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Original poster

My bank is sacking me!!

85 replies

TiffanyToothache · 16/06/2011 20:44

I don't know why?!

Received a notice today - in 2 months they will close my account.

It says "having reviewed matters carefully, the bank no longer wishes to provide you with banking facilities" No further explanation! I'm stunned.

I've had one account for 13 years since I was a student. I had a student loan, graduate loan and student overdraft - all diligently paid off, years ago. Good income. It's now mine and DH's main joint account - both salaries go in - DDs and SOs go out to pay bills. Recently opened a savings account with them - that's also to be closed!

It has been in credit for YEARS (since student days were over) - I pay £7 per month for my account. No debt with them.

Been on mat leave this year so salary dropped - would this be why?

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 09:45

I'ver never heard of a bank - with the exception of something like Coutts - having a policy about a customer's income, never mind sacking them. If you're in credit, that's usually all they want. I would suspect a hoax, to be honest.... I've had a lot of e-mails in the past saying 'there is a problem with your account and we're about to close it... send us your details immediately blah, blah, blah' and it's all a big, smelly, phishing exercise

Call your bank and 10-1 they deny all knowledge

PredictableDullard · 17/06/2011 11:04

did you contact the bank?

bringinghomethebacon · 17/06/2011 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bumpybecky · 17/06/2011 11:09

another vote for first direct - they're fab :)

CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 11:48

Noone else thinks it sounds like a hoax?.....

LoveBeingAbleToNamechange · 17/06/2011 11:50

Cog no I don't I used to work for a bank it does hapen but normally for a reason other than not using od and saving money Confused

PredictableDullard · 17/06/2011 11:51

weird hoax, how would the hoaxer gain anything?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 11:55

The OP didn't say whether it was a letter or an e-mail just that they 'received a notice'. What e-mail hoxers do is say 'we're closing your account' or something else nicely panicking... and provide a handy link so that you click through to something that looks like your bank's log-on screen, where you enter your name and password. They harvest all the names and passwords, use them to empty your account or sell them on. It's called phishing

I've had e-mails telling me there are serious problems or my account will be closed etc., etc., for banks I've never even had an account with.

PredictableDullard · 17/06/2011 11:56

i assumed it was a letter, no one would take an email like that seriously.

Lovecat · 17/06/2011 11:56

Definitely ring up or go into your branch. RBS are currently in the middle of a massive campaign about their fantastic customer service promises, this is NOT in line with their policy.

What Tortilla said is true, but perhaps not quite phrased so bluntly... :)

Lovecat · 17/06/2011 11:58

Ooh, yes Cogito, if it was an email it's highly likely it's a scam.

If so, forward it to the RBS Phishing department (address will be on their webby) and ask them, they'll confirm if it's real by return.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 12:00

"no one would take an email like that seriously".... Unfortunately, the success of phishing operations would say otherwise. All they need you to do is panic or get angry enough not to be thinking straight.

Hope the OP comes back and lets us know whether it was genuine or not. Would be a shame if RBS's name was being blackened for no reason.

BarnMummy · 17/06/2011 12:02

Cog - the OP's second post says it was a letter.....

malinois · 17/06/2011 12:03

Cogito - you're quite right that if it was an email it would look like a phishing scam. But it wasn't, it was a letter.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 12:07

Letters can be faked. I work on the basis that if something sounds illogical, it probably is. What bank in their right mind closes a creditworthy customer's current account - never mind a savings account? There are accounts out there belonging to people long dead, no deposits for decades and the bank lovingly looks after the cash just in case someone comes to claim it.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 17/06/2011 12:11

Unless there's something the OP isn't telling us..... and, short of buggering the CEO with a cucumber, I can't think exactly what a regular in-credit bank customer could do to make a bank say 'we don't want your money'... it really doesn't make sense.

HarrietJones · 17/06/2011 12:17

I recommend Nationwide for banking. They are even open on Sarurdays!

Sushiqueen · 17/06/2011 12:46

Banks can just close your account. It happened to someone I know a few months ago. She went to use her card and it didn't work. When she contacted the bank to find out why, they told her that they had closed her account.

This was her main bank account, that her wages went into and she had direct debits etc from. She had been with them about 7 years. This was Natwest.

She complained to them and they just said it was for operating reasons.
They refused to reopen her account so she complained through the Financial Ombudsman. In the meantime she opened an account with another bank.

Her bank finally came back and apologised. Never gave her any reason for why they had closed it originally and said they would reopen it.

EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 13:52

so, OP - enlighten us??

pooka · 17/06/2011 13:57

Another vote for First Direct. I cannot fault them. Honestly.

Had a Barclays account from the age of 14 until 34. Their customer service was dire. And the amount of stink they kicked up when I was trying to close my account was unbelievable. They were incredibly obstructive.

First Direct seem to employ lovely lovely people at their call centre. Great service, on the phone AND on the internet.

Original poster
TiffanyToothache · 17/06/2011 20:25

Sorry to keep you in suspense!

It was a letter - which had my account details on, not asking me for info.

I called them today to be frustratingly told that " my accounts were in order however there was an issue they wished to discuss with the joint account holder as a matter of some urgency". When I asked them to clarify if my accounts were to be closed - "I can't discuss that with you", why did you write to me to notify me my acccounts were to be closed - and not the joint account holder if you wish to speak with him? "I can't discuss that with you" Hmm

DH had a business account with them couple of years ago, which he closed as he folded the business. There has been an error where the account wasn't closed so accruing charges - statements being posted to the business address so not received.

So they apologised, will close the account and speak to DH again next week to confirm all is well.

I'm still disgruntled TBH. Nasty tactic to get me to make DH call them, I presume. He has had no letters to our home address and the business account had no ties to our personal account. So I think a complaint may be in order.

This made me lol cog "short of buggering the CEO with a cucumber, I can't think exactly what a regular in-credit bank customer could do to make a bank say 'we don't want your money'... it really doesn't make sense."

OP posts:
EggyAllenPoe · 17/06/2011 20:44

ahh..sweet sweet closure.

i thought it wasn't just that they didn't want your money.

i reckon they must have a cross-account thing in place where one account for a person going bad reults in the closure of all.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 18/06/2011 00:32

Bank threatening to close an account because they think one of the account holders has defaulted on another account etc. is more normal than the original set-up. And if they were failing to reach your husband at the business address, I suppose contacting him elsewhere is understandable... .

LoveBeingAbleToNamechange · 18/06/2011 05:42

The bank I used to work for was owned by rbs, hence my assurence that your original op wasn't the reason.

So basically they are sacking your dp and cause it a joint acc you were going too. But of cause data protection meant they couldn't tell you that!!!! So all customers have an internal identification number that will show all the accounts they hold with them so you dp's list will have showed the joint account or least linked to it.

Did he have a business manager? If so he should be sorting this crap out.

I'm very suprised if you are saying dp had nothing through the post to indicate that there was a problem with his account or that they were trying to get hold of him. Does he get mail from his business address?

I can't see that you'll get anywhere complaining, they decided to close all of dp's accounts and as the joint acc jder that meant you too, whether your dp has cause for complaint I can't say.

Glad it's resolved.

prettybird · 18/06/2011 09:54

Hope you changed to a non-fee paying account while you were sorting this out! :)

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