Abbey Closing Account - Keep trying - keep getting hit by charges.

terrybay2001

Hi All,

Would really like some advice on this.

About 6 months ago my husband decided to close his Abbey account, payeed off overdraft, returned cards and chequebooks etc.

Then one day, when physically paying the mortague he was told that there were some outstanding charges on the account. Well he paid them and told them to close the account, so far this has happned 3 times. Now well fed up he is.

I have since writted and received the fwg.

I have been visiting your branch, in Wisbeach and Kings Lynn and given instructions to close this account a number of times now. In fact so many that I have lost count.

During each visit, I have been advised that the account has been closed and that there are no “outstanding charges or issues”.

Despite this, I have received yet again, a statement that contains some charges on it. The most recent of which is a charge of £ 25.00, brining the “balance carried forward to next statement” to -39.95.

You will find attached a cheque in the amount of £ 39.95 which will close this account.

Therefore, I do not expect to receive any further statements with any charges, and a letter of confirmation from yourselves confirming that the account has been closed and will remain so.

Received from them last week

Thank you for contacting us I am sorry that you have been so unhappy you felt that you must complain.

My colleagues will be responsible for investigating your complaint and I have enclosed Customer Service Satisfaction leaflets which explain our procedure for doing this. High quality customer services is of great importance to us at Abbey and we will do everything we can to resolve your complaint in a timely and satisfactory manner.

I know it’s important to you that we resolve your complaint quickly but we want to do a thorough investigation and sometimes this can take time. We’ll write you within the next 4 week to let you know what is happening.

Please be aware however, whilst we’re investigating your complaint you account will continue to operate as usual, for example, any charges that are due to be debited will debit your account on the due date and won’t be withheld.

Although, I don’t know what the outcome will be, I do hope we’ll be able to find a solution that you’re happy with.

Have now drafted the fwg as a response.


Due to your poor management and poor business acumen I do not see why I should be held accountable for you mistakes and bad business practices. I expect full reimbursement of charges that I have incurred over the past six months.

Why you see fit to say that you levy further charges during an investigation that you see fit to carry, at your timescale I fail to understand.

From the tone of your communication, I feel that you are leaving me with no option but continue banking with you, and incurring charges for your investigation and am unable to close an account. You appear to be ensuring that you obtain further funds from me for an account that I have now tried to close at least 4 times.

I look forward to hearing that your investigation has been completed, with no penalties being incurred by myself, and reimbursement as mentioned above.

Can you please let me what your thoughts are on this, and maybe what other action my old man should be thinking of taking.

Thanks for all your thoughts etc.
Terrybay2001

CLAPTON

what are the charges / fees for and why are you paying them

terrybay2001

Well, there were for being overdrawn.

He went in and paid all the charges and what was overdrawn, they told him that the account will be closed.

Few weeks later, went into a branch and was told that the account was still open as there were some outstanding charges on it. So he paid them.

Went in a few weeks later, and was told the same thing yet again.

We seem to be stuck on some kind of roundabout with them, whereas he keeps paying the charges to close the account, told that it is now all o.k and that the account will changes, then goes to pay the mortague, and is told that more charges have been added and the account has not be closed......

So on and on we seem to go.

Thanks for your thoughts....
Terrybay2001

Dylanwing

Best bet is await the reply, and if they duck and dive, do the Final Letter as per the complaints procedure, set out the whole sorry episode, keeping it clear, concise and polite. Personally, I would request that they close the account and refund the £39.95 as they have messed you around so much. You can also threaten to refer this to the Financial Onbudsman, that often concentrates the Bankers tiny minds.

Iamthesmartestmanalive

I personally dont think you have much cause for complaint

These were charges under the terms, banks normally notify of a date charges will be debited

Going in closing your account and asking the balance on said date wont freeze charges already pending which appears to be what has happened here

also trying to overdramatise will do yourself no favours either i.e ive lost count- when you know fine its 3 times

Its really just typical and its people like you who fail to understand simple letters and terms who are !!!!!!! the rest of us over through increased charges

Dylanwing

And which bit of 'please close my account' was so hard for Abbey to understand? If charges were due, Abbey should have advised these on receipt of the closure request, or maybe when they took the £39.95.
Or maybe OP should just keep paying a random amount each Month with the never-closing account, after all, we don't want the inappropriately named poster to pay extra Bank charges!

bengal-stripe

OP - Did you cancel your Direct Debits?