pay her bills. Barclays sent both me and her a posh hamper to apologise, and some flowers to my relative as an apology. I’ve always found they’re really helpful with little things (this was after they set it up so I could do her online banking - I’m POA) but big things they’re useless.

They refused another relative of mine a refund after her account was used fraudulently to buy monster truck lessons! She lost thousands.

Needless to say I no longer bank with them and moved everything. They still hold some of my savings from my childhood but I’ve long since given up, I can’t access it without a parent. Both of whom live absolutely miles away and it simply isn’t possible to drag them to a branch! My parents can access it without my consent though, even though it’s in my name apparently! Useless!

Wow! So many of you have had really terrible experiences with Barclays. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I’m going to get onto making an official complaint this morning and will look at the financial ombudsmen too. I’ve heard really good things about both Monzo and Starling banks so will have a look at them carefully today. Thanks again for all of the replies!

Nationwide have done the exact same thing to us!!! Closed my partners account and no access to any money- due to payment from HMRC being “fraudulent” my partner was called a criminal in the branch! All for receiving a tax return!

Whilst I dont want to play down Barclays responsibility I think now so many Banks are automated, and that there is no one customers can talk to who understand their account, that responses are all automatic.
In this case - is there available funds - No - so they cant dispense money, the fact that there is no funds because of their error seems to be lost on them.
A more thoughtful approach would have been to give an interest free loan whilst the fees were resent, but may have been outside the process set for their systems.

DH used to work for Barclays. They are dreadful employers too.

Make sure you hold out for a good amount of compensation. When the TSB shit happened two years ago it nearly stopped us completing our house sale - it took a few months but eventually we got £500. Definitely escalate to the Ombudsman anyway as it's appalling that they have lied about cause.

I now split banking between three banks, TSB (until our mortgage ends then we're off), Halifax and Monzo. Monzo are great but I wouldn't want to rely exclusively on an Internet only bank. Being able to go to branch was the only way we resolved the TSB issue.