Why Can Banks Not Carry Out Simple Written Instructions ?

molerat

Why can you not close internet accounts over the internet ? Why do banks have to make life difficult ? Why when you give them clear instructions in writing can they not just do as instructed ? :mad:

My list of useless banking organisations that have caused me personal grief by not doing simple tasks as instructed now includes :

Birmingham Midshires
Halifax
Tesco

Sent a letter 2nd class Wednesday asking Tesco to close 3 of the 4 internet accounts held with them. Received a phone call Friday to confirm and ask security, bit of a niggle but I suppose fair enough, and will transfer by FP (all very efficient so far). 5 minutes later check current account and see a familiar amount has been transferred, check back with Tesco account and see that the one account to be left open has been closed and one to be closed still open. The letter clearly gave sort code and account names. Again, why can they not do as asked :mad:

Now breathe ..........

RetiredInThailand

It's not just banks. It's general all-round incompetence that seems to affect every organisation at every level these days.

Probably connected to the fact that hardly anyone can spell or add up any more.

Gromitt

molerat wrote: »

The letter clearly gave sort code and account names

Did you actually give the account names, or the account numbers?

molerat

Gromitt wrote: »

Did you actually give the account names, or the account numbers?

sort code, account numbers and names.

pmduk

They've not carried out your instructions on the same day they received them Could you be being a little hasty? Tesco Bank doesn't have the best reputation for it's admin.

MoneySavingUser

RetiredInThailand wrote: »

It's not just banks. It's general all-round incompetence that seems to affect every organisation at every level these days.

Probably connected to the fact that hardly anyone can spell or add up any more.

Unfortunately this statement is 100% true

- Staff in many organisations lack basic skills
- But they also lack motivation if they can get away (or think they can) with just not bothering and spending the day texting their mates or chatting on facebook a large amount of people will

molerat

pmduk wrote: »

They've not carried out your instructions on the same day they received them Could you be being a little hasty? Tesco Bank doesn't have the best reputation for it's admin.

I had 4 accounts, asked for 3 to be closed, they closed 2 of the 3 plus the one I wanted left open and left the 3rd I requested closed open.

Stephen_Leak

I suspect that having to cease accounts the old-fashioned way is a not only a security precaution but also an attempted disincentive to do so. Just try finding any information on how to cease accounts on a website.

As for the failure to do obey written instructions, I regret that everyone else is correct. All you can do is make it as clear as possible, but then keep a copy and check for what goes wrong.

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Trust them, but only as far as you could spit a cash dispenser. It shouldn't have to be like that, but unfortunately it is.

HomerCastle

I make it a rule never to ask an organisation to carry out more than one task at once... It's a bit of a hassle but less so than trying to untangle things when they get it wrong.