HELP!!!! Bank Account Frozen / No-ops

solojedi2013

Really feel for you. I can't believe how bank's are able to do this. Surely a clearly legitimate source of income such as your wages should be accessible to cover your basic living expenses! It shouldn't be this difficult. I hope it all gets sorted very soon. Best of luck ...

dktreesea

It isn't just suspected criminal action or a request by a govenment department like HMRC that can cause a bank to freeze accounts. It could be frozen due to a third party debt order. Citizens Advice explains how these work in detail (www.adviceguide.org.uk, under the Debt and Money tab).

Say you owe money to someone. They can apply for an interim debt order, if they suspect you are in the "can pay, won't pay" group. This enables them to take money directly from whereever you hold it, bypassing any action by you to pay them. The debt order is an instruction to your bank to freeze your accounts. They then have 28 days to prove they have a right to your money.

dktreesea

benog1985 wrote: »

Yes I do have some accounts in default still. I had a loan & credit card 7 years ago for my ex when in a previous relationship and these never got paid. I did wonder if NatWest had put something against my name I wouldn't be allowed to even open a savings account but then again I wonder why I can't even have a basic account.

That is the kind of thing that could have triggered the bank involved to get an interim debt order against the accounts you currently use.

If this is what it is, and you are without funds as a result, you need to apply to the court for a hardship order. Citizens Advice explain the process better than I can.

dalesrider

benog1985 wrote: »

Unfortunately there's no other choice than to hang in there.....so frustrating!! I have to wonder how many people they have working in these departments!!

Have you rung the numbers provided before?????

These departments work slowly as they have to interact with other banks/payment providers and any replys from them are never quick as they have to look into the details and maybe contact another co.

goaroundnow

Hi

I think I have read this post thoroughly, apologies if I'm about to repeat myself.

It sounds to me (from your experience in Barclays refusing you any type of personal current account) that you do, in fact, have a CIFAS marker against your name.

I know from experience that only category 1 and 2 markers show on your credit reports now. The only way to find out about the other (more serious ones) like, for example, account misuse, is to SAR CIFAS.

It may be that Natwest has now put the marker against you or it could be that the marker was placed by someone else and Natwest picked up on it and this has started this chain of events.

If you SAR CIFAS they will respond within a couple of days.

I think it's very unlikely that poor credit would prevent you from getting a basic bank account. A CIFAS market would.

I also know from experience that some institutions will, upon discovery of a marker, look more deeply into it and make a considered decision. Others, and Natwest is one (in my experience), will see it and throw out any application immediately. In other words, they take a much stricter line with them. I realise you have an account with then already.

Incidentally, the CIFAS that I discovered had been registered against me was erroneous - mistakes do happen. While it's there, though, it can cause enormous problems.

LurkerTurnedPoster

I read somewhere on here that loans and debt expire after six years if they don't catch up with you. Does anyone know what that might relate to? I am a bit hazy as I have not had any credit or debt and so didn't commit the detail to memory. There was something about if you are contacted by a credit agency when the six year window has passed then you cannot be forced to pay the debts unless you acknowledge them.

LurkerTurnedPoster

I am just adding the CIFAs wording to the thread for reference as we are pooling experience and knowledge and even if not applicable in the final outcome, someone in the future with a frozen bank account may make use of it.

CIFAS aims to:

Build on crime prevention data sharing to encompass both the private and public sectors in the public interest.

Protect the interests of CIFAS Members from the actions of criminals by pooling information on fraud and prevented fraud.

Ensure that innocent members of the public who are the victims of fraud are not prejudiced by the misuse of their identities and documentation.


CIFAS is a not-for-profit membership association representing the private and public sectors. CIFAS is dedicated to the prevention of fraud, including staff fraud, and the identification of financial and related crime. CIFAS operates two databases:

goaroundnow

LurkerTurnedPoster wrote: »

I read somewhere on here that loans and debt expire after six years if they don't catch up with you. Does anyone know what that might relate to? I am a bit hazy as I have not had any credit or debt and so didn't commit the detail to memory. There was something about if you are contacted by a credit agency when the six year window has passed then you cannot be forced to pay the debts unless you acknowledge them.

If you have not paid anything towards the debt or acknowledged it in writing, it becomes statute-barred after 6years from the last payment / acknowledgment. This means you cannot be chased / forced to pay but theoretically it does still exist. This does not apply to CCJs, which do not become statute-barred, but effectively do after 6 years as a judge is unlikely to consider it reasonable that somebody is re-chasing you after a 6 year gap.

lovinituk

Any news OP? Have you got your bank account back now?

benog1985

lovinituk wrote: »

Any news OP? Have you got your bank account back now?

I'm away on holiday this week and have just on the off chance checked my app and I'm all back up & running!! Have just been to the cash point also and my card is working and have withdrawn some funds!!! Wahoooooo!!

Suppose will have to wait until I get home to find out what has happened though but in the meantime I have my account back!!