Using bank accounts

KITTENPOP9

Hi everyone me and the OH went BR last week and in the short telephone interview with the OR before the main telephone interview in just over a weeks time the lady stated that our bank accounts would be frozen within 7 days and we would then have to go to Barclays explain to them and they would contact the OR and then unfreeze them. The question i have is my OH's pay goes in tomorrow, can we just go and withdraw what we need as normal before they become frozen?

fiveyearplan

Technically the bank accounts belong to the OR once you are bankrupt until he releases them for your use. You need to contact the OR immediately and tell him your wages go into that account and that you need the money for living expenses.

Did you take advice before you went bankrupt? This should have really been explained before you went bankrupt to avoid this problem.

KITTENPOP9

Yes took advice from cab. We have opened a new cashcard account with Barclays which we explained to the OR last week in the short interview. She said it wouldn't be a problem as she would have no interest in this account. We explained our pay etc went into it and direct debits out of it which she was fine with. We were expecting it to be frozen by now but as it is'nt could we use it as normal or do we have to wait for it to be frozen, then unfrozen before we can use it?

fiveyearplan

I wouldn't use it as normal but take out your wages and clear the money out of it then don't use it again.

KITTENPOP9

Ok thanks for that. Didn't want to do anything wrong but we obviously need money to live on.

peachyprice

KITTENPOP9 wrote: »

Yes took advice from cab. We have opened a new cashcard account with Barclays which we explained to the OR last week in the short interview. She said it wouldn't be a problem as she would have no interest in this account. We explained our pay etc went into it and direct debits out of it which she was fine with. We were expecting it to be frozen by now but as it is'nt could we use it as normal or do we have to wait for it to be frozen, then unfrozen before we can use it?

If she's already told you she has no interest in it you can use it as normal. It won't be the OR who freezes it, it will be Barclays, but if she's already written to them stating she has no interest in the account they should have no reason to do so.

auldblerk

When I had that phone call (the pre OR one) I was told I was allowed one bank account and, fortunately because of the advice I had received from the wonderful people on this Forum and CCCS, I had opened a Cashminder account which will not be frozen. Incidentally, I cleaned out the Cashminder account just in case but, as peachyprice states, I think you'll find that the Barclays account will be unaffected.

Classylady2010_2

I thought it was the banks themselves who froze your accounts not the OR?