missing digit in standing order, so natwest put one on for me

sudio29marc

i set up a standing order in december for business rent on monthly bases.
did this online with my natwest online banking. landlord had given me acc nr with digit missing, so 7 instead of 8. the computer system accepted and just put a 0 in front making this a 8 digit nr. and someones account.
natwest insist i tell abbey i did this online so making this my mistake.
abbey tells me natwest has to sort it and of course vice-versa.
where do i go from here. how can natwest just make amendmends on my standing order. instead of telling me to check the nr as its not complete.
all natwest is saying is well it did ask you to make sure everything is wright before you enter the detail and you did, so here you go its your fault.
any suggestions? really cant affort to lose £ 3000. and have to pay it again.
also should the landlord take some responsibility for giving me the wrong details.

Marc

jonesMUFCforever

It is your mistake.
It is standard practise to put a 0 in front of a 7 digit number to make it 8.
Lloyds did this when they merged with TSB because all their old numbers had 7 digits.
Even if you had written the details down on a NW standing order mandate the same would have happened.

The landlord has given you a wrong number but he still needs to be paid.
NW won't or can't do anything as you set it up online.
Write a letter to NW asking them to forward it on to Abbey asking for the monies to be returned.
If they are returned all well and good - if not then you have to seek legal redress - probably through a solicitor because that might be the only way you will be able to find out into who's account the monies have been credited.

Lastly take a printout of the standing order and keep it safe - my bank does not keep records of standing orders once cancelled - and cancel it.

If you have proof that the landlord did give you the wrong figure this might appease him a bit longer while you try to sort this out.

Mikeyorks

sudio29marc wrote: »

how can natwest just make amendmends on my standing order

They didn't. Insignificant zeroes are always present at the left hand side .. so they just remain there if you don't overkey them.

Can't add anything more than previous post, in terms of resolving it.

jamesd

For the banking pros here, is there any sign that banks may switch to using account number verification systems so this will normally be detected? The credit card number check isn't great but it's way better than nothing. Don't know how good the IBAN verification check is.

dunstonh

The problem here is that you made the error. The bank will take responsibility for its own errors but cannot be made responsible for yours.

The landlord should take some responsibility in that he cant kick you out as the reason he hasnt got the money is his fault.

Accounts numbers are values, some accounts numbers can have as low as 3 digits. Although these are typically kept for the bank to use itself. I remember seeing customers with just 4 digits. My own are 6 digits. The adding of zeros to make 8 numbers will always be at the front so not to increase the value. i.e. account 123456 will be 00123456. If you put a 0 at the end you increase the value.

There is a way to get this resolved and that is to contact the bank that was receiving the money in error and ask them to forward a letter to the account holder asking them to return the money as well as making the bank aware. If the person refuses, then you should contact a solicitor for advice as they are not entitled to this money and therefore not meant to spend it. If they have spent it and cannot pay you then you go to the small claims court and apply for a CCJ against that person. However, thats getting a long way ahead.

Clive_Woody

Tell the landlord the funds were sent to his nominated account using the details he supplied, if as this appears he gave the wrong details then he needs to chase the owner of this account for his money. You followed his instructions therefore he needs to clean up this mistake.