Is it normal for a high st bank to refuse to exchange bank notes ?

demonted · 7 July 2018 at 4:40PM

I don't bank with Barclays Bank but I made a withdrawal from a ATM within the branch.

My withdrawal consisted mainly of £5 & £10 notes and as I didn't want so many 5s & 10s, I asked the human bank teller to exchange them for five £20 notes.

However, the teller asked whether I banked with Barclays and when I said I didn't, she refused to make the exchange, even though I explained the notes came from the Barclays ATM; she was even sat next to a open draw full of notes ?

So, was the bank teller just being awkward or is there some kind of preposterous banking rule I'm unaware of; it's not as if I was attempting to make a deposit into a bank I don't bank with.

Carrot007 · 7 July 2018 at 5:01PM

As a non customer of theirs why would they waste their time and notes on you.

Banks do not hold much cash anymore so transactions for non customers went out years ago (though sometimes they don't ask and assume).

And why would there be a rule. You are not a customer, you have no rights.

Chino · 7 July 2018 at 6:46PM

demonted wrote: »

I asked the human bank teller

demonted wrote: »

the teller asked

demonted wrote: »

was the bank teller

In this country they're called "cashiers".

demonted wrote: »

So, was the bank teller just being awkward

No; the Barclays ATM had dispensed the money you asked for.

Westie983 · 7 July 2018 at 7:04PM

demonted wrote: »

I don't bank with Barclays Bank but I made a withdrawal from a ATM within the branch.

My withdrawal consisted mainly of £5 & £10 notes and as I didn't want so many 5s & 10s, I asked the human bank teller to exchange them for five £20 notes.

However, the teller asked whether I banked with Barclays and when I said I didn't, she refused to make the exchange, even though I explained the notes came from the Barclays ATM; she was even sat next to a open draw full of notes ?

So, was the bank teller just being awkward or is there some kind of preposterous banking rule I'm unaware of; it's not as if I was attempting to make a deposit into a bank I don't bank with.

This is correct practice, if you are not a customer of that bank then they cant do a transaction for you.

Even if you are a customer of that bank, they still cant just swop the notes over for you, most of the banks require you to pay the money into the account and then make a withdrawal in the notes you require.

Westie983

demonted · 7 July 2018 at 7:20PM

Cashier or Teller, you understood didn't you; I don't think a bank teller would be as offended by such a term.

I'm not questioning how the ATM operated, but I was surprised by the human bank tellers reluctance to exchange the 5s & 10s for 20s, just as surprised as the responses received so far; after all, I didn't make such a request by passing a note to the "Cashier" whilst holding a gun.

I can't understsnd the hostile responses so for, especially in support of the bank, I made what I believed was a reasonable request to exchange the smaller notes for £20s, which I've done in the past at different banks, although years ago and without refusal, yet by the responses received so far; what I've attempted and expected, appears to be the unthinkable.

demonted · 7 July 2018 at 7:24PM

Westie983, thanks for such a succinct reply.

masonic · 7 July 2018 at 7:26PM

I made what I believed was a reasonable request to exchange the smaller notes for £20s, which I've done in the past at different banks, although years ago and without refusal, yet by the responses received so far; what I've attempted and expected, appears to be the unthinkable.

Yeah you used to be able to open an account by filling out a simple form and without having to pass identity checks, anti-money laundering checks, and making declarations about citizenship. Times change.

jonesMUFCforever · 7 July 2018 at 9:21PM

demonted wrote: »

Cashier or Teller, you understood didn't you; I don't think a bank teller would be as offended by such a term.

I'm not questioning how the ATM operated, but I was surprised by the human bank tellers reluctance to exchange the 5s & 10s for 20s, just as surprised as the responses received so far; after all, I didn't make such a request by passing a note to the "Cashier" whilst holding a gun.

I can't understsnd the hostile responses so for, especially in support of the bank, I made what I believed was a reasonable request to exchange the smaller notes for £20s, which I've done in the past at different banks, although years ago and without refusal, yet by the responses received so far; what I've attempted and expected, appears to be the unthinkable.

If you don't like the notes which the other banks dispense at their ATM's why not go into your own bank and go to a teller ---- sorry cashier! and make the withdrawal there asking for the desired notes?

Armorica · 7 July 2018 at 11:28PM

In the old days, the cash would have been exchanged.

The patchwork of banking rules around know your customer, anti-money laundering, proceeds of crime, and general anti-counterfeiting add up to this being very unlikely now.

ChrisK....._3 · 7 July 2018 at 11:49PM

Nope. I am 65324565 million years old and Banks have only ever exchanged money for existing customers and this practice had never ever ever been different
What had changed is that Banks used to machine dispense cash to their existing customers only, then they used to charge non customers, then the Banks agreed to dispense cash to other bank customers.
The bank machine dispensed you cash and you extended that to other banking services

demonted · 8 July 2018 at 2:45AM

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

If you don't like the notes which the other banks dispense at their ATM's why not go into your own bank and go to a teller ---- sorry cashier! and make the withdrawal there asking for the desired notes?

It's the first time I've received so many 5 & £10 Notes from a cash machine.
The whole point of using a cash machine is convenience; Barclays Bank was closer than my own Bank and l had no idea of what domination the cash machine would dispense; in all the years I've used cash machines, I've NEVER received £50 of £5 Notes.

Yeah, now I know what dominations that machine dispenses its cash I won't use it again; unless I withdraw no more than £30; even then, I'd only expect such an amount to contain 2 fivers, not 6.

However, my gripe is not the operation of the cash machine; it's the reluctance of the Cashier or Banking protocol not to simply exchange my cash, especially when there's an open draw of cash right next to the Cashier and I can't understand why so many forum members see this as acceptable and see myself as the one expected more than I deserve.

And whether a billion years old or not, in the past, although maybe 6 or 7 years ago and longer; I have exchanged British Bank Notes for smaller or larger Notes and Coins at Banks, the Halifax, when it was a Building Society and the Post Office; most recently, even at Morrisons Customer Service Desk; on each occasion without issue or refusal.

Is it normal for a high st bank to refuse to exchange bank notes ?

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