Barclays ex Woolwich account holders beware! Salary rejected on BACS pay in…..

madcow2006

We were Woolwich account holders who were transferred over to Barclays in May 2007. Barclays said that they would transfer all the business (standing orders, direct debit, salary payments, etc) from one account to the other & it would be hassle free. For 18 months no problem, then today my wife’s November salary payment through BACS has been rejected saying that the account to be funded is not recognised. Her employer Somerset County Council has had this problem with a few ex Woolwich now Barclays customers who apparently were still getting their salary into Barclays via a Woolwich account as this was the way Barclays had left it. But it appears that these Woolwich accounts have now been terminated. So Barclays have never really transferred all the Woolwich account business thoroughly.

I rang Barclays & the man I spoke to (Stephen) was very unhelpful, he said that ex Woolwich customers should have received a letter a month or so ago telling them to change their accounts that were still being paid through Woolwich into Barclays. We have never received any letter. Also that any items being paid through the Woolwich account would be marked “WCD” on your statement, so these are the one’s that need to be changed. Although I cannot see this WCD against my wife’s salary on our paper statement. When I asked how I can see this online he said he could not tell me how to do it, I hang up. Mad! :mad:

During the conversation I said that Barclays service on this matter was poor & that customers rely on their salary going into their accounts to enable bills to be paid, etc without going overdrawn. But he was so unsympathetic it made my blood boil! :huh:

Anyway, rant over, if you are an ex Woolwich customer & you have any items, especially your salary, that still might have Woolwich down as the payee account thanks to Barclays ineptitude, make sure you communicate with the payer to change the payee account details over to your Barclays account.

Sounds like a transfer of account could be on the cards………maybe a new year’s resolution!

Hope this rant will benefit someone. It feels good to get it off my chest.

Cheers Madcow

dlgilmore

This has also happened to me, and I have heard of a few other people in the same boat.

On the call to Barclays customer services I was told I should have received a letter in August and that it was my fault as I should have updated my details with my employer. I didn't get any such letter.

My employers bank were able to tell my employer about this issue so obviously we're not alone.

Barclays customer support were not particularly helpful - despite the fact that they knew exactly what I was talking about. They told me to give my account details to my employer - thats fine except these things take time. Salary transfers require authorisation, and there are bank transfer times etc.. I pointed out that I have direct debits which I won't have the funds to cover them. I asked what could be done to help - this isn't my fault afterall. The answer nothing!

I asked about getting an extension to an overdraft, but I was told this would be irresponsible lending - however I was given the option of taking out a loan. This was very confusing.

This has left me quite frustrated and I too am now considering switching banks.

There are three things that confuse me about the whole situation:
1. It is obvious that some customers were either a) not sent a letter or b) did not receive it. Either way how this can be deemed to be the customers fault is an unreasonable assertion.
2. By taking this action, Barclays has cut of a significant cash flow source. In the current financial climate this seems to be an extraordinarily stupid thing to do. Fortunately I'm a mere account holder and not a share holder or employee.
3. The timing is quite poor. Why do this in November - the month before Christmas?

Fortunately my employer is trying to resolve this as quick as possible . Not everyone is quite so lucky.

I'm not sure what to do next.

robertjonesuk

Few reasons for the change, but the main one was that sort-codes 10-80-xx (which were old woolwich sortcodes) were Bank of England sort codes, and BoE decided that they were no longer to be used.

When Woolwich merged with Barclays, Barclays tried to contact all employers and other companies paying money into Woolwich accounts with new account numbers. It seems however that not all of the employers/companies updated their details. This is not Barclays fault.

While I apprieciate it may be incovenient, it is not Barclays fault.

dlgilmore wrote: »

This has also happened to me, and I have heard of a few other people in the same boat.

On the call to Barclays customer services I was told I should have received a letter in August and that it was my fault as I should have updated my details with my employer. I didn't get any such letter.

My employers bank were able to tell my employer about this issue so obviously we're not alone.

Barclays customer support were not particularly helpful - despite the fact that they knew exactly what I was talking about. They told me to give my account details to my employer - thats fine except these things take time. Salary transfers require authorisation, and there are bank transfer times etc.. I pointed out that I have direct debits which I won't have the funds to cover them. I asked what could be done to help - this isn't my fault afterall. The answer nothing!

I asked about getting an extension to an overdraft, but I was told this would be irresponsible lending - however I was given the option of taking out a loan. This was very confusing.

This has left me quite frustrated and I too am now considering switching banks.

There are three things that confuse me about the whole situation:
1. It is obvious that some customers were either a) not sent a letter or b) did not receive it. Either way how this can be deemed to be the customers fault is an unreasonable assertion.
2. By taking this action, Barclays has cut of a significant cash flow source. In the current financial climate this seems to be an extraordinarily stupid thing to do. Fortunately I'm a mere account holder and not a share holder or employee.
3. The timing is quite poor. Why do this in November - the month before Christmas?

Fortunately my employer is trying to resolve this as quick as possible . Not everyone is quite so lucky.

I'm not sure what to do next.