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Original poster

Accidental payment

16 replies

helppleaseneeded · 30/05/2023 17:01

I have a Santander 123 account which has received a payment from a skipton bank account for £600 that has been sent accidentally (we were not expecting it!)
Santander can't do much other than advise us not to spend it
But the person that paid us accidentally hasn't made any moves to claim the money back?
What do we do?
How long do we keep hold of the money before they can no longer claim it?

OP posts:
GuinnessBird · 30/05/2023 17:06

If I were you I'd move it to a savings account so that you don't spend it, you know the money isn't yours.

I find it difficult to believe that the bank can't reverse the transfer, I was once in a similar situation but involving a much higher amount and the bank reversed the transfer back out of my account.

Original poster
helppleaseneeded · 30/05/2023 17:08

@GuinnessBird Santander are advising until the person contacts them, they won't return the money as they don't have details?

OP posts:
GuinnessBird · 30/05/2023 17:17

helppleaseneeded · 30/05/2023 17:08

@GuinnessBird Santander are advising until the person contacts them, they won't return the money as they don't have details?

Santander can see the details and even if they couldn't, how would the person know to contact them?

Original poster
helppleaseneeded · 30/05/2023 17:29

@GuinnessBird
According to Santander the process is for the person to contact their bank with the details they did pay, their bank would be able to advise the bank it was sent too using the sort code and the person is meant to contact the bank they did send the money too (in this case Santander) and try and claim it back that way...
none of it makes sense to me

OP posts:
missmollygreen · 30/05/2023 18:42

Just ignore it, its not your money and you wont get to keep it.

They will eventually realise they sent it to the wrong account and will contact their banks who will contact your back eventually

Original poster
helppleaseneeded · 30/05/2023 18:50

It's been over a month since the transaction happened?

I know I won't get to keep it I just don't want it in my account 😂

OP posts:
Itsanotherhreatday · 30/05/2023 18:54

The law says it’s yours! Hence the extra questions when sending cash - you don’t have to return it.

Aaron95 · 30/05/2023 18:55

Open a new savings account. You can do it online. Transfer the money into that. Then wait.

Whoever sent it has 7 years to claim it. If after that time they don't then spend it.

Kazzyhoward · 30/05/2023 18:55

Itsanotherhreatday · 30/05/2023 18:54

The law says it’s yours! Hence the extra questions when sending cash - you don’t have to return it.

Sadly, not true.

Hollyppp · 30/05/2023 19:08

Aaron95 · 30/05/2023 18:55

Open a new savings account. You can do it online. Transfer the money into that. Then wait.

Whoever sent it has 7 years to claim it. If after that time they don't then spend it.

This

GuinnessBird · 30/05/2023 19:33

Itsanotherhreatday · 30/05/2023 18:54

The law says it’s yours! Hence the extra questions when sending cash - you don’t have to return it.

That is not true and frankly irresponsible advice.

Datafan55 · 30/05/2023 19:48

They do always say 'are you sure that's right?' when you put in account details for a transfer... But I'd imagine the sender will only eventually realise when the plumber or whatever is adamant they have NOT received their money. Could be a while.

I always screenprint my money transfers as I have a dread of transferring it wrong, but that does mean I can see where it's gone if necessary.

eurochick · 30/05/2023 19:54

Itsanotherhreatday · 30/05/2023 18:54

The law says it’s yours! Hence the extra questions when sending cash - you don’t have to return it.

Why do people post this shit?

BarbaraofSeville · 30/05/2023 20:47

Nothing might happen until the person who was expecting the money notices they haven't got it, as the person who sent it might think that all is well. Probably sent to someone who doesn't keep a very close eye on their account and/or isn't living paycheque to paycheque so needed the money when it was sent.

The sender should have got a message saying the account didn't match the name they entered, perhaps they ignored this?

I'd just put the money in an attached savings account so it's out of the way of your main account and you earn a little bit of interest while it's 'resting in your account'. Not a lot else you can do unfortunately.

TakeMyStrongHand · 30/05/2023 22:08

Can you see their details at all? Have you contacted skipton?

dizzydizzydizzy · 30/05/2023 22:21

missmollygreen · 30/05/2023 18:42

Just ignore it, its not your money and you wont get to keep it.

They will eventually realise they sent it to the wrong account and will contact their banks who will contact your back eventually

This happened to me about 4 years ago. If was £2k. Nobody claimed it and I don't think they will after this amount of time.

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