RBS blocked access to my account because I owed money on another account

ShavedApe

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

First time poster - overdrawn on a savings account - pull the other one.

So being a first time poster makes this not true? So what your saying is had I posted a thousand posts this would be more believable. Believe me I can barely believe it myself but the 4 or so hours wasted yesterday tells me it really happened. What do I gain by making this up exactly do please enlighten me.

Lokolo wrote: »

It's not a new practice. Banks can always offset debts, which I suspect what they are doing. However, banks won't do this sort of thing unless they have to. You have a debt of £112 which you haven't paid for a year. They gave you a chance. £112 over a year is just £10 a month, which most people can pay off.

Banks can choose who they want as a customer, you are "behaving badly" so they want to get rid of you. Get rid of your debt etc.

Learn from your mistakes.

I guess you missed the part where I said I had been making an effort to pay when I can I guess Im not most people since I cant afford £10 a month I can barely afford to live week to week how exactly am I behaving badly by not paying off a debt I dispute?
If they want me to leave the bank heres a thought how about they just ask or better yet since they can choose as you say why not just tell me they are closing my account?

thatsean wrote: »

How on earth does it take so long to explain something that's on here a hundred times already? Nearly got arrested - what?

It took a lot longer to get it sorted than it did to explain and while you may of seen it a hundred times I haven't and I wasnt sure how to search for it so I thought I would be helping others by warning them to be mindful of what could happen course you could of just kept out of it since you had nothing constructive to say but why would you do that when your post was so informative and helpful.
Yes I nearly got arrested its an offence to fill your car with fuel without the means to pay for it.

jen245 wrote: »

How can you owe money on a savings account??!! You cant have direct debits on a savings account either

Direct debits are allowed on that account and I used it to help me pay my bills however something had to be paid I took from the savings account in the belief I would get it back in in time I didnt I was then charged £38 pounds for not paying the DD which meant I still had to pay the DD and the £38 which is taken straight away that then meant I couldn't pay a couple more DD's which meant more £38 charges and yet more bills that had to be paid and there charges for not paying on time.

Joe_Bloggs wrote: »

A little far fetched, I hope, for all of our interests !



J_B.

It may seem far fetched and had it not happened to me I might agree but why exactly would I make this up what would I have to gain from it?

Clearly some people here have the holier than though attitude so do us all a favour and keep it to yourself I'm pretty sure this sites philosophy and the nature of this forum is aimed at helping others and if you cant do that then by all means don't bother to post at all.
I'm sorry if my post upsets or offends you it wasn't meant to do that but to simply tell my story a story which quiet frankly I can barely believe myself but I can assure you it definitely happened.

Joe_Bloggs

@ShavedApe I was having a minor dig at Opinions4u who is normally 99% right about everything. There may be a dispute about this figure.
I am a consumer of financial services like yourself I do not provide them. Stick with this site and tell us all how you solved the problem. A cool head and calm manner may get you further when you are internally gritting your teeth.
J_B.

ShavedApe

The only way to resolve this for me was to pay them there 112 pounds but since they had already cancelled my card I had to call them everytime I want to withdraw money they will then grant me an encashment which I then goto the bank and claim. The 112 pounds btw before somebody says it was money saved to pay for my licence to continue trading which is due at the end of the month so at this point I will have no business come the 30th of the month since it will be illegal for me to continue trading without that licence.
At this point this issue remains unresolved as I still cant withdraw money from my account without first phoning them and spending around 10 - 15 minutes on hold and then as with all previous calls being told yes I see that you owe 112 pounds.
I have since lodged a complaint with them and the person on the phone told me that had I spoke to him in the first place and told him that I disputed the charges he would of raised a query at that point so its clear that I was just unlucky but it would appear I was unlucky on more than one occasion when calling them.

I still feel what they did was illegal regardless of the fact that I owed them money. No other institution has that ability to stop my access to my bank accounts should I owe them money for eg. my ex partner was overpaid on her tax credits they didn't and cant stop access to her bank account until she pays it back and that's a government organisation if anyone should have that ability surely they should.
In doing so they put my business at risk and cost me a days work because I could not afford to go to work, I couldn't pay my rent which could of ultimately led to me being asked to leave extreme I know but where I already to owe them money which I once did they could of taken the next step to have me removed. There where other issues and at this point those people are willing to wait but for how long and at what cost seems most companies have a charge these days if your late paying which I try and avoid by paying via my card in advance a small amount each week before the bill arrives and then paying the shortfall before the due date. However as is I may fall outside of those due dates and be charged around £10 - £15 that seems to be the norm.

Joe_Bloggs

The FSA are looking into this area. They say it has affected 2% of consumers.
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/consumerinformation/product_news/banking/new_guidelines/index.shtml

J_B.

ShavedApe

I guess its along the same lines but they didnt really use my account to pay the debt more hold it to ransom until I made some sort of agreement to pay them back. I asked them today to tell me where in there terms and conditions it says that it can be done and none of the 4 people I talked to could tell me. I guess based on the link above that might be the reason why there isnt anything in there terms but I do find it funny that they could not find anything and didnt mention the above either.
I received a notice of intention to file a default from them today dated the 1st of the month and they blocked my account on the 2nd what's frustrating is in that notice came with a nice information sheet from the office of fair trading telling me how I could seek advice etc but they acted on this the day after the letter was printed and gave me no time at all to follow the enclosed advice sheet.
I have at this point filed a formal complaint with them and also contacted the financial ombudsman for advice too.
A little surprised nobody here told me to do that I guess most of them where too busy looking down there noses at my post count or lack of or maybe just down there noses.
I will for those who are interested and looking for advice on this matter keep you informed in this thread of what if anything happens.

Joe_Bloggs

What did the CAB advise you to do ? Can you even get to see them ? The FOS could take months if not longer to equivocate or not in somebodies favour.
It might be worth contacting your MP if CAB can't help.
J_B.

Joe_Bloggs

I found this ombudsman news article on set-off rulings.
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/40/40_setoff.htm
J_B.

lilangel_2

Hi there ShavedApe whilst I have no advice to offer I really do hope you get this sorted, there are far to many of us out in the country that are struggling with debt because we are unable to pay back as much as they wish due to unforeseen circumstances and also there are far to many people out there who look upon these people and say "well you spent it so you have to pay for it". We all understand that it's our debt but when we are struggling to live on the incomes we have anyway some people need to understand that we are all not as lucky as them to be able to go out willy nilly and spend what they like and not worry about watching every penny whilst surviving on beans on toast. I really wish these people could have a taste of our lives and then see how quick they are to post that our posts for help and advice are not so extreme or far fetched as they may think.

I wish you all the best ShavedApe in your conquest and really do hope you can get in sorted I hope a few words of encouragement can help at this time and if I find any advice for you I'll be sure to post it. X

Inactive

lilangel wrote: »

Hi there ShavedApe whilst I have no advice to offer I really do hope you get this sorted, there are far to many of us out in the country that are struggling with debt because we are unable to pay back as much as they wish due to unforeseen circumstances and also there are far to many people out there who look upon these people and say "well you spent it so you have to pay for it". We all understand that it's our debt but when we are struggling to live on the incomes we have anyway some people need to understand that we are all not as lucky as them to be able to go out willy nilly and spend what they like and not worry about watching every penny whilst surviving on beans on toast. I really wish these people could have a taste of our lives and then see how quick they are to post that our posts for help and advice are not so extreme or far fetched as they may think.

Come off it, the OP can arguably afford to run a car...beans on toast, my backside.;)

ShavedApe

I never said I could afford to run a car but since I need one for my business I still have to pay for it. A driving instructor without a car wouldn't be much use would he and before someone says it my car is an 03 plate and not worth very much at all since it was CAT D when I bought it to save money not as with most ADI's a new or nearly new car.
Thanks for the input though Inactive very helpfull

Having looked at the set-off stuff that option would of been a little easier than the course they took I wouldn't of lost a days work trying to get access to my money and I wouldn't of had to spend so long calling people up to explain why they wont be getting paid there money this week. Had they used set-off and just taken money from my account to pay sure I wouldn't of liked it and yes it would leave me in a place I am now wondering how I'm going to find the money to pay for my licence at the end of the month but it would of also left me with the ability to pay my bills on my card before there deadline and any subsequent late charges are added. Charges that will inevitably lead to me being in a position where again I am unable to pay someone what they are owed.