closure of bank account

gigglinggargoyle

I wonder if anyone can help. My friend has just started a claim and is in terrible finacial difficulty her bank(HSBC) will do nothing to help and have just charged her with £198 of charges. She only received £193 from the csa a month and £16 a week income support, the csa money has now stopped hence the most recent charges. She contact the bank who were almost abusive to her and just wanted to know how they were going to get the charges from her. They have cancelled all her DDs and SOs. She contacted income support and they told her that it was illegal for the bank to take income support money from her without her consent. They advised her to close her account and tell the bank she would pay them £20 a month back(which she clearly can't afford to do). If she does close the account could she still carry on with a claim? She really is in dire need and any help and advice that I could pass onto her would be much appriciated.

natweststaffmember

gigglinggargoyle wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can help. My friend has just started a claim and is in terrible finacial difficulty her bank(HSBC) will do nothing to help and have just charged her with £198 of charges. She only received £193 from the csa a month and £16 a week income support, the csa money has now stopped hence the most recent charges. She contact the bank who were almost abusive to her and just wanted to know how they were going to get the charges from her. They have cancelled all her DDs and SOs. She contacted income support and they told her that it was illegal for the bank to take income support money from her without her consent. They advised her to close her account and tell the bank she would pay them £20 a month back(which she clearly can't afford to do). If she does close the account could she still carry on with a claim? She really is in dire need and any help and advice that I could pass onto her would be much appriciated.

The DWP keep telling people that you cannot claim charges from benefits and that is clearly not right. First things first, she needs to start the process of reclaiming her charges back and get her to open an account with another account for her benefits so the bank cannot take them.

gigglinggargoyle

Thanks so much...We helped her to get started reclaiming the charges and she is going to be paid by giro in the future she's not sure thatthere is any bankthat will let her open an account.

bukko

She should be able to open a cashcard only type of account.
I opened one with Barclays when I thought I was going to be bankrupt, I even explained why I needed it and they were ok with that.

natweststaffmember

I think Co-op cashminder I have heard seems to work for some....but it depends on what the nearest bank to her is.

glossyhair

natweststaffmember wrote: »

I think Co-op cashminder I have heard seems to work for some....but it depends on what the nearest bank to her is.

I wouldn't recommend Co-op bank at all. I found them to be decidedly uncoperative when I found myself struggling. They actually closed my account, cancelling all my DDs and STO, and not even telling me until AFTER they had done it! Not acceptable behaviour as far as I am concerned.:mad:

natweststaffmember

glossyhair wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend Co-op bank at all. I found them to be decidedly uncoperative when I found myself struggling. They actually closed my account, cancelling all my DDs and STO, and not even telling me until AFTER they had done it! Not acceptable behaviour as far as I am concerned.:mad:

I don't recommend any specific banks and I have never banked with Co-Op. If you notice the last sentence which I said, whichever bank is nearest to her. The main criteria is that they have no link with HSBC because of the possibility of the "right of Set Off"