can someone please explain this to me?

daffodil

Hi
I popped into a branch of Halifax today to close my bank account, because I am not confident in any banks at the moment. The cashier tried to close the account (a very experienced cashier I might add) on their computer system, so one might think that in the past it was ok to close from the computer. Anyway after being unsuccessful in closing my account, she said that the computer system said that the overdraft amount had to be closed before I closed my account. I asked her why this had to be done and she replied that she did not know. She then went into the back office for ages and returned and said that only certain staff are allowed to cancel overdrafts and she is one of them.
Am I being paranoid or what?
Surely it is a simple thing to close a bank account, surely the overdraft would automatically be cancelled if I no longer have an account?
Its just seems odd to me.
In another branch of Halifax yesterday when I closed my savings accounts there was a member of staff watching everything from behind the cashiers.
Would appreciate your thoughts:cool:
I love a mistery!:)

Miss_Havisham

was there any money owing to the bank such as fees or overdraft interest ? If so perhaps they have to give the system time (perhaps overnight processing) to calculate and debit the account.

ecoelle

I had the same when i closed my account in Halifax, they said i had to close the OD first then the account. I wasn't overdrawn or anything, they just said this was how they did it. Don't know if it's just the Halifax, i never had to do this when i closed my HSBC ac, or my Natwest Ac...bit of an acc !!!!!!:)]

Somerset

daffodil wrote: »

She then went into the back office for ages .............Am I being paranoid or what?.............. there was a member of staff watching everything from behind the cashiers.......

Cue music from the X-Files.

daffodil

I love the X files lol and the music! :A
I didnt owe them any money, I was in credit and had no direct debits or anything going out of my account

daffodil

Hey its probably what all banks do these days, as I said I do love a mystery lol:A
The member of staff at the other place may have been a trainee?

HoneyAndLemon

It's just the way the new 'lloyds' type system works. The overdraft needs to be deleted before the account can be closed. Same with every customer, so I wouldn't worry.

The person behind the cashiers was probably a manager doing 'observations' i.e. pointing out all the sales they could have approached.

daffodil

Hi
You are probably right.
My trouble is that these days since I have retired I do too much thinking:rotfl:not always a good thing.
I know that they have good customer service.
Not all banks are the same are they?:beer:

Sambucus_Nigra

I closed a couple of halifax accounts recently and you'd think I was breaking up with the guy behind the counter. Huffing, puffing, asking me 'have we fallen out?' and basically acting like a belligerent teenager who had been asked to do someone else's dishes.

I said I'd not used the account for years, as I found a better account, it was me, not you and can we still be friends?

Somerset

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I said I'd not used the account for years, as I found a better account, it was me, not you and can we still be friends?

That was kind of you. Do Halifax offer their staff counselling ?

Sambucus_Nigra

Somerset wrote: »

That was kind of you. Do Halifax offer their staff counselling ?

I hope so. :eek: