Confused.com

sara86pink

No this isnt a thread about the popular website, I am just simply confused!

Yesterday I had £50 in my account. Day before I had paid council tax which took my balance to £50.

My dad paid in £90 this morning but now for some reason my balance is £470!?!?

I'm thinking the council tax didnt go through but there was money in the account (I even had £50 left over!) no other payments were due and I was told the payment was succesful from the council.

Does anyone else know why this could have happened?

My online banking is a bit slow and works about 2 days behind so even though it showed the money from council tax had been taken (i did the maths) it phsyically hasnt shown up on my statement.

I am going to the bank today at lunch but until then I'm just after any advise because I'm sat here seriously worried and teeny tiny bit stressed out as I though this month would be much easier!

Thanks x

GeorgeUK

All i can think of is that perhaps your dad has paid in more money or the bank has made a typo. Were you expecting more money into your account?

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt

I find when I have trouble with my balance being out of whack, I call the telephone support which gives balance,latest transactions etc. You can also find out if there is another pending transaction of the mysterious £330 (diff between £470 and the £140 that should be there)

I wouldn't worry about it, it usually sorts itself out in a day or so. Least its in credit not minus £470!

sara86pink

My dads payment is showing as £90 so he didnt give me more, I would have seriously had a massive go at him if he did as I hate taking money off him and he knows it.

I'm off to the bank in the next few minutes so fingers crossed its all sorted out!

If its not sorted its not the end of the world as I have the money to pay the council tax again, its just annoying and is now showing that I dont pay it on time when I do

sara86pink

I'm even more confused now lol!!

Went to bank and they said that there was no record of that payment being made and its not even pending so they advised me to call the council as it looked like their system didnt process the payment.

Fine I thought, I will simply call them, get that confirmed and make the payment seeing I have the money in my account.

But here comes the real confusion!!! Called the council, they said the payment of £329 went through fine on the 17th and is no longer outstanding and that my bank has processed it.

Dont have any more time on my lunchbreak to go back to the bank so am just going to keep an eye on my account and see when the money actually leaves my account.

Is this just me or is this very odd? Its like the bank have made the payment but not actually taken the money out of my account...

Has this happened to anyone before as I'm extremely curious to find out whats going on!

jonjamie1970

Seems like you need to be keeping a spreadsheet on your account and reconcile every day, I have to to try and keep things on the straight and narrow.

I simply run two accounts, the first where all my money goes initially and the bills are paid. When I have worked out on a spreadsheet my left over money each month, which isnt much, this goes into another account via bank transfer and thats what I live on.

However I still check everyday in my on line banking.

Did you ask the bank for an up to date statement, never trust the balance figure at a cash point.

sara86pink

Yeah the cashier printed out the most updated balance and it didnt show anything I wasnt expecting, but still didnt show any record of that payment. Usually they are listed as pending straight away but I had nothing pending at all.

I have 2 accounts at the moment, both with same bank so I put a set amount across to the second one a month but because its so easy to transfer I'm constantly transferring little bits here and there so to be honest its a bit of a wasted exercise for me!

GeorgeUK

If the council tax was paid by directdebit, you might want to make sure that it is still there and someone hasn't cancelled it.

sara86pink

Money has now been taken from my account. Which is good so now I no longer have to worry! Guess it was just a slow time for banks hehe!

As for direct debit, somehow it was cancelled and no idea why (which is why this hassle all started because the direct debit wasnt taken!)

So now I just need to set it up again but that should be it

bexster1975

Hi sara

Sorry to read about your problems. Im glad its sorted. In my experience, working with banks and council at the same time is a recipe for disaster. I now have to bother paying my council tax manually every month as it took my council 2 and a half years to notice I wasn't paying council tax after I had set up a direct debit as soon as I moved in! ALWAYS check when you set up DDs that they are correct. I am now much older and wiser in this regard and you have had some good advice on keeping a tight handle on what goes into and comes out of your account.