Urgent- Santander closed my account

lhwrandal

Olinda99 said:

you didn't commit fraud opening from abroad as long as you gave your correct uk address.

Santander may think you live abroad though - are you on electoral roll here?

Yes I am on electoral roll for nine months at current address.  3 active current accounts and 5 credit cards.  No adverse info on credit file.

But is this a reason to close all my accounts?

PRAISETHESUN

I had something similar happen a few years back with Barclays - had an account closed a few days after they opened it. Ended up having to go into a branch with ID and do some paperwork to get the £20 I deposited back. In the end I never found out why they decided to close it, and to be honest I was only after a switch incentive anyway so I wasn't too fussed.

I'd give it a week or two and pull up copies of your CIFAS and National Hunter records again. You might also want to submit a DSAR to Santander requesting copies of all the information they used to reach their decision. Ultimately though you probably won't ever find out the reason why they've closed your accounts, and Santander aren't required to tell you anything. They are after all a business, and are free to choose who they do and don't want to do business with.

Olinda99

If you have done nothing wrong then a good candidate is that they suspect you of living abroad and thus not qualifying for a uk account.

But as others say you will probably never find out. Try not to worry and move on.

etienneg

I think there is more to this than the OP is saying.

Why bother to open a new current account whilst abroad when you already have other current accounts? How is it easier to open a new current account at Santander and transfer money into it just to pay a Santander credit card? You could pay it by FP from any current account.

To be properly organised, if you were going abroad, before you set off you would make arrangements to pay your credit card(s) by DD, at least for while you were away.

Whichever way you were intending to pay, why try altering the arrangement whilst abroad?

How long will you be abroad?

Band7

The reason for the closure most likely lies in the transactions on your accounts. One or more of them may have spooked Santander.

p00hsticks

etienneg said:

I think there is more to this than the OP is saying.

THe OP does seem to have had a similar experience with Metro bank six months ago, with that account apparently closed by Metro shortly sfter it had been opened because the application was made from abroad....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6357584/metro-bank-closed-my-account-need-urgent-help/p1

daveyjp

Their  bank, their rules, nothing you can do. 

On the info given I would also be suspicious.

Zanderman

p00hsticks said:

etienneg said:

I think there is more to this than the OP is saying.

THe OP does seem to have had a similar experience with Metro bank six months ago, with that account apparently closed by Metro shortly sfter it had been opened because the application was made from abroad....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6357584/metro-bank-closed-my-account-need-urgent-help/p1

Yes, well-spotted!.  In that discussion the OP states that they acknowledge the problem

....I was traveling on business overseas the moment when I used the app to open the account on 5/7.  I called Metrobank again today and they said somehow the system detects the application was came from overseas and flagged a security alert. ....

Which is the same situation, surely, as Santander now. OP is abroad now but has opened a new UK account whilst abroad. And so the closure reason may be the same too - Santander, like Metro, may simply not like applications from people who are abroad. 

If so I'd suggest the OP doesn't keep doing this!

cymruchris

p00hsticks said:

etienneg said:

I think there is more to this than the OP is saying.

THe OP does seem to have had a similar experience with Metro bank six months ago, with that account apparently closed by Metro shortly sfter it had been opened because the application was made from abroad....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6357584/metro-bank-closed-my-account-need-urgent-help/p1

OP - From where did you apply for the Santander account?

It may very well be that even if it was opened while in the UK - the app logins/transactions could have indicated that you weren't actually living in the UK - and that could be the trigger that's closed it. But to be fair, we're all second guessing.

You seem to spend a lot of time abroad - is the UK your primary or secondary home?

eskbanker

cymruchris said:

OP - From where did you apply for the Santander account?

It may very well be that even if it was opened while in the UK - the app logins/transactions could have indicated that you weren't actually living in the UK - and that could be the trigger that's closed it. But to be fair, we're all second guessing.

You seem to spend a lot of time abroad - is the UK your primary or secondary home?

Both questions answered earlier:

lhwrandal said:

eskbanker said:

lhwrandal said:

I then opened a current account last week so I can pay my card easier. 

[...]

I am traveling in Asia now

Were you already abroad when you opened this account?  That wouldn't necessarily be an issue in itself, but on top of opening multiple other accounts recently might have raised suspicions....

Yes I was aboard when I opened the current account.  But I am a resident in UK, just traveling now.