can my bank dump me..?

ferry

Hi all
Just quickly -is it possible for my bank to close my account if I complain about something I'm not happy about?

grumbler

Yes, they can do this even without any reason, although I don't think that they will close an account as a result of some internal complaint. Usually they do this when you either make serious mistakes with running your account or claim (not just ask politely) some charges back.

maforduk

Here is a quote from the following link:
LINK HERE

Some banks are either closing or threatening to close the accounts of some of their customers who are challenging penalties and seeking to reclaim them.

The OFT has announced that these penalty charges are unfair. This confirms your entitlement to get them back.

If your bank takes retaliatory action against you because you are seeking to recover unfair charges then it follows that such retaliatory action is also unfair and may be so under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regs 1999.

If you have been threatened with account closure since you have started your claim then you may feel that this action by your bank is unfair.

You can write to the OFT and complain about this and suggest that retaliatory action of this kind is an abuse of the banks dicretionary right under your contract to close your acount and is therfore unfair.

We are not providing a template letter as it will look much beter if the OFT receives original letters.

However if you write in the general terms of this announcement, the OFT will have a duty to investigate your complaint.

Point out to the OFT that to allow this abuse of the banks' discretion would be to undermine their own finding that the penalty charges are unfair.

The OFT address is:
Contract Regulations Unit,
Office of Fair Trading,
Fleetbank House,
2-6 Salisbury Square,
London EC4Y 8JX.


We suggest that you write rather than email.

Hope that this helps.

ferry

To be honest my circumstances are different-I need to borrow some money basically.One minute I am 'Pre-approved' which incidentally carries a better rate according to my online banking website.
Now that I need to apply the offer has been removed.

jonesMUFCforever

What exactly do you mean by 'pre-approved'?
I get lots of mailshots from companies pre approving me for loans and credit cards but until I actually apply it means sod all!
To me it is purely a marketing ploy - you could get the same offer by just phoning them regardless of whether they have mailed you or not.

regularsaver1

it can depend on how you position the account

if someone is rude to a member of staff, the account can be closed

regularsaver1

oops complaint

clark1982

Lloyds Tsb scoland dumped me after complaining about bank charges. They agreed to refund me £280, but I first had to sign a letter saying that i wished to close my account. Signed the letter, £280 was refudned to me, then my a.c was closed within 28 days. Quite easy to find a new bank though!, and there's nothing stopping me applying to LLoyds in future (dont think so!)...

golddustmedia

ferry wrote:

Hi all
Just quickly -is it possible for my bank to close my account if I complain about something I'm not happy about?

They certainly can "dump you"!

My Dad used to be a bank manager, one of his "tricks" was wait until a continually overdrawn/problematic customer finally had some money in the bank and call them in to discuss their account. Then "to check the account" he'd ask to see their bank card and when they hand it over he'd whip out scissors and cut it in half. Then issue them with a cashiers cheque for whatever remained in their account informing them the bank "would no longer fulfill their banking needs"....

jonesMUFCforever

Quote They certainly can "dump you"!

My Dad used to be a bank manager, one of his "tricks" was wait until a continually overdrawn/problematic customer finally had some money in the bank and call them in to discuss their account. Then "to check the account" he'd ask to see their bank card and when they hand it over he'd whip out scissors and cut it in half. Then issue them with a cashiers cheque for whatever remained in their account informing them the bank "would no longer fulfill their banking needs"....


Those were the days!!!
Another scenario where you would write to customers about the running of their accounts and they would ignore the letters; but if you cancelled their 'Sky' d/d then they would come in no problem!