Santander bank account closed with no notice

Chief_of_Staffy

Absolutely complain. You likely won't get compensation, or even an apology, but the bank will have to spend resource investigating and responding, and if enough people complain when they are treated like something on the bank's shoe, things might change for the better.

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6684522/santander-bank-account-closed-with-no-notice

Deposits from third parties Santander might be suspicious of? Crypto? You live abroad but you hadn’t updated your address?

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82148670#Comment_82148670

There was another thread which related to Santander closing an account where that OP was living abroad but hadn’t told Santander.

Santander sent a, ‘where do you live letter?’ to their UK address and deliberately didn’t add it to their electronic inbox. That OP complained that if it had been added to their electronic inbox in internet banking they could have sent their neighbour around to pickup the letter and pass it to them abroad…

MrPaulus

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82149185#Comment_82149185

Exactly. I went through a KYC process in May 2026, and I clearly told them (again) I lived outside the UK. I provided all the required documentation, and I was told if there were any more questions, they’d get back to me. Less than 4 months later, my account is terminated with no notice.

If they wanted me to close my account, I could have done it in May.

gt94sss2

Thinking about it overnight, I’ve got some even bigger issues. First of all, they have issued a cheque, which I won’t be able to pay into either a Revolut or Wise bank account

Wise is not a bank in the UK

However, your cheque example is one user case where having a HSBC UK account will be helpful. It's app supports paying cheques up to £2,000 in

Maegi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82149633#Comment_82149633

Obviously complain if you feel strongly but I have a feeling that you may be onto a looser.

The issue will likely be that the account T&Cs restrict to UK residents only. Having a UK mailing address doesn't make you a UK resident and using that address might even have temporarily delayed closure. Banking T&Cs usually say something like they can enforce T&Cs immediately even if they've let it slip in the past.

Your insurance companies will accept alternate payment (if you contact them) for these type of situations plus if you are due a credit then contact the sending company who can resend to Wise / Revolut.

molerat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82150232#Comment_82150232

The argument over their right to close the account is not what this thread is about, OP is to some extent OK with that point, it is them closing the account with no notice for something which is not covered by the t&cs specifying immediate closure reasons and should be covered by the 90/30 day notice.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82150232#Comment_82150232

Banking T&Cs usually say something like they can enforce T&Cs immediately even if they've let it slip in the past

Earlier in the thread someone posted a link to the last T&C changes, which implement consumer protections relating to account closures. Not living in the UK (by itself) isn't one of the things on Santander's list of what might justify immediate closure.

It would be different if the OP had lied to Santander about where they were living, which would trigger the 'false/misleading/withheld' provision, but from what the OP says that doesn't apply in their case.

MrPaulus

Update: here is the reply from Santander to my initial complaint.

I'm sorry that you've had to contact us about your Santander account closures.

I understand that this situation has caused you problems, but I've investigated your case and this wasn't because of a mistake we made. This is because on 19/06/26, you were sent a letter providing you with 90 days' notice of your accounts being closed.

This is in line with Santander terms and conditions, where Santander can withdraw banking services for any reason by providing you notice. Santander cannot maintain nor provide you banking services at this time.

As you were given notice to your registered address, we cannot uphold this complaint.

I got a letter delivered to my UK mailbox on late May 2026 about the KYC process, but nothing after that. How am I supposed to prove I didn't get a letter?

I will be escalating my complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Enzo_L

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82152347#Comment_82152347

You don't have to prove that you didn't get a letter.

They just have to show that they sent you a letter to your last known address giving you notice.