Barclays admit mess up on go head of Direct debit transfer without my authorisation

Sammy246

Last night I wrote a 5 page complaint letter to Barclays and have woke early this morning still so stressed - HELP I need some advice...

I will do my best to simplify this and keep it short...

In summary
Barclays have accessed my Natwest account transferred all direct debits without my authorisation, and numerous attempts to stop this.

Letters have been coming through the post to me saying its going ahead and to say we don't have authorisation to do this but have still done it, please sign the form and send back to us...:mad:

This has completely messed up all my finances
Barclays have admitted there should have been no transfer "we have no paperwork or signed authorisation from you to do this" and don't really know what to say to me...
What do i do, Where do I stand?

In some detail
Wanting a fresh start on my finances and have real control of regular spending and bills I decided to open a current account with Barclays.

I currently bank with Natwest

I had a meeting with a Barclays representative a my local branch. It has been a thought of mine for around 18 months, but for some reason have been so nervous at doing this in the passed.

The current account was opened, ID and a signature was given to say I was who I was.

The rep spoke of a possible transfer of all my direct debits from Natwest to the new Barclays, I was not 100% sure of this but she did talk about it in some detail.

I left the meeting with one piece of paper this contained my new sort code and account number.

I had a hunch something was not right so the following day phoned the number she gave me to confirm there was not a transferred set up on this account, I was given reassurance on this and all was fine.
This was after several attempts due to there systems being down.

I received a letter on a few days later from Barclays.
“Welcome to Barclays transfer service...”

I had assumed this had been sorted in my previous calls to Barclays when confirming there was not a transfer taking place. So was confused as to why I had received such a letter.

On the second page of this letter it reads;

“Please check the information below and ring us on 0845 755 5555 if you wish to ensure that any payments are not transferred to your account. If you do not respond within 5 days we will assume this information is correct and update our records.”

:mad: I HAD NOT AUTHORISED THIS

I immediately phoned to find out what was going on, why I had received this letter, but also to follow what the letter says and cancel all the direct debits to be listed.

This couldn't be done, I was told it's too late.

Another letter came through directly from the branch, saying they had forgot to get me to also sign the terms and conditions, please can i send back asap.
I HAVE SIGNED AND SENT NOTHING BACK.

WARNING - Barclays are impossible to assist or follow any instructions given

I really would like some help I can go into so much more detail with the continuing calls and pleading I have done with Barclays to sort this mess out, this has been to Barclays advisors and senior line managers but I would really appreciate someone out there to read this and give me some advice on what to do?

No-one can explain why every request I have made has been ignored.

It's not just a case of reinstating the direct debits in Natwest some are showing as active, some cancelled, some reinstated but this information also duplicates in the Barclays account too.

Some utility bills I have contacted directly they are sending out mandates for me to sign and send back.

Thank you for your time in reading this

innovate

The only way you can get out of what seems a big mess is if you go into Barclays asap and go through all the issues with them. I fear that you talking directly to utility companies about DDs when Barclays might be transferring them will lead to even bigger confusion.

What is it you want to achieve? Do you just want a second current account with no DDs, and keep your Natwest account as was before you opened the Barclays account? I wouldn't be surprised if Barclays don't quite understand what you want since it isn't really obvious from what you said.

I would suggest you could create a simple list of all the things you want them to do. Take that list into Branch, discuss/agree with them what will happen, then get them to confirm in writing to you what you agreed.

Sammy246

Thanks for the reply.

All I wanted to do was set up a second current account, that was it, with an aim to keep my regular spending separate from my direct debits. This is what was said in the meeting

Barclays are not capable of listening to me and now trying to cover there mistakes up by asking me to sign forms

Sammy246

I have tired to sort this out already with Barclays, I don't know how many times I have spoken to them to explain what I want but they are just not listening.

They repeat back what they are doing but then it's not actually done, each day I am getting new letters froma Barcalus to sign and send back to them

bOingball

I would ignore the Barclays thing for the moment.

Ring your current direct debit company's and tell them can you set up my direct debit for my Natwest account again.

You may need to pay them manually by card this month to make sure nothing bounces as a DD can take a while to setup.

If that's not possible. Let the dd transfer happen, move some money over to Barclays to pay the DDs and then tell Natwest to do a transfer of all DDs back to Natwest after they are all paid for this month.

Sounds like a pain but if they can't stop the transfer I don't think you have any other options.
The process of what happens is listed here http://www.bacs.co.uk/Bacs/Businesses/DirectDebit/PayingBy/Pages/ChangingBanks.aspx

Cheers
bOing

innovate

Sammy246 wrote: »

The rep spoke of a possible transfer of all my direct debits from Natwest to the new Barclays, I was not 100% sure of this but she did talk about it in some detail.

Sammy246 wrote: »

All I wanted to do was set up a second current account, that was it, with an aim to keep my regular spending separate from my direct debits. This is what was said in the meeting

This is an example that shows why confusion may have arisen. on the one hand, you say you aren't 100% sure of the DD transfers, on the other hand you seem to say you want an account without DDs.

Not that there is anything you can do now about what has happened but going forward, it will help if you are clear what you want, and if you verify that the other side has the same understanding as you have.

fozmcfc

I don't understand why you gave them your Natwest details, when you wanted to keep your DD's with Natwest.

Surely they didn't need them to set an account up and without them, surely they couldn't have accessed it.

I think as suggested, you need to go into branch, not deal with it over the phone.

Somerset

fozmcfc wrote: »

I don't understand why you gave them your Natwest details, when you wanted to keep your DD's with Natwest.

Surely they didn't need them to set an account up and without them, surely they couldn't have accessed it.

Because bank's are devious and think themselves god-like.

A few year's ago, I needed to open a hsbc current in order to qualify for the regular saver's account. Not only did the berk in branch want details of my Lloyds current account, he insisted I go in with a month's worth of statements to 'review' direct debits. Note, I fully explained (and he understood) I'd transfer the monthly £xx from Lloyds to the new hsbc current account where it would sit until the monthly regular payment was internally called for/transfer.

I posted on this forum and got the usual banker's defensive !!!!!!!! ..... ''they're entitled''........''it's standard''............''it's security''........... ''don't open it if you won't jump through the hoops''..... etc. Pure rubbish.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1481271

I went off to another hsbc branch to try my luck and surprise surprise, they didn't need to review the Lloyds statements, and I got what I wanted rather than what the berk in the first branch wanted.

innovate

Somerset wrote: »

Because bank's are devious and think themselves god-like.

Rubbish.

When you open a new current account, you do not have to give a bank the details of any bank account you hold elsewhere.

I should know, I have over 20, and was never asked once for the details of any other account.

Somerset

innovate wrote: »

Rubbish.

When you open a new current account, you do not have to give a bank the details of any bank account you hold elsewhere.

It's not rubbish. I've experienced this cross-selling misrepresentation
myself.

What you have to do and what bank's tell you, you have to do are two completely different things. Or rather the CS 'advisor' sitting at their desk monitoring his/her 'target's' which matter a hell of a lot more than the customer.

Don't insist it doesn't happen - it does. Shouldn't is irrelevant - it happens.

innovate

Fact is that you do not have to give a bank the details of any bank account you hold elsewhere when you open a new bank current account. Even if someone asks you for it.

People do need to assume a bit of responsibility for their own affairs and not just do as they are told/asked. Do you always answer any question that you are being asked? Even if you do not understand why you are being asked? You don't have to answer these questions, of course, lol.