HSBC Closed account!

Herbalus

GingerBob wrote: »

All banks should be under a legal obligation to provide a basic banking service to anyone who requires it.

Most banks do offer a basic bank service. The top 5 on google currently are natwest, nationwide, santander, tsb, and ironically HSBC. There appears to be a consensus with the government to provide these accounts, which almost seems like de facto compulsion for these banks without the need to actually make it law. No doubt you've seen this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-basic-fee-free-bank-accounts-to-help-millions-manage-their-money

So my reading of this situation is that HSBC make available basic banking service, but where the OP probably didn't have the basic account HSBC have the right to terminate because of probable non-usage.

Also, given the account wasn't used, I hardly feel the OP has been disenfranchised from banking and has suffered financial hardship because of it, annoying though it may be.

Another reason could be inability to contact the OP given that the letter never arrived - problem with details so unable to question any "dodgy" international payments?

jamesd

Foreign transactions, particularly to Thailand, combined with low account usage may have made your account look too high risk for crime vs the reward of keeping it open.

The bank I've had least trouble with when it comes to transactions is NatWest, which simply gets on with moving the money around in ways that cause trouble at First Direct/HSBC or Santander.

GingerBob_3

Herbalus wrote: »

Most banks do offer a basic bank service. The top 5 on google currently are natwest, nationwide, santander, tsb, and ironically HSBC. There appears to be a consensus with the government to provide these accounts, which almost seems like de facto compulsion for these banks without the need to actually make it law. No doubt you've seen this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-basic-fee-free-bank-accounts-to-help-millions-manage-their-money

So my reading of this situation is that HSBC make available basic banking service, but where the OP probably didn't have the basic account HSBC have the right to terminate because of probable non-usage.

Also, given the account wasn't used, I hardly feel the OP has been disenfranchised from banking and has suffered financial hardship because of it, annoying though it may be.

Another reason could be inability to contact the OP given that the letter never arrived - problem with details so unable to question any "dodgy" international payments?

Fair point, but are these banks legally obliged to provide these basic accounts to anyone who asks, and more importantly, are they then not allowed to close it? That is the crux of the matter.

Alienna

underwurlde wrote: »

Any half decent banks still left out there? Ones that have yet to disappear behind min-wage teenagers sat behind computers pretending to offer 'customer service'. Andy

Hey! Many years ago, I was a "minimum wage teenager". Not with a bank, but still in retail, offering customer service. I was young then and still learning the "tricks of the trade", which I bet these are too, earning a wage, maybe even starting their career.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and along the way, they have to follow the directions of their bosses - they're the ones who set the rules.

Please don't ever complain about anyone on the front line who is just telling you things you don't want to hear. Nine times out of ten they are just doing their job. If they're rude, fair enough. But even if you perceive them to be unhelpful - it is probably because they are unable to get the information you want to hear. It's a vicious cycle.

SLZ

underwurlde wrote: »

Regular payments to Thailand (ongoing for as long as the account was opened).

This coupled with the fact that you rarely used the account for UK expenses, you allude to some food purchases and minor bills but it isn't as if it's the main account or an account of value.

HSBC are known to close accounts where they suspect that fraud has the potential to breed from and unfortunately the constant transfers to Thailand would've contributed to that.

GingerBob_3

SLZ wrote: »

This coupled with the fact that you rarely used the account for UK expenses, you allude to some food purchases and minor bills but it isn't as if it's the main account or an account of value.

HSBC are known to close accounts where they suspect that fraud has the potential to breed from and unfortunately the constant transfers to Thailand would've contributed to that.

Well if that's the view they take on money transfers from/to Thailand it just confirms to me that HSBC doesn't deserve to be called a bank. They are no better than the scammers who they say they are trying to protect us from. A large number of young people from the UK head to Thailand for gap years or whatever, so money transfers involving Thailand must be a very common occurrence.


The current money laundering rules stink! As does the interpretation of them by scammers like HSBC.

mgdavid

GingerBob wrote: »

..........

The current money laundering rules stink! As does the interpretation of them by scammers like HSBC.

Then go do something about it and stop wasting your energy and time perpetually ranting about it.

eskbanker

Alienna wrote: »

Please don't ever complain about anyone on the front line who is just telling you things you don't want to hear. Nine times out of ten they are just doing their job.

It's the other 10% of occasions that cause the problems though....

agrinnall

GingerBob wrote: »

A large number of young people from the UK head to Thailand for gap years or whatever, so money transfers involving Thailand must be a very common occurrence.

Not if they read the MSE Travel Money guide before leaving, as money transfer is pretty much never the most cost efficient way of getting funds.

System

Complaining to frontline staff isn't likely to be very productive.
They are simply sales staff.

Use the official complaints procedure and move on...