Problems with Barclays- advice needed

house_problems

Hello there,

I posted this yeaterday on the current accounts board but noone as yet has been able to help me so thought I would see if anyone on here could


I need some advice regarding my Barclays account, basically I was over my overdraft limit by £100 so I wrote to Barclays explaining that I had recently lost my job (one of the reasons I was over my limit) and giving them a date in the future that I could pay that off and get back within my limit(in 2 months times), I asked for someone to get in touch if this was a problem and stated I wouldnt spend anything more on the account in the meantime, I sent this by recorded delivery

I heard nothing back from Barclays so assumed this was okay, however when I went to pay the money in on the date I had stated my overdraft had been reset to ten pounds, I wrote to Barclays again (by recorded delivery) and they again didnt respond to my letter

a few weeks later (i am unsure of the exact date) I went into Barclays who told me I couldnt deal with them as it had been passed on to there recovery department, I spoke to them and they said my account had been terminated and I had been informed by letter (which I hadent)

I then asked the recovery department if I could find out when the letter was sent (which they said they didnt have on there system) so I went back into the branch to see if I could see when the letters were sent, they were able to find out on there system that they were sent to my previous address

Since then I have been home and found yet another two letters I have sent to Barclays (again I have the recorded delivery slips) with my current address on but on there system they did not bother to update there details until the very final letter I sent them (which they didnt reply to)

I have spoken again to the recovery department who have told me that although that may be the case it is too late now anyway and I will have to pay off my overdraft £1800 immediatly as its outstanding and I cannot reactivate my account again, I have even offered to pay off the outstanding balance if my account remained active which they said they couldnt do

What I am angry with is that I have been with Barclays for over 18 years and they always say to you to get in contact if you experience difficulties, I did this and am now going to have to pay back this amount and find a new bank, I feel that the least they could have done is replied to one of my letters or even rung me

Is there anything I can do or do I have to pay off the £1800 overdraft immediatly

Bismarck

Sorry to read your story. It makes an absolute mockery of the idea that you should contact them if you have any difficulties. The lack of communication is absolutely disgusting. I've been with them 22 years and can only expect I'd get similar treatment...so much for caring about their hard-earned loyal customer!

How are things on the job front? If I were you I'd arrange to see someone at your local branch and get them onside (ideally with a plan to repay the OD that is acceptable to you without making you uncomfortable) so that they can represent your cause...it's shocking that they have a central correspondence system that really doesn't appear to be working....

andan

Have no advice to give, but just wanted to wish you the best of luck in your situation. it must be very frustrating, especially as you went to lengths to sort it out. Hope you find a new job soon or have a new job.

house_problems

thanks for the words of encouragement, very much appreciated

As an update to this I have been passed onto the complaints department where a woman on the phone said to me "to be honest i dont see why you are complaining you wont get anything"

They then told me that they had record of letters sent to me until I pointed out to them that I had a friend who worked in one of the branches for showed me that they were sent to the wrong address

I have even offered them to pay off the overdraft in return for them reinstating my account or opening a new one but they told me they would get back to me in 48 hours, 4 days later and im still waiting! its so frustrating

Claire1306

I myself am having difficulties with Barclays and indeed HSBC too, unfortunatly I have an OD with both banks not huge ammounts £200 and £350 but still not what I want!
HSBC have just written to me to say that as I have not been using my account enough my OD of £200 will be taken away on 28th April, I only earn £550 a month and thats never enough so I really dont know what to do I have two small children and no money......

notisis

Contact the financial ombudsman - http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/ and explain the situation. I believe you have to make a formal complaint to Barclays and if they don't reply within a certain amount or time or respond in a satisfactory way you take the complaint further. The financial ombudsman will send you all the claim forms you need to complete. They can order the bank to put things right and compensate you.

The new banking code is also in effect which states customers must be treated fairly look at http://www.bankingcode.org.uk/

Good luck.

house_problems

hello all as an update to the above I recieved my complaint summary today from Barclays which reads as follows

" I am sorry that you had to contact us as your address was not changed despite you contacting us to do so on several occasions.As a result you were not recieving our correspondence and were unaware that your account was going to be closed.We would also like to apologise for not responding to the questions on the letters sent to us. May I take this oppoertunity to offer my sincere apologies for the inconvienience this has cause you

Thank you for taking the time to speak to me today. Please note that the default information logged against you due to your account closure cannot be removed until your outstanding debt has been paid in full"

Now this was after them telling me on the phone that they didnt respond to my letters initially as they didnt think my signatures matched, when I asked why they updated my address on a later letter but didnt respond to me they stated "that they couldnt due to security" So basically they could send my statements to potentially the wrong address but they couldnt discuss the letter

They then followed this up by asking me to write to them with my new address!!!!!

The problem I have here is that I can raise the money together but by doing so I am going to leave myself very very short, but if I dont I am going to have to a default on my credit file until I do

I just wish they had responded to one of my letters intially and I would have sorted this all out there and then

davefcuk

Just a word of warning in my experience when a default has gone onto your record they seldom remove it. Make sure you get in writting they will remove the default if you pay in full.

Best of luck

house_problems

yeah thanks i was actually wondering that myself really as it has on the letter that they would request to remove any default information on it,will right to them asking if they are definatly going to do it before paying it