Bank Charges

[Goforitgirl]

Have an account with NatWest that I’ve not used for ages. Was in overdraft (£200) but paid it off as wanted to close account. Could not close account because it’s registered to my old address and I’d need to go in branch to do so and there’s no one locally so just left it.

Obviously something has come off my account to take me back into overdraft - possibly one of their own charges for when I was using the overdraft and I’m now being charged every single month for this ridiculously small amount I was originally overdrawn and it’s now snowballed and it’s their charges making me more overdrawn.

Anything I can do? Obviously I’ll pay off the overdraft to stop it happening again but the charges feel unfair when surely they can see the account is dormant.

You should be able to close the account over the phone even if they do have an old address on file. More likely I think you are onto the possible reason it wasn't closed in that whilst it might have had a zero balance, there was a charge due (from the overdraft) but not yet applied to the account. Once applied it took you back into the red and you cannot close an account in the red.

You are responsible to you to keep your eye on your account and you should have spotted this problem as soon as it happened rather than months down the line, however there is also a responsiblity on the bank to treat customers fairly and in this case I'd tend to agree that the charges since you had a zero balance seem a little unfair.

Phone them up and speak to them, explain what you think has happened, like you have here, and why you think it's unfair. Be polite and you never know they may write it off as goodwill.

I'd also check your credit files to see if there are any adverse markers too.

Could you get the changed? Go into the local branch, with ID and something like passport or driving licence, change address and branch. Then close it once it’s changed.