Wages paid to wrong account?

agrinnall

Holdening wrote: »

It's the same bank, just a different branch with someone that has the same account number as me.

Ah, so it was the sortcode that was entered incorrectly rather than the account number. It doesn't make any difference to what needs to be done to try to get the money back but it does explain why a one digit change can produce a valid account, which wouldn't normally be the case if it was in the account number - some banks do not check the sortcode/account combination which may be what's happened here.

I'd go with the advice in the first part of post #2, suggesting to your employer that unless they can provide evidence that you gave them the incorrect number the error is theirs and therefore the two actions of paying you what you are owed and recovering the money are entirely separate.

Holdening

Thanks for that, I'll talk to them again soon about the issue and ask if they have evidence that it was me who provided the incorrect information (Although considering two co-workers that started the same time as me had a similar issue I shouldn't think it was my problem) and ask them to pay me. Thank you so much for all of your help!

grumbler

Holdening wrote: »

Would it be up to me to contact the bank further if the company refuse to follow it up again?

No. Why would your bank do anything if it was your employer and their bank that made the transfer?

And if it was their error would they be required to pay me or still use the 'waiting for it to hit [their] account'?

They have to pay you, then deal with their error. Did you read the article? The money possibly will never 'hit' their account.

Is there anything I can do if the person with the other account refuses to pay it, and it turns out that it was my error?

It's your employer's business, not yours.

Kim_13

masonic wrote: »

Are banks even allowed to confirm the name of the account holder when provided with an account number and possible name by a third party? They are not normally permitted to confirm or deny the existance of an account owned by an individual.

I was thinking more along the lines that the system ought to bounce the payment if the names didn't correspond. The employer wouldn't be dragging their heels if such a payment was automatically returned to them.

Archi_Bald

No employer and no bank have ever checked the name for any electronic payment as there is no software or other means available to do so. Payments are made to a sort code and account number.

As billions of payments every year are working just fine, it's unlikely that the current practice will change any time soon.

masonic

Kim_13 wrote: »

I was thinking more along the lines that the system ought to bounce the payment if the names didn't correspond. The employer wouldn't be dragging their heels if such a payment was automatically returned to them.

The names didn't correspond to what? If you take BACS and FP, for example, the person making the payment supplies sort code, account number, reference and amount. Name doesn't form part of the instruction. 'Reference' is used in several different ways. If the bank started bouncing all payments where reference does not equal the account holder's surname, for example, then that could have disastrous consequences.

Or perhaps you mean tear up the current system and come up with a new one where an account name is required in addition to the other details?

SevenOfNine

Some banks signed up to a voluntary code which covers this I think. Nationwide was one so a google search might spit out the others. See if this article helps http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/send-money-wrong-account

I work in an environment that frequently processes bank details, amazes me how some people couldn't seem to care less that their figures are barely legible! Not implying that is you OP, just saying.

TartanSaver

Ask your employer for a good copy of your written instruction. If it's not your handwriting, and they've erroneously sent it to the wrong person, they need to be paying you now regardless of whether they've had the money back. It could take them many months, assuming they ever get it back, to recover the original payment. If on the other hand, you gave them the wrong details, you'll just have to wait and make sure you write more clearly next time.

Are you in a union? Failing to pay you is unlawful. Obviously getting militant at the start of a new job is not a great move, but to be honest if you've been working there for weeks and they're trying to avoid paying you due to their error, what the hell have you got to lose?

noelphobic

Holdening wrote: »

It's the same bank, just a different branch with someone that has the same account number as me.

I could be wrong but I wouldn't think 2 customers of the same bank would have the same account number, even with different sort codes.

System

To be clear, simply because it's a valid sort code and account number combination doesn't mean that the account exists.

It could be a closed account or the bank may not have even allocated that account number yet.

Is it a traditional bank (e.g. NatWest) with branch sort codes or someone like Santander with only a few current account sort codes?