Wages went to someone else's account

lizderby

Hi, I'm new here and hope someone can help as I don't know where else to turn. Long story short... I had started a new job in August 2019 and in November 2019 I realised I'd mixed up the sort code and account numbers of two natwest accounts I had. So my payroll had sent 3 months wages to someone else's account before I realised and alerted them to my mistake. I got in touch with natwest who said as it was done through payroll there was nothing they could do. Then my employer contacted the bank handling employee payroll (it's based in Poland) who have said they can only ask for the receiver to return my wages but it's up to them whether they agree to send it back or not. I did get 2 months wages returned but there's still a month outstanding. I've since started another job so assume it'll be completely down to me to get the money back. I know it was a stupid mistake to make in the first place but I really do need that months wages. I'd really, teally appreciate any advice. 

jonnygee2

who have said they can only ask for the receiver to return my wages but it's up to them whether they agree to send it back or not. 

Yep, they were correct. It sucks but that is how it works. Your company have done what they can do by informing the relevant banks and attempting to correc

Although keeping the transfer is technically theft banks currently have no power to move money out of an account so there is little they can do.

I've since started another job so assume it'll be completely down to me to get the money back.

Your only option here would be to go through a court, but unless your salary is huge it's unlikely to be worth it - the legal fees of this route would likely run into several thousand pounds.

I'm sorry to say this, but the money is likely unrecoverable.

lizderby

Thanks for the reply jonnygee2, I was dreading that'd be the case but I was sure I read on here somewhere that regardless of how the money was transferred, if it was done in error, the bank could pull the money back even if it put the receiving account in the red. 

Malkytheheed

I'm sorry but... How can you start a new job and then not look to see if you have been paid in over 3 months??

jonnygee2

I was sure I read on here somewhere that regardless of how the money was transferred, if it was done in error, the bank could pull the money back even if it put the receiving account in the red. 

They can put the account into an authorised overdraft / credit agreement to recover the money, but only if the receiver doesn't dispute it's an error.

But they cannot put it into unauthorised overdraft. So often if the money has been spent there's little else to be done.

jonnygee2

I'm sorry but... How can you start a new job and then not look to see if you have been paid in over 3 months??

I'm sure if you used your imagination a little you could think up some answers to this. Drawing from savings or a joint account for example? Wages going directly to savings and living off something else?

I'm not sure how this question helps the OP? 

jonesMUFCforever

I think he wanted somebody to post that it was not his fault at all and that somebody would give him the month's pay that is missing.
It won't happen for one reason and one reason only - it WAS his fault.

lizderby

jonesMUFCforever that is totally not the case and it'd be helpful if you didn't make comments like that about someone you don't know. For one, my name is is Liz... so not a fella, also... I freely said that the mistake was mine and all I asked for was some advice. I certainly didn't ask for, or even imply, that I expected any money from anyone. 

lizderby

Thanks jonnygee2 for a positive comment. I actually didn't notice that the wages weren't going into my account because I was getting payslips as I would have expected and nothing was 'bouncing' due to my few savings being eaten into. When I noticed the problem I had £200 left in my account. Again, it was my own error. 

Time4T_Accounts

Liz - do you know *for sure* that the sort code and account number combination is valid?  I say this because there are standard algorithms that mean that a single incorrect digit in either will fail the test. What I would then expect to happen is that the receiving bank would put the money on suspense while they try and work out where it should go; eventually it will be returned to the paying bank (your former employer’s). I wonder if this might have happened with the two amounts that have since reached you, and maybe the final one will be too...

lizderby

Hi Steve... yes, it's a valid account so I'm told and it belongs to 'a very large company' in my home town. What I can't understand is why months 6 and 8 would be returned but not month 7. That just seems quite odd to me as the receiving account knows that the payments were made in error 🤷‍♀️