Barclays Say NO!

peteuk

Many thanks for the replies some are helpful some are not!

To clear some points up

Barclays account - usually ran well, occasionally overdrawn with the odd DD, usually covered or cancelled.

HSBC - My first bank account aged 18 (Now 40+) miss sold a lot of products including insurance on a mortgage. Left with a small debt but paid off.

Llyods TSB - My wife's first account then joint account. Left with large loans all but one paid off. Advised to leave on the start of our DMP

First Direct - Closed by HSBC when I left HSBC - debt was an overdraft of £100.

Nat West - Opened on the start of DMP, the worst bank in the world (IMO) very poor customer service, left when we returned to the UK.

So as you can see the history of the above covers over 20 years.

Address - Barclays should have left an "away marker" but didn't. The previous occupant hasn't told them his new address because he doesn't want them chasing him for debt (Barclay Card). The other "letters" we have received for them have been returned and no further communication received. The only other problem we have had was with Southern Electric. They sent a letter to the Occupier asking me to contact them to help locate previous customer.

In both cases I was a customer of Barclays and Southern Electric at the property. SE were very apologetic, to date Barclays and Barclays card have paid me £500 in apologies....the problem is they start the compensation at a low amount (£50) but then when I say "Ive told you about this before" they then double it the next time.

I do complain a lot I know, but when a customer service operator call the customer "Mate" or transferring the call to a different department without advising the customer and then putting them through cold so you have to repeat the security process or the whole story! I have grounds to do so.

I am emailing Barclays head office to see if I can appeal the decision, Im not hold my breath. Awaiting confirmation of a new account with Co-op.

Please do not judge me, life has not always been plain sailing but when you turn a £50K debt around you do leave a trail of destruction and damage. The damage to my credit profile will be with me for a few more years.

SparklesJD

Would suggest you see if your local credit union offers a current account, or try http://www.credecard.com/credEcardplus who don't run credit checks on applicants.

Deru

Co-op bank or Metro Bank. Can you go for a Basic Account if you don't need the bells and whistles? Less likely to be turned down. Maybe they'll just offer the basic if you can't get the current account like a friend of mine just did.

MetroBank has 24 hour phone line I believe. If there is one near you, you can get an account open and get a debit card in under 30 mins in branch.

Nationwide might be good too. I've had accounts with all of them.

Everynamestaken

I'm not judging you on the debt. However, I think you need to get in the real world.

You don't pay for personal banking by the sounds of it, so why such a snobbish attitude to something that may not always be free?

It may just be me, but I've NEVER had a bank issue me a letter for an account closure, so I find it extremely amusing with your track record (from what you're wrote), that you are on such a high horse.

As someone said, the Banks are not charities or agony aunts.

If you do find another bank, maybe you need change your attitude, as you come across someone that Branch staff can't wait to get rid of.

Carnival789

to the OP - first off, sorry that you have received so many unhelpful and judgemental responses to what was quite a simple/innocent question. Unfortunately this place is full of people that won't silently pass a thread that they don't want to help (or even pass on encouragement) but simply want to criticise and judge instead.

Ok so your credit history is patchy. But that is no reason why the big banks would cut all ties with you. Speaking as a former credit underwriter for on the big banks I can say this with certainty.

Yes, you will probably find it dificult to obtain any risk products, but the basic bank accounts that you can get are for people in situations such as yours. In my experience, whenever a former customer was declared bankrupt their standard current accounts were closed down but we would be happy to continue the relationship on on one of these basic bank accounts.

So, I think there must be some other reason as to why you are having trouble with the banks.... In my opinion, most likely a fraud concern (either actual or perceived). I think it's unlikely that it's anything to do with any complaints you made... Judging by the ppi scandal there must be millions of people that have complained for this issue alone in recent times!

GingerFurball_2

If you complain enough with some banks then they will close your accounts down. The volume of complaints needs to be at a level where you are quite obviously taking the !!!! out of that bank's complaints process.

10pence

Added some comments in red...

Carnival789 wrote: »

to the OP - first off, sorry that you have received so many unhelpful and judgemental responses to what was quite a simple/innocent question. Unfortunately this place is full of people that won't silently pass a thread that they don't want to help (or even pass on encouragement) but simply want to criticise and judge instead.

Ok so your credit history is patchy. But that is no reason why the big banks would cut all ties with you. Speaking as a former credit underwriter for on the big banks I can say this with certainty.

Having been involved in account opening the opposite will be true; branches can have a say in account opening and decline accounts, especially if the customer like the one here as multiple debts with multiple creditors, they're too high risk and time consuming.

Yes, you will probably find it dificult to obtain any risk products, but the basic bank accounts that you can get are for people in situations such as yours. In my experience, whenever a former customer was declared bankrupt their standard current accounts were closed down but we would be happy to continue the relationship on on one of these basic bank accounts.

Incorrect, most banks will close accounts and severe a relationship once a customer has been declared bankrupt. Currently only Barclays will open an account for some declared bankrupt and this is limited to no internet access.

So, I think there must be some other reason as to why you are having trouble with the banks.... In my opinion, most likely a fraud concern (either actual or perceived). I think it's unlikely that it's anything to do with any complaints you made... Judging by the ppi scandal there must be millions of people that have complained for this issue alone in recent times!

PPI was a legitimate complaint, banks haven't got time for someone that cannot see their own faults or are 'time wasters'.
I recall a customer who without fail incurred overdraft fees each month; they complain, got a refund and the cycles repeated for about 4 months. After this the bank declined refunds as the customer would have been aware of the fee charging structure. So the customer then found other things to complain about: the branch being too hot, too cold, too busy, and other crap. The result was the same to get the fees refunded. This customer's account was closed.

From what I've read here of the threadtstarter I too would have declined business with them - too much effort and possibly risk with little reward.

GingerFurball wrote: »

If you complain enough with some banks then they will close your accounts down. The volume of complaints needs to be at a level where you are quite obviously taking the !!!! out of that bank's complaints process.

True, seen it done. Ppl seem to forget that banks can close an account and end the relationship without reason.
Unfortunately, some people seem to confuse privilege and entitlement too often for my liking.

TrustyOven

10pence wrote: »

True, seen it done. Ppl seem to forget that banks can close an account and end the relationship without reason.
Unfortunately, some people seem to confuse privilege and entitlement too often for my liking.

what happens to your own money in your account when the bank decide to close it?
Does it get kept by the bank?

There was a thread about a poster who's Lloyds account was being closed and they were being refused accounts with other banks. What happens to their money if their bank is closing and cannot shift money to any other bank?

Ed-1

TrustyOven wrote: »

what happens to your own money in your account when the bank decide to close it?
Does it get kept by the bank?

There was a thread about a poster who's Lloyds account was being closed and they were being refused accounts with other banks. What happens to their money if their bank is closing and cannot shift money to any other bank?

They make you come and collect it in branch in cash and sometimes require proof of where it came from but certainly of ID.

pmduk

In my general experience nowadays, people, not necessarily the OP, claim to have an entitlement to anything and everything.