HSBC inhibited new bank account

sam.T

Hi all, Im desperately look for some advice here.

Firstly, im currently entering into a DMP with SC and as they advised i recently opened a basic bank account with HSBC in my local branch using my driving license as proof of Id.

This was last Tuesday and i got my card etc and have been using it since. But today i went to use it and it wasn't accepted at the checkout of a supermarket.

So i asked at my local branch why and they said my account had been inhibited due to my drivers license not matching the account details that was set up with last week.

Basically the difference is that in my second middle name on my driving license is just a single letter where as on my account details its the full name is worded.

When i spoke to the HSBC staff they said i had only been inhibited because of this and that they have the auditors in today and had marked my account because of the small above error. Another staff member from back came forward and said that she had change the error just now and that my account will be unfrozen by the end of the day.

My worry is that what if it isnt unfrozen by the end of the day, there is some money in the account and bills have to be paid from that.

What if this little problem is enought to close the account from the auditor?

I was offer to take some money out of the account if i needed it but i am very tempted to take it all out incase it doesnt get unfrozen quickly.

Aquamania

sam.T wrote: »

Hi all, Im desperately look for some advice here.

Firstly, im currently entering into a DMP with SC and as they advised i recently opened a basic bank account with HSBC in my local branch using my driving license as proof of Id.

This was last Tuesday and i got my card etc and have been using it since. But today i went to use it and it wasn't accepted at the checkout of a supermarket.

So i asked at my local branch why and they said my account had been inhibited due to my drivers license not matching the account details that was set up with last week.

Basically the difference is that in my second middle name on my driving license is just a single letter where as on my account details its the full name is worded.

When i spoke to the HSBC staff they said i had only been inhibited because of this and that they have the auditors in today and had marked my account because of the small above error. Another staff member from back came forward and said that she had change the error just now and that my account will be unfrozen by the end of the day.

My worry is that what if it isnt unfrozen by the end of the day, there is some money in the account and bills have to be paid from that.

What if this little problem is enought to close the account from the auditor?

I was offer to take some money out of the account if i needed it but i am very tempted to take it all out incase it doesnt get unfrozen quickly.

So they've inhibited your account but still allowing you to access the funds within it? :huh:

What did they advise you need to do to get the account out of the current inhibited state?
What's going to happen at the end of the day that will allow them to unfreeze the account then, that prevents them from unfreezing the account immediately?

Maybe time to check out the HSBC website, and in particular their complaints procedure - I have a feeling it may be useful to you very soon

grumbler

Aquamania wrote: »

So they've inhibited your account but still allowing you to access the funds within it? :huh:

It's very sensible and in fact has to be a norm for all banks to give access to some funds when freezing accounts for AML checks.

Archi_Bald

grumbler wrote: »

It's very sensible and in fact has to be a norm for all banks to give access to some funds when freezing accounts for AML checks.

"has to be the norm" - -- who says so, and what are the details of the norm?

I agree it would make sense if people, even if they have been found guilty of crimes (long way from even being suspected of any crime), would be allowed to withdraw a minimum amount of money so they can pay their mortgage/rent and buy food. But I don't know of any norm that applies. Would be delighted to learn that I am misinformed.

Caladan

Sounds like overzealousness to me. The inhibit can be removed if they're happy with the documents and the match up, and can't if they're not. Bit odd to delay it unless it has to be referred to somebody with the proper authority to tick the box (hence giving you an end of day deadline instead of immediate).

grumbler

Archi_Bald wrote: »

"has to be the norm" - -- who says so, and what are the details of the norm?

I said, "has to be", not "is".
As some banks do this sometimes this clearly indicates that there is no anything in AML stopping them doing this. When/if banks refuse any access to the blocked money (or a temporary free loan) they simply hide behind vague AML thus demonstrating blatant loutishness towards their customers.