News about online Banking

georgiasmum

I discovered that Barclays now allow online banking to undischarged BRs. You can only transfer £300 per transaction and a few other small things but I have to say a welcome change. I discovered this whilst in the process of asking them to upgrade me to phone banking etc.


Still can't have phone banking or the App but it is a good shout.

owlet

That's good news, thanks for sharing!

youngbuck2

Are you 100% sure about this? I opened a Barclays basic account (the cash card account) about 3 weeks ago after I went BR and was told specifically at the time in branch that I was not allowed online banking? I do have telephone banking though, where I can call up and check balances/make transfers etc which seems the opposite of what you have?

georgiasmum

Well I phoned up to ask about why my online access allowed me to set up small transfers but not the ones I wanted. They said that my online banking was reinstated due a change in policy but no phone banking or the App. I guess it depends who you speak to when you phone up. I put my discharge to the branch today to reinstate everything! I do remember early in my BR the branch manager telling me they were lobbying head office to give everyone online access. Maybe that is what has happened.

youngbuck2

georgiasmum wrote: »

Well I phoned up to ask about why my online access allowed me to set up small transfers but not the ones I wanted. They said that my online banking was reinstated due a change in policy but no phone banking or the App. I guess it depends who you speak to when you phone up. I put my discharge to the branch today to reinstate everything! I do remember early in my BR the branch manager telling me they were lobbying head office to give everyone online access. Maybe that is what has happened.

So you think they've reinstated it for everyone and not just because you're nearly/already discharged from BR? Just been told over the phone my telephone banking has been removed, even though they gave me it when I opened my account and having told them I'm BR!

I phoned up and was told something along the lines of "we think you might now be able to get online banking, but you will have to go in branch" so have an appointment on Wednesday.

It's a real pain in the !!!!. I don't know why Barclays didn't allow BR account holders to have online banking in the first place. Is it some sort of "punishment"? With no telephone banking now, every single time I want to make a transfer I have to go in branch which is 8 miles away!

It's so unfair. Us BR lot are trying to start again, but Barclays make it so tough if you don't live near a branch.

Hopefully it's true and I'll have access to my account online.

TheGardener

I know it seems unfair - but be thankful for small mercies - its not that long ago that BR's couldn't get a high street bank account at all. As I've said before on this board, I've long believed Barlcays and the co-op did some sort of deal with the IS to make sure BR's could access mainstream banking which makes the OR's life a lot easier as well as the BR's.

dojoman

TheGardener wrote: »

I know it seems unfair - but be thankful for small mercies - its not that long ago that BR's couldn't get a high street bank account at all. As I've said before on this board, I've long believed Barlcays and the co-op did some sort of deal with the IS to make sure BR's could access mainstream banking which makes the OR's life a lot easier as well as the BR's.

I went BR 6 years ago and at the time you you could easily open a Coop or Barclays basic account, whilst now there is only Barclays available if you are an undischarged BR, so we are actually worse off than a few years ago. Why would you think that these 2 organisations would do a deal whilst the others would not? Also I do not see how having a mainstream bank account would make the life of the OR easier.

georgiasmum

I never had phone banking at all. I could phone up and transfer money between my accounts but not do payments or amend anything. The internet banking came back on the day I was discharged and I thought that was a coincidence; I tried to set up a transfer for more than £300 and it wouldn't let me do it. I phoned and asked why I could suddenly access my online banking but had a £300 transfer limit and that was when the guy explained that they were changing their policy to allow online banking for undischarged BR's because it was not cost effective to take up branch staff time.

TheGardener

dojoman wrote: »

I went BR 6 years ago and at the time you you could easily open a Coop or Barclays basic account, whilst now there is only Barclays available if you are an undischarged BR, so we are actually worse off than a few years ago. Why would you think that these 2 organisations would do a deal whilst the others would not? Also I do not see how having a mainstream bank account would make the life of the OR easier.

The co-op never removed the facility to have internet banking and when they withdrew the facility for undischarged BR's their claim at the time was that as Barclays would not give e-access, more BR's were going to the co-op and they were taking 'more than their fair share' of BR's - close reading of the financial news at the time made it clear it was a swipe at Barclays.
Back in 2008 recession, it was anticipated that there would be a sharp rise in BR's and a number of changes were made to the system by the GOV - DRO's were developed further and it quickly became apparent that in order for the revised systems to work - the 'debtors' needed access to bank accounts so they could a) not be 'forced' to use relatives accounts which the OR had no rights to demand to see and b) in order to work people need a bank account to be paid into and c) how do BR's make payments to the IS without banking facilities? Why Barclays and the co-op? Because I reckon they were the only 2 High St banks that were not about to become insolvent themselves at the time!!

dojoman

I know what the advantages with the Coop were, re. online banking but they never removed this facility for undischarged BR`s they actually stopped letting undischarged BR`s open an account, thereby reducing the choice further for BR`s.

HSBC was not insolvent neither were Nationwide both of whom I banked with but neither of these were interested in opening accounts for BR`s. As for paying any monies to the OR, it is possible to do so via a 3rd party, I know quite a few who did this when they were unable to open a bank account.

alastairq

I know what the advantages with the Coop were, re. online banking but they never removed this facility for undischarged BR`s they actually stopped letting undischarged BR`s open an account, thereby reducing the choice further for BR`s.

In fact, this has only proved an inconvenience if someone hasn't actually prepared for BR in advance.

Or if Co-op were a creditor...[when they would close any accounts upon BR]

Barclays have been known [according to this forum] to close any account pre-BR, if a creditor, but allow a basic account to be opened post-petition.

Co-op's decision re Undischarged BRs was fully explained by Co-op at the time....so it's really all down to planning ahead, & getting organised.