Trying to close Santander account

System

I would go into a branch armed with their letters and the passport.
Ask them to send any forms/certified copies via internal mail then they can either post out a cheque or you can pick up from the branch later?

I would also proceed with the FOS too.

OceanSound

AndyPK wrote: »

it is a mightmare trying to get them to deal with BB accounts.

phone/post seams to be best.

Unless you are going on holiday in the next 6 weeks, just post your passport. Normally it will be back within a 1 week. Probably returned registered post

Never send your original passport under normal cover or without firm assurance it will be returned registered post (signed for post). I personally wouldn't send it to a bank like santander even if they give me assurance written in blood. Anyway, the idea seemed to have come from an inexperienced staff member who was making it up as he/she went along. (Not a policy of santander per se)
Santander are notorious for bureaucratic red tape when it comes to this sorta thing.They put me through hell trying to close a dormant account that had 5 pounds in it. Inconsistent advice, Long delays, moving goalposts, the lot. At least now the fos is aware of your case.

A letter to your member of parliament (mp) wouldn't go a miss here. I remember seeing many stories in the papers where santander have tried to bluff pensioners saying they have no record of their account.

AndyPK

don't forget banks are forced to do ID checks etc.
They don't want to get fined. Although this is more on opening accounts.

OceanSound

Banks also need to protect customers' money from the odd opportunistic staff member who sees a dormant account and thinks 'this moneys been sitting there for a while...it's an elderly customer. He probably doesn't even know about it.' So it's siphoned off somewhere.

Sad part is..this would happen because there was some laxness to begin with. But after the event, you and I end up paying the price for it. Part of the problem is you have customer services 'jobsworth' bods making these decisions (whether to release the money or not), and their immediate instinct would be to err on the side of caution. If the decision is made by the 'right people' higher up the food chain (with more banking knowledge) these sorta incidents (like the Op's) are less likely to happen.

Ken68

When I closed a Santander account recently, they sent a cheque for 1p.
Every little helps.

Westie983

Its probably due to the amount that it cant be closed over the phone or via post without ID.

I would suggest going back into Santander and speak to someone else if they are then insisting that you dont have an account (I would assume that they cant see it on their systems and cant be bothered to try and locate it rather then you not having one) then I would ask to use a branch phone and contact the same people you have spoken to on the phone.

You can then get them to speak to a member of the branch team and get the ball rolling or send them a verified email with the account details and then you will be able to close the account with the ID you have,

I assume that you have got your passport back or have another form of photographic ID like a driving licence instead.

Good luck and hope this gets sorted for you quickly, once the account is closed I would reopen or make another complaint, as you are not able to close an account over the phone or post of a high value (due to additional checks needed, and of course all of the mucking about you have faced.

Westie983

EconomicsGirl

Thanks very much. It's now with the Ombudsman so Santander are now saying they can't do anything until they make their decision.

Got accounts with lots of different banks and it's the only one I have trouble with. Every staff member tells you something different and their own terms and conditions say you can close via post. I haven't got passport back yet and don't drive so can't do anything at the moment other than go through FOS. I think FOS are going to try to get them to return via my current account but will see.

EconomicsGirl

Balance just gone to zero today so hoping that means resolution imminent, says its in another account no that's not mine but hopeful a central account whilst chq sent out.

EconomicsGirl

Just got cheque in post today yay!