NS&I Linked Bank Account Details - how to find out the full details?

hallmark

My turn to experience the joy of the NS&I Website....

I have PBs & ILSCs.  My PBs have long been linked with my bank account for prizes.

I just went to change the maturity instructions on my ILSCs.  It informed me I had to link to a bank account first however it wouldn't let me simply choose my existing linked bank (no dropdown options etc etc).  The only way I could do it was add the same account details AGAIN, at which point it would allow me to choose it.

At that point under my the nominated account dropdown it offers me TWO choices both of which are the same bank account. I.e. from when I added it originally years ago and from adding it today.  Which is disconcertingly garbage IMO....



Here's my question:  Although I'm fairly certain I entered my account details correctly, I stupidly didn't screenshot what I was doing as I was expecting either some kind of confirmation OR that I'd at least be able to view them on the NS&I site afterwards.  However all it's possible to view under nominated accounts is the sort code and the last 4 digits of the account number.  Although the chances I entered the account number incorrectly are very slim I'd like to be certain before £30k get's transferred next week.

Does anybody know of any way to find out what the full details are they NS&I hold?  Or why I now have two nominated accounts that are actually the same account......

Thanks

masonic

Test payment?

hallmark

The problem is I have no way of knowing "which" of my accounts I'd be paying it to

I now see two accounts and they're both identical i.e. they tell me bank, sort code and the last 4 digits of the account number.

I know one of these is definitely correct as I've been receiving prizes to it for year
The other I had to add today so that's not yet confirmed

But there is no way to distinguish which is which, or what the full account number is

Also no way to delete it and re-add it.

hallmark

And actually fwiw I'm not sure what kind of test payment I could do as I can't buy ILSCs or PBs.

masonic

You could, for example, send a pound to each account and make sure both quids are received. Then you would know both entries are good.

I've been withdrawing from my PB account every month for a few years and have not been asked to confirm nominated account details, so not sure why you have.

Olinda99

open a direct saver and choose that as where to pay the maturity money.

you can then add as many bank accounts as you wish to the DS for withdrawals

hallmark

I don't think I'm explaining this very well. Basically I have PBs (maxed) and ILSCs.  I don't have the option to buy more of either.

Withdrawing from PBs wouldn't help as I know that account is correctly linked to my bank account.

The issue is, I now have "two" linked bank accounts (which are in reality the same account I had to link twice).

There's no way to tell which is the account I linked years ago and which is the account I linked yesterday because they're displayed identically.

There's no way to delete either.

So it's basically a glitch on the user interface but not an easy one to resolve.  If I was 100% certain I added the account correctly yesterday then it's not really an issue.  There's just that very outside chance that if I somehow messed up & didn't, I could be transferring money who knows where with absolutely no way of knowing.

The idea to open a Direct Saver makes sense but I'll probably go down the path of phoning first.

boingy

I was just about to suggest a Direct Saver too.

I originally set one up as a way to fund NS&I fixed savings bonds. You can build up the amount in the DS account from various sources then buy the bonds in one go. But it also turned out to be a handy place to put the maturing bonds, whereupon you can reinvest them in new bonds or move the funds outwards.

masonic

From which NS&I account are you making the £30k withdrawal to one of these two linked accounts?

I'd assumed it was the PB account and you were rolling over the ILSC. If you are withdrawing from the ILSC and have confirmed maturity instructions, then I don't understand the problem. Do you suspect you gave the wrong instructions? Can you not simply update again?

hallmark

masonic said:

From which NS&I account are you making the £30k withdrawal to one of these two linked accounts?

I'd assumed it was the PB account and you were rolling over the ILSC. If you are withdrawing from the ILSC and have confirmed maturity instructions, then I don't understand the problem. Do you suspect you gave the wrong instructions? Can you not simply update again?

I'm closing the ILSC & cashing it in.

I don't think I gave the wrong instructions, I'd just like there to be a way to confirm this.

The problem with updating again (i.e. adding the bank account a third time) is I wouldn't know which I was linking to, because I'd then have three identical bank accts added with no way to tell which was the original I've been using for years, which is the one I added yesterday, and which would be the even newer one.

masonic

hallmark said:

masonic said:

From which NS&I account are you making the £30k withdrawal to one of these two linked accounts?

I'd assumed it was the PB account and you were rolling over the ILSC. If you are withdrawing from the ILSC and have confirmed maturity instructions, then I don't understand the problem. Do you suspect you gave the wrong instructions? Can you not simply update again?

I'm closing the ILSC & cashing it in.

I don't think I gave the wrong instructions, I'd just like there to be a way to confirm this.

The problem with updating again (i.e. adding the bank account a third time) is I wouldn't know which I was linking to, because I'd then have three identical bank accts added with no way to tell which was the original I've been using for years, which is the one I added yesterday, and which would be the even newer one.

You would if you used a different destination account. Just remember to screenshot the details just before submitting for peace of mind.

Or have them mature into a Direct Saver.

The third option is to sacrifice £2 of your premium bonds to check both accounts work.

If you're not willing to do any of the above, then you could try, and I know how this is going to sound... phoning them.