Account credited in error

salsa2818

Hi

My partner and I hold a joint bank account with Halifax and he received a call from a private number this morning explaining last July they credited our account in error by just over £5000. They then asked if he knew or whether he was expecting a credit similar around that time and he said he was waiting for a tax rebate. He told them he would speak to me as it's a joint account.

We genuinely had no idea. They obviously want us to credit them back. It's not like it's just a few hundred it is a lot of money. I'm guessing we will have to pay back somehow but is there anything we can do?

Thank you

DCFC79

Well dont just give them the money back without actually checking the money was deposited into your account, check your accounts for july last year.

Took him a long time to realise he hadn't received the money.

eskbanker

Get them to put it in writing but expect to have to pay it back. Did the tax rebate turn up separately or not at all?

bengal-stripe

Did you or did you not receive £5000 in error. If you did, it is not your money and you cannot keep it.

If I were you, I would be very careful. How would the individual who phoned you know your number (did they know your name too?). The bank would and could not give out these details. The whole thing might be a scam.

Check your statements!

salsa2818

Sorry if it was unclear in was typing too quick as it's obviously upsetting hearing this.

It was Halifax on a private number. We have checked the account and it has been put in as an error. I can't even think how we haven't known about it. We both log in and move money around so unless we have both seen it and thought it was a rebate and put it in without telling the other I just don't know.

salsa2818

My partner has said it was actually the local branch who rang rather than someone who would work in their bigger offices. He's called CAB and they have said to get in touch with a financial ombudsman. I am so worried we are going to get in trouble for their mistake

DCFC79

salsa2818 wrote: »

My partner has said it was actually the local branch who rang rather than someone who would work in their bigger offices. He's called CAB and they have said to get in touch with a financial ombudsman. I am so worried we are going to get in trouble for their mistake

[STRIKE]Who is called CAB ?

The CAB is the Citizens Advice Bureau[/STRIKE]

bengal-stripe

salsa2818 wrote: »

I am so worried we are going to get in trouble for their mistake

You won't get into trouble, but you will have to pay it back. It is not your money!

It might not have been the bank's mistake, the sender could have got a digit or two wrong and it ended up in your account.

pinkteapot

OP's partner has called CAB ("He has called CAB").

salsa2818

I have checked back into last year's statement and it just says credited from HALIFAX
I have just rang the Financial Ombudsman Service and they have logged the complaint and Halifax now need to get in touch and sort it out with us.
Just what we need at the moment! I think we will be changing back accounts!

TBagpuss

You will have to repay it, as it is not yours. However, you may be able t negotiate to pay back in installments if you cannot afford to do so all at once.