Advice needed re: Santander charges on account after I closed it!

annamhughes10

Hi all,

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated as I am completely unsure of what to do. I closed my Santander bank account in early July but am being charge for a payment that went out on 10th July and continue to accrue charges. I haven't had a bank statement since June. Does anyone know how I should handle this? Should I challenge it? The timeline is as follows:

2nd July: I requested that my Santander account be closed over the phone. They tell me to ignore a few letters which may come through about overdraft charges as it takes a while for the system to link up. My last statement is up until 15th June.

10th July: I forgot about an online resource I paid monthly to use (through the website) and the monthly amount was taken from the account £18.95.

5th August: Santander write to me and say that I owe £60 in charges. I'm on holiday at the time but when I return, based on the advice I got on the phone, I assume that this is a mistake.

9th August: Monthly payment to website rejeceted and the site email me to update payment information.

24th August: I send a letter by recorded delivery to Santander to query the £60 charge.

23rd October: I receive a letter saying that I now owe £273.95

Does anyone know what I should do next? I am worried about writing back in case I acrue another 2 months worth of charges? But I'm not sure how far I will get over the phone.

Any advice would be greatly received! I totally admit that it was my oversight regarding the payment details the website had but as I requested the account be closed on 2nd July why did they put the payment through?

Thank you in advance!
AMH

pmduk

What sort of payment was it? A Direct Debit or a recurring payment from a card? Direct Debits should have been cancelled with the closure of the account. Recurring payments are a different kettle of fish. If you haven't cancelled use of the online resource, you are probably still liable to make the payment.

jen245

You should also have had confirmation in writing that your account was closed, and with Santander, you should never just assume!

xyz123

annamhughes10 wrote: »

24th August: I send a letter by recorded delivery to Santander to query the £60 charge.

23rd October: I receive a letter saying that I now owe £273.95

I totally admit that it was my oversight regarding the payment details the website had but as I requested the account be closed on 2nd July why did they put the payment through?

AMH

Unfortunately santander doesnt have a good reputation for customer services, couple of questions which may help you in future discussions with santander are:

1- Did you chase them up between august and october regarding this? Did you confirm that the letter reached them (by tracking on royal mail website)

2- Did you receive written confirmation for account closure or did you chase up for written complaint?

I would write another letter to them referencing all previous communication (incl receipt of previous letter)..

jonesMUFCforever

Not many banks would let you close an account over the phone.

AnonymousForObviousReason

As you know the date demand they listen to the tapes. If person you spoke to didn't say anything like go into a branch to confirm it's their fault.

annamhughes10

Thanks all! Thankfully when I queried it all in August I did send it recorded delivery - it is just that it took them 2 months to respond. In that response they did include that the accrount closure had been actioned and I have had no bank statements since then.

I'll be writing to them again today now I have all the fact.

Thanks once again!

tgon

Hope this works out - please post back. I've a vested interest as have written to them this week with my instructions to close my A&L accounts (having already rearranged my DD's & SO's) elsewhere.

AnonymousForObviousReason

It's simple to avoid these charges. Wait till a complaint nets you £30 (if you've no complaint just wait a few months, we've all been there you optimistic scamp), this takes 5 weeks for investigation and 8 weeks after that for it to be credited, so you start to close your account, you'll have moved your money in the first 4 weeks then you'll get an underfunding fee, this will be paid by your "We're not very good, please stay" payment.

I'm actually considering sending my complaint letter now about the problems I will have closing my account next month (or whenever it happens). Complaint will be investigated as the account tries to be shut and hopefully just in time for them to cancel the underfunding fee ... well it's an idea.