HSBC want me to close account - t&c's
Options
Peter6268
Posts: 32 Forumite
Going back to early 2007, I opened a basic bank account at the local branch of HSBC. The reason for opening the account was so that I could use their coin counting machine every few months to get rid of the coins that I save up (every day I put any change into a pot and bank it every few months). I save up the balance to help with Christmas shopping etc.
The HSBC is the only bank in my local town with such a coin counting machine. At every other bank I would have to count the coins into bank bags etc and suffer the restrictions on paying in coinage. Also, as I have Parkinson's disease, manually sorting and counting coins is not exactly easy.
When I opened the account back in 2007 I explained to the lady at the bank the reason I wanted to open the account as it is a totally stand alone account at HSBC (my main bank where I have my current and savings accounts is the Natwest). The lady was fine with this, so the account was opened, and I have had a visa debit card since the account was opened.
The account has never been overdrawn and it generally has a build up of a few hundred pounds before I use it at Christmas. I also pay the odd cheques I receive into the account as well.
Anyway, I went into the HSBC yesterday to pay in approx. £50 of mixed coinage. There seemed to be some problem with the machine and the lady floor walker came over to help. She looked at my visa debit card (I use it to get the account number to enter into the machine) and she asked if that was my only account.
I explained to her the reason for having the account and she said she must close the account forthwith, as it is outside their current terms and conditions for having a basic account. The current applicable terms being - You must not continue to hold a bank (payment) account with another UK provider.
However, when I opened the account, it was most definitely within the terms and conditions for having a Basic account (I still have the bumph from back in 2007 including the t&c's from when the account was opened).
The lady said they might let me open a Flexible Saver savings account (paying 0.1% interest, wow) but it does not come with the handy visa debit card. I do not want another full fat current account as that would mean a credit check (not that I am concerned I would fail it, just that I am looking to update my credit cards shortly as my 0% offers are coming to an end). Hence, I would rather have as few credit checks as possible. I also already have a 'back up' full current account at the TSB which a small occupational pension goes into monthly.
I told the HSBC lady that I was in a hurry so would come back in next week to see about changing the account. However, I don't really see why I should change accounts. It was within their t&cs when the account was opened. I haven't used the account for any other purpose than what it was intended for and I have never been anywhere near going overdrawn etc.
Can they just close my account because they have changed their t&c's (and the current t&c's are not what I signed up to back in 2007)? It is hardly my fault that they have changed their t&c's since the account was opened.
Sorry this is a bit long-winded but I wanted to include all the facts.
Many thanks.
The HSBC is the only bank in my local town with such a coin counting machine. At every other bank I would have to count the coins into bank bags etc and suffer the restrictions on paying in coinage. Also, as I have Parkinson's disease, manually sorting and counting coins is not exactly easy.
When I opened the account back in 2007 I explained to the lady at the bank the reason I wanted to open the account as it is a totally stand alone account at HSBC (my main bank where I have my current and savings accounts is the Natwest). The lady was fine with this, so the account was opened, and I have had a visa debit card since the account was opened.
The account has never been overdrawn and it generally has a build up of a few hundred pounds before I use it at Christmas. I also pay the odd cheques I receive into the account as well.
Anyway, I went into the HSBC yesterday to pay in approx. £50 of mixed coinage. There seemed to be some problem with the machine and the lady floor walker came over to help. She looked at my visa debit card (I use it to get the account number to enter into the machine) and she asked if that was my only account.
I explained to her the reason for having the account and she said she must close the account forthwith, as it is outside their current terms and conditions for having a basic account. The current applicable terms being - You must not continue to hold a bank (payment) account with another UK provider.
However, when I opened the account, it was most definitely within the terms and conditions for having a Basic account (I still have the bumph from back in 2007 including the t&c's from when the account was opened).
The lady said they might let me open a Flexible Saver savings account (paying 0.1% interest, wow) but it does not come with the handy visa debit card. I do not want another full fat current account as that would mean a credit check (not that I am concerned I would fail it, just that I am looking to update my credit cards shortly as my 0% offers are coming to an end). Hence, I would rather have as few credit checks as possible. I also already have a 'back up' full current account at the TSB which a small occupational pension goes into monthly.
I told the HSBC lady that I was in a hurry so would come back in next week to see about changing the account. However, I don't really see why I should change accounts. It was within their t&cs when the account was opened. I haven't used the account for any other purpose than what it was intended for and I have never been anywhere near going overdrawn etc.
Can they just close my account because they have changed their t&c's (and the current t&c's are not what I signed up to back in 2007)? It is hardly my fault that they have changed their t&c's since the account was opened.
Sorry this is a bit long-winded but I wanted to include all the facts.
Many thanks.
0
Comments
-
Bank's do change t&cs and are within their rights to do so. The current terms are the ones which apply now, not the 2007 ones.
In your circumstances I'd contact HSBC and see if on the grounds of your illness they can use their discretion to keep the account open.0 -
Bank's do change t&cs and are within their rights to do so. The current terms are the ones which apply now, not the 2007 ones.
In your circumstances I'd contact HSBC and see if on the grounds of your illness they can use their discretion to keep the account open.
Many thanks.
I have spoken with the telephone banking people, who were quite officious in telling me that my account will be closed (apparently under their current t&cs they are giving 14 days notice to close a basic account for some reason).
I think I may try directly at the branch again, albeit I hate using my disability as a reason for asking to keep the account open.0 -
-
My understanding is that the problem is not that the account is not being used as a main current account (whatever that is) but the fact that if you have a basic account you are not really allowed to have a second account elsewhere
basic accounts are meant for people who cannot get banking services elsewhere because of previous credit history EG bankruptcy
I would take them up on their offer of opening a savings account provided that you can pay coins into your savings accounts of course you can then transfer the money from that savings account to your TSB account0 -
I'd stop collecting coins.0
-
I thought that i had read on here that the HSBC coin counting machines only ask for your sort code and account number and people have used them to successfully pay into accounts at other banks; so you may not need an account at HSBC at all.0
-
I'm sketchy on the illness and/or disability because as far as I can see it's not in the opening post. However do you need to use the coin counting machine due to your illness and/or disability not being able to count with your hands, is the current account necessary for you in your daily everyday life and is the bank aware of it. If so the bank are discriminating against you because of your illness/disability. If all that is true personally my first step would be my local M.P.0
-
PeacefulWaters wrote: »I'd stop collecting coins.
Isn't collecting the coins just making extra work for yourself? If you spent the coins as part of your normal spending you wouldn't need to withdraw money so often and you wouldn't need to take the coins to the bank. £50 is a lot of coins to accumulate (unless they're all £2 coins).0 -
I'm sketchy on the illness and/or disability because as far as I can see it's not in the opening post. However do you need to use the coin counting machine due to your illness and/or disability not being able to count with your hands, is the current account necessary for you in your daily everyday life and is the bank aware of it. If so the bank are discriminating against you because of your illness/disability. If all that is true personally my first step would be my local M.P.
What a waste of time that would be! There's no disability discrimination here. In any case, banks aren't afraid of MPs, -if they were, they wouldn't be closing branches left, right and centre. Lots of MPs have complained about branch closures in their constituencies and tried to put pressure on the banks to change their minds, but the banks take no notice and virtually blow raspberries at the MPs.0 -
What a waste of time that would be! There's no disability discrimination here. In any case, banks aren't afraid of MPs, -if they were, they wouldn't be closing branches left, right and centre. Lots of MPs have complained about branch closures in their constituencies and tried to put pressure on the banks to change their minds, but the banks take no notice and virtually blow raspberries at the MPs.
How has branch closures come into it? What I highlighted is the possibility of discrimination against disability and illness itself a hot topic these days.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.3K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 248K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards