Barclays terminating my account without explanation

John_Galt

@RG2015 - checked my full credit rating as suggested and I have a very clean bill of health (thanks for the credit club tip)

@8i6daddy - cant recall doing anything like that but even so, surely they'd just nudge me if I was delinquent? Cancelling my account is a nuclear option - right?

RG2015

John_Galt wrote: »

@RG2015 - checked my full credit rating as suggested and I have a very clean bill of health (thanks for the credit club tip)

@8i6daddy - cant recall doing anything like that but even so, surely they'd just nudge me if I was delinquent? Cancelling my account is a nuclear option - right?

Hi John,

Forgive me for labouring the point but did you examine your full credit history. This is on the second tab labelled credit report. This should list all of your bank accounts, searche by the banks on you, electoral register, public information and more. Any search that you do not recognise may be a clue to fraudulent activity in your name.

Also, your Barclays and HSBC accounts may not show owing to them being very old or very new. The HSBC account may not show for a month or two but the HSBC search should show quite soon. Crucially though, possible rogue searches may not appear immediately.

You should also check Clearscore and Noddle as they may have different information and may be updated earlier.

John-K_3

John_Galt wrote: »

I did check my credit rating with Experian as a possible indicator of something seriously wrong... but the score is high.

I have not been buying off of ebay etc... really, there's nothing suspicious I can see or out of the ordinary - and no indication from Barclays that might give me a clue... really bizarre hence the post to see if anybody else may be experiencing the same.

I will be approaching the FOS and probably a letter to my MP too - Barclays confirm they have made the decision for good reason but wont tell me what it is... if I had been doing anything dodgy I would be foolish to be pressing for an explanation.

What is your complaint going to be about?

The bank does not have to do business with you if they don’t want to, you cannot force them to keep you on any more than they can force you to keep banking with them.

May I ask again, as you avoided the question, you’ve picked the name of the protagonist of Atlas Shrugged as your username, a novel about industrialists and financiers withdrawing their products from society. Are you trying to make some subtle point, or is this a real query that just happens to be in opposition with the name that you have chosen?

John_Galt

John-K wrote: »

What is your complaint going to be about?

The bank does not have to do business with you if they don’t want to, you cannot force them to keep you on any more than they can force you to keep banking with them.

May I ask again, as you avoided the question, you’ve picked the name of the protagonist of Atlas Shrugged as your username, a novel about industrialists and financiers withdrawing their products from society. Are you trying to make some subtle point, or is this a real query that just happens to be in opposition with the name that you have chosen?

I understand that the bank does not have to do business with me if they do not want - I merely would like to understand the reasons behind this as I feel vulnerable due to my tenure, no discernable changes in circumstances (from my end) and not knowing - the outcome is already accepted but I do need to know why and whether it is just me or a whole batch of unfortunate souls caught up in some unintended outcome of a new rule, regulation or software bug!

Regarding Atlas Shrugged - there's nothing subtle or sinister in my choice of character from the famous novel... impressed you picked that up as it has a clique

John_Galt

RG2015 wrote: »

Hi John,

Forgive me for labouring the point but did you examine your full credit history. This is on the second tab labelled credit report. This should list all of your bank accounts, searche by the banks on you, electoral register, public information and more. Any search that you do not recognise may be a clue to fraudulent activity in your name.

Also, your Barclays and HSBC accounts may not show owing to them being very old or very new. The HSBC account may not show for a month or two but the HSBC search should show quite soon. Crucially though, possible rogue searches may not appear immediately.

You should also check Clearscore and Noddle as they may have different information and may be updated earlier.

I did examne the full credit history - in detail - all 34 pages of the download... it did throw up something I did not recognise but then reminded myself of what it was by going back thru 6 year old bank statements (it was a loan, paid without fault and to the letter of the agreement).
I was curious to see a list of insurance companies listed which coincide with my searching for a better deal on house insurance via a popular price comparison website... but whilst that is of curious interest to me, it is not indicative of anything malicious, fraudulent or law-breaking.

I am still baffled - if this can happen to me with my (lets call it 'impeccable') customer record, then I would expect many more to be experiencing the same.

RG2015

John_Galt wrote: »

I did examne the full credit history - in detail - all 34 pages of the download.

I am still baffled - if this can happen to me with my (lets call it 'impeccable') customer record, then I would expect many more to be experiencing the same.

Okay, nothing obvious there then. Your credit report will be updated in 30 days so check again then to see if anything has been added.

There are several example on this site like yours and whilst it doesn't really help you it is some small consolation to know that it is not uncommon. You can use the search function here and also on Google to find some of these others although Google often brings up examples from this forum. I have included some links below you may find useful.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/03/natwest-closed-my-account-with-no-explanation

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5645944

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5494413

bertiewhite

Is it worth requesting a 1-1 with the branch manager?

PeacefulWaters

Do your credit balances tend to exceed mortgage balance?

I wonder whether to offset mortgage is their driver.

tenchy

John,
When all this is done and dusted, and hopefully you've got an acceptable outcome, please speak to your MP about this matter. As legislation currently stands, and as numerous posters on this site will revel in telling you, the bank does not have to do business with you. However, not doing business with you when you're not a customer, and closing your accounts when you are a customer, are two different things. You wouldn't expect your energy provider to be able to "stop doing business with you", so why should the banks be able to get away with this? At the very least they should be forced to furnish customers with a reason for closure, and ideally they should not be allowed to close an account if T&Cs contiune to be met. See if your MP is sympathetic to legislative changes that might regulate this cavalier behaviour on the part of the banks.

John_Galt

tenchy wrote: »

John,
When all this is done and dusted, and hopefully you've got an acceptable outcome, please speak to your MP about this matter. As legislation currently stands, and as numerous posters on this site will revel in telling you, the bank does not have to do business with you. However, not doing business with you when you're not a customer, and closing your accounts when you are a customer, are two different things. You wouldn't expect your energy provider to be able to "stop doing business with you", so why should the banks be able to get away with this? At the very least they should be forced to furnish customers with a reason for closure, and ideally they should not be allowed to close an account if T&Cs contiune to be met. See if your MP is sympathetic to legislative changes that might regulate this cavalier behaviour on the part of the banks.

Agreed with this - my plan is to start with the ombudsman (once I have exhausted routes with bank staff) and then contact my MP. Whilst I accept the bank has the right to refuse my custom (which is their loss, not mine as I am a model customer - stable, responsible and low risk), they have effectively told me I am guilty of something and used that to terminate my account without explaining the alledged crime - it serves only to make one feel quite vulnerable and, if there is a legitimate reason then I am in no position to defend/rectify etc.

I managed to see anoher member of the Barclays customer team today - she tried hard on my behalf but hit a brick wall too - she is as confused/concerned as I am. She spoke to her manager and they both suggested I approach the ombudsman - is this madness or just me?