BM Internet Saver Account - making withdrawal

GaseousAgley

What am I missing when trying to make a withdrawal from my Birmingham Midshires Internet Saver Account?

I get the error message: "You need to set a Linked account before making a transfer. Please correct these errors and click Next to continue with your transaction." But I cannot see what it wants me to do. There is a linked account set up (and DDs have been taken from it into this BM account for months) and I have made withdrawals from this account in the past (though not for some time). I cannot see anything else on screen to click, etc (no check box or anything else like that).

Sorry in advance if I'm being dense.

Chino

GaseousAgley wrote: »

There is a linked account set up (and DDs have been taken from it into this BM account for months)

In which case your best bet is to contact Birmingham Midshires:

Internet accounts

• All internet accounts: Call 0345 602 2828. Lines are open Monday to Saturday 8am-8pm.
• Or view our common questions section for internet accounts

https://www.birminghammidshires.co.uk/about/contact/#savings

Are you perhaps overlooking to select the linked account from a drop-down list of possible destination accounts (which might only contain one entry that is your linked account)?

20SmthngSver

Maybe it needs to be unlocked. Post Office says the same. If you ever change details it can sometimes lock the account for withdrawals but not deposits.

GaseousAgley

Thanks for replies.

I've checked again and still can't find anything else I need to set - no drop-down list, check-box or anything else.
Also couldn't see anything relevant in their FAQs.
Can't see anything indicating the account is locked and there have been no changes to it by me so wouldn't expect it to be locked for withdrawals.

Trying to avoid calling them as it will cost.

GaseousAgley

BM has given me an explanation for my problem but it doesn't sound very believable to me.

They admit that their system is not allowing me to make withdrawals but blame it on the banks holding the nominated accounts. They claim that no withdrawals have been made by me for some time and therefore the external banks have 'broken the link' with Birmingham Midshires, in response to which the BM system has altered the withdrawal page to prevent me from making withdrawals.

Could this in any way be true? I thought that as long as BM has the sort code and account number for the nominated account (which it does for my accounts) all it has to do is send the money to that account. There is no persistent link which must be 'kept alive' and the receiving bank is effectively passive in the withdrawal process, just receiving any money sent to it by Birmingham Midshires.

Could this explanation by BM really be correct?

badger09

GaseousAgley wrote: »

BM has given me an explanation for my problem but it doesn't sound very believable to me.

They admit that their system is not allowing me to make withdrawals but blame it on the banks holding the nominated accounts. They claim that no withdrawals have been made by me for some time and therefore the external banks have 'broken the link' with Birmingham Midshires, in response to which the BM system has altered the withdrawal page to prevent me from making withdrawals.

Could this in any way be true? I thought that as long as BM has the sort code and account number for the nominated account (which it does for my accounts) all it has to do is send the money to that account. There is no persistent link which must be 'kept alive' and the receiving bank is effectively passive in the withdrawal process, just receiving any money sent to it by Birmingham Midshires.

Could this explanation by BM really be correct?

A bit of a long shot as you don't say when the most recent transactions were made.

If you haven't funded your BM account by DD from your linked account for over 12 months, is it possible the DD mandate has lapsed, and thus the link broken?

polymaff

badger09 wrote: »

A bit of a long shot as you don't say when the most recent transactions were made.

If you haven't funded your BM account by DD from your linked account for over 12 months, is it possible the DD mandate has lapsed, and thus the link broken?

That would certainly fit with the timescale for successful transfers to the linked account, which work on a BACS timescale (as used by the DD process).

GaseousAgley

badger09 wrote: »

A bit of a long shot as you don't say when the most recent transactions were made.

If you haven't funded your BM account by DD from your linked account for over 12 months, is it possible the DD mandate has lapsed, and thus the link broken?

Last withdrawals I made were in January this year. The direct debits into the BM account(s) have continued to operate (once per month), so the last ones happened in October.

YorkshireBoy

I'd suggest a formal complaint to BM, although that might be too aggressive an action if you're abusing them for £1 DDs to satisfy interest and reward conditions with one of your current accounts?

hoc

I've never heard of a nominated account lapsing due to inactivity of paying in or out. The "link" is the Direct Debit mandate allowing to pull payments in which could lapse of course if unused but even then the nominated account facility should remain to send money out which has nothing to do with Direct Debit. Many, many people will never use Direct Debit using instead manual payment or standing order to put money into the savings account. Bizarre

GaseousAgley

BM eventually put into writing what they had said on the phone - the external banks had broken the link required to allow me to make withdrawals to the nominated accounts, even though the direct debits are still operating to pull money into the BM accounts (using a separate DD link).

Can anybody with insider banking knowledge explain how this (withdrawal) process works - I'm still skeptical the BM explanation can be right?