Received my salary twice?

Superscrooge

LaurenC wrote: »

I usually get paid on 25th of every month. This month, I was paid on 23rd June due to 25th falling on a Sunday. However, I was also paid again yesterday (Monday 26th) for the same/usual amount.

I am under no illusion that I will get to keep the extra money, so I reported it to my payroll department who have now investigated and confirmed they did not pay me twice. I rang my bank and they have told me that it wasn't their error either.

What should I do? I don't want to go back to either party in case they just take the money and the other then comes asking for it at a later date. I have moved it out of my main account and into my online saver (linked to same account) so should I just leave it there until I hear something? Thanks in advance for the advice!

Your story reminded me of a similar over-payment experience I had which took nearly four months to sort out, so don't assume a fast conclusion!

Salaries were always paid on 16th of each month and pensions on 1st of each month.

The month after retirement I received my first pension payment as expected on 1st. But then I also received my full monthly pay on 16th. I phoned payroll to let them know I was retired and shouldn't still be receiving my salary. They promised to investigate and get back to me, which they never did.

The following month I again received my pension on the 1st and my full pre-retirement monthly salary on 16th. I phoned payroll again, who looked at my personal record and confirmed I was recorded as retired and receiving a pension and I was definitely not still being paid a salary. The person I spoke to even suggested I must be getting confused and looking at previous months on my bank statement!!

So my attitude then was 'Sod it' I've done all I can. I knew I would eventually have to refund the over-payments but in the meantime I transferred the cash to my Santander 123 account (paying 3% interest at the time).

Third month same thing happened. Pension received on 1st of month and salary received on 16th. But then the following week I received a letter stating they had identified the over-payments and demanding repayment, which I subsequently repaid.

So despite me trying to let them know. The wheels of progress still turned slowly and it took almost four months to resolve.

IanManc

eskbanker wrote: »

but still find it disappointing that you're unable or unwilling to cite specific sources to substantiate your assertions.

Just think about this for a minute.

Where are the sources which say that it is right to move money into your savings account when you are sure it isn't yours?

Why aren't you asking people who say that putting someone else's money into your savings is the "right thing" being asked for sources for their assertions?

Section 1(1) of the Theft Act defines the offence of theft as: “A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it.” Appropriation is something that you could write extensive essays about, but it essentially means that you have taken control of property as if you were the beneficial owner, which the OP has prima facie done by moving it into her savings instead of leaving it alone.

I don't think that the OP is dishonest, so I don't think she's a thief, but I also can't see any reason for that money being in her savings. I think that mixing it with her savings is a pointlessly daft thing to do - not the "right thing" - and that she should simply put it back. I can't see why that is so contentious, or why people think that her leaving it in her savings is advantageous to her in any sense.

And with that I really am out, because no one seems to understand the significance of what I'm saying and I feel like I'm doing this: :wall:

eskbanker

IanManc wrote: »

Why aren't you asking people who say that putting someone else's money into your savings is the "right thing" being asked for sources for their assertions?

Starting from the situation that OP had already moved the money it seems to me that those who were approving of this were doing so from the perspective of keeping it safely ring-fenced ready for later return, i.e. the 'right thing' as in something that sounds sensible and practical rather than necessarily the most legally correct, whereas you introduced the subject of legalities (understandably so given your later disclosure!) which bring more of a burden of proof.

Anyway, as you say this has probably run its course - perhaps OP will return to explain her motives for transferring the money but you do seem to accept that there is no apparent dishonesty, which is what makes any appropriation problematic, so the point does seem somewhat moot!

Sea_Shell

I'd wait and see if you get paid at the end of July!!!!!

Pigmyhippo

eskbanker wrote: »

Starting from the situation that OP had already moved the money it seems to me that those who were approving of this were doing so from the perspective of keeping it safely ring-fenced ready for later return, i.e. the 'right thing' as in something that sounds sensible and practical rather than necessarily the most legally correct, whereas you introduced the subject of legalities (understandably so given your later disclosure!) which bring more of a burden of proof.

Anyway, as you say this has probably run its course - perhaps OP will return to explain her motives for transferring the money but you do seem to accept that there is no apparent dishonesty, which is what makes any appropriation problematic, so the point does seem somewhat moot!

I'd love to see anyone prove that the money that was moved did not belong to the OP. I can just imagine the interview now;
Police 'So OP we assert that you received 2 payments of £1500 and knowing that one of the payments was incorrect transferred one of those payments to a savings account. Is that correct?'
OP 'Yes that is correct I transferred £1500 of my then £3000 balance to my savings account'
Police 'Erm, OK, well we say that the £1500 you transferred wasn't actually £1500 that you knew was yours, and was instead £1500 that you knew wasn't yours'
OP 'No, I transferred the £1500 that was mine and left the £1500 I knew wasn't mine in the original account.'
Police 'You're free to go'

agrinnall

Pigmyhippo wrote: »

I'd love to see anyone prove that the money that was moved did not belong to the OP. I can just imagine the interview now;
Police 'So OP we assert that you received 2 payments of £1500 and knowing that one of the payments was incorrect transferred one of those payments to a savings account. Is that correct?'
OP 'Yes that is correct I transferred £1500 of my then £3000 balance to my savings account'
Police 'Erm, OK, well we say that the £1500 you transferred wasn't actually £1500 that you knew was yours, and was instead £1500 that you knew wasn't yours'
OP 'No, I transferred the £1500 that was mine and left the £1500 I knew wasn't mine in the original account.'
Police 'You're free to go'

Columbo: "There's just one more thing. If you knew the £1500 in the original account didn't belong to you, why have you spent it?"

OP: "It's a fair cop guv, guilty as charged."

Kim_13

Pigmyhippo wrote: »

I'd love to see anyone prove that the money that was moved did not belong to the OP. I can just imagine the interview now;
Police 'So OP we assert that you received 2 payments of £1500 and knowing that one of the payments was incorrect transferred one of those payments to a savings account. Is that correct?'
OP 'Yes that is correct I transferred £1500 of my then £3000 balance to my savings account'
Police 'Erm, OK, well we say that the £1500 you transferred wasn't actually £1500 that you knew was yours, and was instead £1500 that you knew wasn't yours'
OP 'No, I transferred the £1500 that was mine and left the £1500 I knew wasn't mine in the original account.'
Police 'You're free to go'

This is why I suggested to 100% cover herself that the OP should pay bills (transferring it to a second current account if needs be) from the money in the savings account, unless she has money in the current account over and above the second credit. Otherwise, she'd either have transferred money to a savings account that she knew wasn't hers, or have spent money that she knew wasn't hers.

Not that I think anything would come of it in any case. The OP has been honest and is willing and able to return the money when required to do so.

getmore4less

I have an account that automatically removes excessive funds to another accounts(multiple options depending how much excess there is)

Going to cause issues if just moving the money would be criminal.

Might not notice for days or even weeks if away.

RG2015

Pigmyhippo wrote: »

I'd love to see anyone prove that the money that was moved did not belong to the OP. I can just imagine the interview now;
Police 'So OP we assert that you received 2 payments of £1500 and knowing that one of the payments was incorrect transferred one of those payments to a savings account. Is that correct?'
OP 'Yes that is correct I transferred £1500 of my then £3000 balance to my savings account'
Police 'Erm, OK, well we say that the £1500 you transferred wasn't actually £1500 that you knew was yours, and was instead £1500 that you knew wasn't yours'
OP 'No, I transferred the £1500 that was mine and left the £1500 I knew wasn't mine in the original account.'
Police 'You're free to go'

Great post! Just because someone transfers £1,500 into their savings account in no way indicates that it is the salary over payment of £1,500. All money in a bank account is the same.

There is no way a solicitor could prove that this might be theft. But I bet they would charge a hefty fee for their services!

LaurenC

Thanks all for your response on this. It never occured to me that moving the money perhaps wasn't the right thing to do as I did firstly contact the bank and my payroll department. I moved it so it wouldn't be spent by accident.

I tried to use my card at lunch today and it was declined, so I checked on my banking app and the extra payment was taken back out of my account again today leaving me overdrawn. I have transferred the money from my savings back in again and called the bank to check all is ok and I won't be charged a fine - they said this happened due to a system error and apologised so I guess that's the end of it hopefully.