Bank Account Been Closed - Wages Going In

steffee

Hi,

I had a Barclays bank account that I left to go a little over my overdraft limit. Limit was £250, balance went to around £370. This made them take back the £250 overdraft limit, so the entire overdraft was unauthorised. Then three weeks ago I started a new job and put down the bank details for that account, for my wages to go into. I phoned them up and arranged to pay off my outstanding 'unauthorised borrowing' in installments of £100 per week. This was agreed and they sent me a letter stating that they would give me a temporary overdraft of £270, reduced to £170 the following week, and so on.

In the meantime, they cancelled my card, so to withdraw funds I had to go into the bank...

I had a kind of direct debit payment to AOL, only they use my card instead, so I couldn't cancel it online, like other DDs. I asked them last week to cancel the payment and they agreed, but this week it went out.

Now they've closed my account because the AOL payment took me over my agreed overdraft limit... after speaking to about ten different people on three different phone numbers, I still have no account, but my problem is that my pay is due to go into the account tomorrow.

Is there anything I can do about this? I've spoken to my employer but they can't (or won't) stop the BACS payment from going to my account. Will the bank take it or will it be returned? Do I have any chance at all of keeping the account open?

Thanks for any help.

greyteam1959

if your pay is due to go in tomorrow by BACS your employer will not be able to stop it.
it is too late for them to do it.
If the account is definitley closed the BACS payment will bounce back to your employer.
What do you mean 'do I have any chance of keeping the account open' ??
the account is either open or closed

steffee

Sorry, yes they told me it was closed, but on the phone last night, when I kept mentioning that my pay was going into the account, they kept putting me on hold to "see what they could do". Also, I got told last week that my account had been closed, but it hadn't, and I was able to save it.

I just don't see why they've closed my account when keeping it open was the sure-fire way to get their money back.

greyteam1959

Mmmmm I think you should get back to them and ask for a senior supervisor and find out if the account is closed or not.
I suspect that it may still be open cos they would have to tell you in writing that they were closing your account before they actually closed it .
Keep at them presistence pays off with the banks

steffee

Thanks mervyn, in which case they are going to close it anyway, but keeping it open for the moment is a way for them to get my wages tomorrow, to pay off the overdraft lol

Will ring them again, or call in tomorrow. Thanks!

AndyR_3

They are required to give 30 days notice, in writing, that they intend to close the account. This is called a termination notice, it is a requirement of the banking code that this is issued.

There is a provision for accounts to be closed quicker in "exceptional circumstances" but this only covers situations such as fraud, or violence towards staff.

If you have another account with the bank (e.g. a savings account) they may be able to re-direct your wages to there.

By the way, when it's all sorted, remember to claim back any and all charges you've incurred

AndyR_3

They are required to give 30 days notice, in writing, that they intend to close the account. This is called a termination notice, it is a requirement of the banking code that this is issued.

There is a provision for accounts to be closed quicker in "exceptional circumstances" but this only covers situations such as fraud, or violence towards staff.

If you have another account with the bank (e.g. a savings account) they may be able to re-direct your wages to there.

By the way, when it's all sorted, remember to claim back any and all charges you've incurred

s1h

I had a similar thing with halifax few years back hadnt worked in a while account was overdrawn by about £100 unauthorised. had lost the card for it, started working gave the halifax details money went in, went in to withdraw and order new card jobsworth in the branch was trying to tell me the account was closed. Said I had to withdraw the wages, which i did and she even took the chequebook i had with me off me.

So went home phoned up the customer service line said I had lost my card can I order a new one, 5 days later it dropped through the letter box been using it since!