Advice on getting money back from a closed HSBC Business Banking Account

londoner2009

I opened a Business Bank Account with Midland Bank in 1998 which is now HSBC - as I started IT Contracting and I had to set up a Limited company to work for the client.
I stopped Contracting many years ago but thought I might go back to it one day, so kept the company registered at Companies house as a Dormant Company.
Every month £5.50 was being taken off the account as a banking fee so I assumed the account would always be active as there was a constant transaction on the account every month. I recently visited my local branch of HSBC which told me the account was closed 3 years ago and there is almost £900 left. Which I'd like to get hold of.
After an hour on hold to HSBC all they could say is to visit the same branch again and get something called an "Unclaimed Balance Form" and also to write an authorisation letter to say I want the balance sent to me in my own name and not the company name. They couldn't even email me a copy of the form.
Does this all sound correct - can anyone offer any other advice?

jonesMUFCforever

Yes it is - the money belongs to the company not you. (Even in practise you are the one and the same).
To me if the account had a monthly charge going out and a credit balance, the problem may be that the company may have been struck off by Companies house.
Check if that is the case.
If it has been struck off you will need to apply to the Crown to get your money back.

D3xt3r5L4b

Yes it’s correct.

I don’t understand why people can’t just follow instructions these days?

Neil_Jones

D3xt3r5L4b said:

I don’t understand why people can’t just follow instructions these days?

Too easy.  Although in fairness by the time somebody's typed their question out on a web forum it would have been just as quick to write the letter, stick a stamp on an envelope, go to the branch, get the form, fill out the form over a half-price cup of coffee in the cafe down the road and then put said form in a post box.

jonesMUFCforever

The OP has not confirmed that the limited company has been struck off or not.
If it has then a 'Unclaimed balance form' will be of no use to OP.
The account will have closed and passed to the Crown.
There is a procedure to get the monies back but it won't be anything to do with the bank.

londoner2009

The company has not been struck off and is kept as a dormant company with the yearly fee being paid to companies house, as well as all the yearly paperwork that goes with that being done each year.

londoner2009

D3xt3r5L4b said:

Yes it’s correct.

I don’t understand why people can’t just follow instructions these days?

Because the people at the HSBC Branch and the people on the telephone (after waiting over one hour on hold) told me two different things - so some of us double check on forums like this 
Does that help your understanding?

londoner2009

Neil_Jones said:

D3xt3r5L4b said:

I don’t understand why people can’t just follow instructions these days?

Too easy.  Although in fairness by the time somebody's typed their question out on a web forum it would have been just as quick to write the letter, stick a stamp on an envelope, go to the branch, get the form, fill out the form over a half-price cup of coffee in the cafe down the road and then put said form in a post box.

Neil Jones .. I type quick, don't worry about it. And I don't drink coffee