Paid money into the wrong bank account

DaftStudentNo1

Hello,

I have accidentally paid money into the wrong bank account. I have paid into my landlords old account details which he said is closed but I've checked with an online account checker and it says the account for that sort code and account number is active.

I've told my bank of the incident and they have said they will investigate into it and send out a letter in a few more days regarding the issue after investigation.

I have tried to contact the recipients bank but they wont tell me anything at all because of data protection.

I understand this is down to a mistake and my own stupidity but I was just wondering how else I could go about retrieving the money in question as I am a student and this is going to cause me massive problems.

My only other option if the investigation don't work is to contact the recipients bank and ask them to let the recipient know and then ask for the funds to be released back.

If that doesn't work what chances do I have of going to the police and it getting solved that way?

Any help would be massively appreciated.

antrobus

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

...I have accidentally paid money into the wrong bank account. I have paid into my landlords old account details which he said is closed but I've checked with an online account checker and it says the account for that sort code and account number is active....

No it doesn't. The online account checker simply tells you that the sort code and account number combination are valid, as in they could exist. But you knew that anyway; they are your "landlords old account details".

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

..I've told my bank of the incident and they have said they will investigate into it and send out a letter in a few more days regarding the issue after investigation.....

That's all you can do. The money will be sitting in a suspense account somewhere.

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

...If that doesn't work what chances do I have of going to the police and it getting solved that way?....

Zero. No crime has been committed.

SailorSam

The police aren't going to be interested.
I heard them talking about this type of things a few months back on the radio, and the banks can't do a lot. All they can do is write to the person and ask for the money back, if he doesn't give it then that's the end of the matter.

DaftStudentNo1

antrobus wrote: »

No it doesn't. The online account checker simply tells you that the sort code and account number combination are valid, as in they could exist. But you knew that anyway; they are your "landlords old account details".

Thank you for that information as I was really worried someone else might have been given his details on a new account once he closed the account.

Zero. No crime has been committed.

I thought if the recipient is aware of the money being their by mistake and its not theirs and they refuse to pay it back then it becomes theft.

I understand its not a crime until they know that the money is there in error.

I would post links but I am a new member to the forum so do not have the rights to do so.

stclair

Just raise a concern with your bank and see if they can retrieve the money for you.

I doubt you will achieve anything by doing your own leg work.

MarkFromCornwall

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

Any help would be massively appreciated.

I suggest you ask your landlord to write to the bank explaining what has happened and asking them to return the money. Make it easy for your landlord - write the letter yourself, ask him or her nicely to sign it and offer to post it for them.

antrobus

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

....I thought if the recipient is aware of the money being their by mistake and its not theirs and they refuse to pay it back then it becomes theft. ....

That can indeed be the case.

However in this case you have sent the money to your landlord's 'old' bank account. So the recipient will either be your landlord (the account might still be open) or the bank (if the account has actually been closed). If the latter, the bank will likely send the money back, if the former, then your landlord already has his money. But might not yet realise it.

DaftStudentNo1

antrobus wrote: »

That can indeed be the case.

However in this case you have sent the money to your landlord's 'old' bank account. So the recipient will either be your landlord (the account might still be open) or the bank (if the account has actually been closed). If the latter, the bank will likely send the money back, if the former, then your landlord already has his money. But might not yet realise it.

I last paid into this account in May. Since then my landlord has closed down the account. I have in October paid to those old details.

What are the chances that his old details have been given to a new customer?

fiesta04

Have you spoken to your LL to ask his Bank about where the payment has gone?

F4

DaftStudentNo1

fiesta04 wrote: »

Have you spoken to your LL to ask his Bank about where the payment has gone?

F4

Yes. The LL said he would contact his former bank to ask where the payment has gone. I havent heard anything as of yet hence the worrying.

Dr_Cuckoo3

DaftStudentNo1 wrote: »

Hello,

I have accidentally paid money into the wrong bank account. I have paid into my landlords old account details which he said is closed but I've checked with an online account checker and it says the account for that sort code and account number is active.

I've told my bank of the incident and they have said they will investigate into it and send out a letter in a few more days regarding the issue after investigation.

If the payment was made online then use the sending bank's payment status checker (if it has one) or send a 1p test payment from a bank which provides confirmation of receipt by the payee's bank , this will confirm whether the receiving account is still open (and is more reliable than the online account checker )