Those who have had their accounts closed by UK banks

[scubascuba3]

10 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Closing of expat's accounts in the UK press.  Not just Farage.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/06/92-year-old-debanked-natwest-jamaica

Nice one, he or a friend of his must have logged his account closure on the website i posted further up, I hope those in Thailand who also have had their account closed will log it

[freeman01]

highly suggest to use Wise or other "neo-bank" for everyday transactions or transferring money abroad, that way the only transactions they can see is out to Wise for example and most importantly using the same currency as your main account, good way to make sure you main bank doesn't know what you do with your money.

 

situation is only gonna get worse from here imho ...

 

edit: oh and vpn when using internet banking or phone app obviously ...

Edited August 8, 2023 by freeman01

[OJAS]

On 8/4/2023 at 1:42 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Need to keep accounts active, obviously, minimum balance and some transfers or payments every year 

Agreed - use it or lose it as the old adage goes!

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I have a U.K. account with NatWest and have done since the 80’s.

My account is active, company pension ( not entitled to state pension for another 5 years ) , have a couple of direct debits and use my credit card occasionally ( if I use it very infrequently it throws up security alerts ).

 I have a U.K. address, which i changed a couple of times while out of the country ( since 1995 ) and never causes any alarms.

 I use a Thai phone number and they do message me on it occasionally.

 I am aware of the threat of account closure and think my account use is keeping it safe …… at the moment.

But, i guess my turn will come and will have to find alternative arrangements.

 

Here’s a link to the “ Wise “ topic which could be useful for those in a similar position.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

31 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I have a U.K. account with NatWest and have done since the 80’s.

My account is active, company pension ( not entitled to state pension for another 5 years ) , have a couple of direct debits and use my credit card occasionally ( if I use it very infrequently it throws up security alerts ).

 I have a U.K. address, which i changed a couple of times while out of the country ( since 1995 ) and never causes any alarms.

 I use a Thai phone number and they do message me on it occasionally.

 I am aware of the threat of account closure and think my account use is keeping it safe …… at the moment.

But, i guess my turn will come and will have to find alternative arrangements.

 

Here’s a link to the “ Wise “ topic which could be useful for those in a similar position.

 

 

Safer to get a UK sim and use that number, top up £10 will last years, giffgaff send to Thailand takes about a week

[Andrew Dwyer]

12 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Safer to get a UK sim and use that number, top up £10 will last years, giffgaff send to Thailand takes about a week

Yes, have had a giffgaff sim for around 5 or 6 years and used it to contact the bank on occasions, just sent the 6 months SMS to keep it alive last week.

Trouble is my phone is dual sim but one is an e-sim and doesn’t work for me.

I did explain, on a telephone call, that i split my time between the U.K. and Thailand and my Thai number was easiest to contact so they made it the primary number and now contact me via that.

Whether that was a good idea or not I am not sure but it’s done now and seems to work okay.

 

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yes, have had a giffgaff sim for around 5 or 6 years and used it to contact the bank on occasions, just sent the 6 months SMS to keep it alive last week.

Trouble is my phone is dual sim but one is an e-sim and doesn’t work for me.

I did explain, on a telephone call, that i split my time between the U.K. and Thailand and my Thai number was easiest to contact so they made it the primary number and now contact me via that.

Whether that was a good idea or not I am not sure but it’s done now and seems to work okay.

 

ok but one day a bank could just decide those using foreign telephone numbers get their account closed, i put my UK sim in my tablet that never leaves the house

[The Fugitive]

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Trouble is my phone is dual sim but one is an e-sim and doesn’t work for me.

Thanks for this tip! Despite the dire warnings from others about using VOIP services, my virtual UK mobile number from 'VYKE' continues to serve me well. I use it for everything apart from Thai organisations that require a Thai mobile number.

[The Fugitive]

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

ok but one day a bank could just decide those using foreign telephone numbers get their account closed, i put my UK sim in my tablet that never leaves the house

Very good suggestion, many thanks. Have yet to own either a laptop or tablet that accepts a SIM card!

[scubascuba3]

19 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Very good suggestion, many thanks. Have yet to own either a laptop or tablet that accepts a SIM card!

I used to have my UK sim in my mobile, disaster when i lost the phone, I won't do that again

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I used to have my UK sim in my mobile, disaster when i lost the phone, I won't do that again

GiffGaff will post you a new SIM to Thailand free of charge.

Takes about 14 days from you filling in the online request form.

https://www.giffgaff.com/freesim-international

Edited August 12, 2023 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I have a U.K. account with NatWest and have done since the 80’s.

My account is active, company pension ( not entitled to state pension for another 5 years ) , have a couple of direct debits and use my credit card occasionally ( if I use it very infrequently it throws up security alerts ).

 I have a U.K. address, which i changed a couple of times while out of the country ( since 1995 ) and never causes any alarms.

 I use a Thai phone number and they do message me on it occasionally.

 I am aware of the threat of account closure and think my account use is keeping it safe …… at the moment.

But, i guess my turn will come and will have to find alternative arrangements.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/natwest-bank-account-closure-windrush-pensioner-b2386391.html

 

"A spokesperson for NatWest said: “We have taken the decision to stop offering banking services to a number of personal customers in some countries of residence outside the UK. We’re doing so as we focus on investing in and providing great services for those customers in our core market."

Edited August 12, 2023 by BritManToo

[scubascuba3]

19 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

GiffGaff will post you a new SIM to Thailand free of charge.

Takes about 14 days from you filling in the online request form.

https://www.giffgaff.com/freesim-international

Yes that's right, originally i had an Asda sim and they wouldn't send abroad

[VBF]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:03 AM, hotandsticky said:

The cash argument is largely a lost battle in the U.K. 

 

Having spent the last month in the U.K. I reckon that 90+% of high street transactions are by card. The occasional small retailer will fight the tide, but I only came across one cash only shop - up to 40% were card only, possibly continuing pandemic practices.

NOT true!

I live in UK and of all the places I shop, eat, drink or otherwise spend money, NONE of them, big or small, has abandoned cash.

A few have more e-payment places than cash tills but all will still happily relieve you of the folding stuff.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, VBF said:

NOT true!

I live in UK and of all the places I shop, eat, drink or otherwise spend money, NONE of them, big or small, has abandoned cash.

A few have more e-payment places than cash tills but all will still happily relieve you of the folding stuff.

Don't call me a liar!

 

I don't care about where you live - I saw several 'card only' retailers.

[Mike Teavee]

9 hours ago, VBF said:

NOT true!

I live in UK and of all the places I shop, eat, drink or otherwise spend money, NONE of them, big or small, has abandoned cash.

A few have more e-payment places than cash tills but all will still happily relieve you of the folding stuff.

I don’t know if it was just a Covid thing at the time, but when flying back from Manchester in March 2022, one of the duty free shops at the Airport (not the main one, a small one selling Belgian Seashell chocolates) wouldn’t take cash so I had to pay on my Barclays Credit Card. 
 

And I’m pretty sure that in May this year, a shop at Cheshire Oaks said they didn’t accept cash but it wasn’t a problem as I was paying for everything on my Barclays Debit card that day. 

It is becoming more prevalent everywhere (went into a Starbucks at Lumpini MRT and they wouldn’t take cash) & if the Bank of England does introduce a Digital £ then I would expect it to become even more the norm. 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[theoldgit]

18 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

I don't care about where you live - I saw several 'card only' retailers.

We’re currently in the UK and have come across numerous retailers who would only accept card payments. My wife even purchased a single Krispy Kreme doughnut at a stall in a shopping mall, and they would only accept card payments.

 

l have however noticed a few shops having signs near tills complaining that the banks charge them high fees to process cards and asking customers to pay cash if they could, but all l came across would still take cards.

[VBF]

On 8/12/2023 at 2:57 PM, hotandsticky said:

Don't call me a liar!

 

I don't care about where you live - I saw several 'card only' retailers.

Ooh beam me up snotty!!! ????

You said "I reckon that 90+% of high street transactions are by card. "  

Well i reckon you're not very observant as 90+% of transactions might have been by card but clearly that was people's choice as everywhere in my area and that of several friends takes both forms of payment. Some might prefer e-payment but that's not the same as only taking it.  As the customer, it's MY preference that's important.

 

Happy now?

[VBF]

16 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

I don’t know if it was just a Covid thing at the time, but when flying back from Manchester in March 2022, one of the duty free shops at the Airport (not the main one, a small one selling Belgian Seashell chocolates) wouldn’t take cash so I had to pay on my Barclays Credit Card. 
 

And I’m pretty sure that in May this year, a shop at Cheshire Oaks said they didn’t accept cash but it wasn’t a problem as I was paying for everything on my Barclays Debit card that day. 

It is becoming more prevalent everywhere (went into a Starbucks at Lumpini MRT and they wouldn’t take cash) & if the Bank of England does introduce a Digital £ then I would expect it to become even more the norm. 

Yes the Covid nonsense about not taking cash seems to have been good excuse for some retailers to use it as an agenda for the future. If the majority of customers choose to pay electronically it'll become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I still prefer to have the choice but i've got enough plastic and phone methods to accept it if i have to.

I do hope that cash remains useable in Thailand though - from a purely selfish POV I might add

[VBF]

6 hours ago, theoldgit said:

We’re currently in the UK and have come across numerous retailers who would only accept card payments. My wife even purchased a single Krispy Kreme doughnut at a stall in a shopping mall, and they would only accept card payments.

 

l have however noticed a few shops having signs near tills complaining that the banks charge them high fees to process cards and asking customers to pay cash if they could, but all l came across would still take cards.

That's the ideal situation - choice!

[hotandsticky]

11 hours ago, VBF said:

Ooh beam me up snotty!!! ????

You said "I reckon that 90+% of high street transactions are by card. "  

Well i reckon you're not very observant as 90+% of transactions might have been by card but clearly that was people's choice as everywhere in my area and that of several friends takes both forms of payment. Some might prefer e-payment but that's not the same as only taking it.  As the customer, it's MY preference that's important.

 

Happy now?

We knew it was your preference, that is why your comments were biased.

 

I don't give a toss about your preference (although I have no desire to cash eliminated) - my observations were on par with The OG....... I guess you see what you what you want to see.

 

 

[doctormann]

I would be interested to hear from any Barclays customer, living in Thailand, who has actually managed to close their Barclays current account, as required because they are not UK resident.  If you managed to do this, how did you do it?

 

I, among others, received notice from Barclays that my current and savings accounts were to be closed.  I was told that I must clear the accounts of any funds, direct debits, regular credits, etc.  I was also given instructions on how to then close the accounts.  Well, I cleared the accounts but have, so far, failed to close them.

 

There are, allegedly, three ways to close the accounts. (1) From the Barclays online website; (2) From the Barclays phone app; (3) By telephone call.

In my experience, Option 3 is best avoided unless you like listening to 'tune of the month' while your phone credit evaporates, only to be eventually connected to a call centre where the operatives know nothing about the issue.  Options 1 and 2 do not work - there is no obvious way to close an account from either of these.

 

So, I sent them a secure message, using the facility on the website, explaining the problem.  To be fair, the person that I communicated with was very helpful, although may have been a bot, judging from some of the responses.

 

The first response was the provision of a phone number that I should call - i.e. Option 3.  I asked if there was a way to close the accounts online, thus avoiding the phone call option.  I was assured that this could be done.  There followed a lot of two-way dialogue that seemed logical - confirmation of details etc.  This ended with 'Are you sure that you want to do this?' then 'Are you really sure?' then 'OK, please give me a few minutes to service your request'.  Wow, I thought, I have succeeded - but no, I then get 'Sorry, I do not have the authority to close your accounts, please call this number and someone there will be able to help you'.

 

So, back to Option 3, it seems!  Honestly, why can't they get their act together!  I am tempted to do nothing - the accounts will get closed anyway, I'm sure.  Might get blacklisted though!

[scubascuba3]

3 minutes ago, doctormann said:

I would be interested to hear from any Barclays customer, living in Thailand, who has actually managed to close their Barclays current account, as required because they are not UK resident.  If you managed to do this, how did you do it?

 

I, among others, received notice from Barclays that my current and savings accounts were to be closed.  I was told that I must clear the accounts of any funds, direct debits, regular credits, etc.  I was also given instructions on how to then close the accounts.  Well, I cleared the accounts but have, so far, failed to close them.

 

There are, allegedly, three ways to close the accounts. (1) From the Barclays online website; (2) From the Barclays phone app; (3) By telephone call.

In my experience, Option 3 is best avoided unless you like listening to 'tune of the month' while your phone credit evaporates, only to be eventually connected to a call centre where the operatives know nothing about the issue.  Options 1 and 2 do not work - there is no obvious way to close an account from either of these.

 

So, I sent them a secure message, using the facility on the website, explaining the problem.  To be fair, the person that I communicated with was very helpful, although may have been a bot, judging from some of the responses.

 

The first response was the provision of a phone number that I should call - i.e. Option 3.  I asked if there was a way to close the accounts online, thus avoiding the phone call option.  I was assured that this could be done.  There followed a lot of two-way dialogue that seemed logical - confirmation of details etc.  This ended with 'Are you sure that you want to do this?' then 'Are you really sure?' then 'OK, please give me a few minutes to service your request'.  Wow, I thought, I have succeeded - but no, I then get 'Sorry, I do not have the authority to close your accounts, please call this number and someone there will be able to help you'.

 

So, back to Option 3, it seems!  Honestly, why can't they get their act together!  I am tempted to do nothing - the accounts will get closed anyway, I'm sure.  Might get blacklisted though!

Do nothing they will close them eventually 

[doctormann]

16 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Do nothing they will close them eventually 

Tempting but I don't want to p*ss them off.  I still have an International Account and I don't want to compromise that one.

[OJAS]

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I was also given instructions on how to then close the accounts.

What a cheek! Barclays are closing your onshore accounts but expecting you to do their dirty work for them, it would seem!! Suggest that you open an international account with another offshore bank and then close your Barclays one - thus making it possible for you to tell Barclays to get royally stuffed in no uncertain terms!!!

 

EDIT#1: As a matter of principle, would you really want to have an offshore account with a bank which has gleefully closed your onshore ones with them?

 

EDIT#2: Apologies, @scubascuba3, I was actually replying to @doctormann!

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by OJAS

[OJAS]

On 8/12/2023 at 3:29 PM, BritManToo said:

We’re doing so as we focus on investing in and providing great services for those customers in our core market.

What a load of baloney! In the increasingly electronic and automated age in which we are now living , it is surely possible for NatWest to provide their "great" services to any account holder of theirs living anywhere on this great planet of ours without having to bust a gut!!

 

[Mike Teavee]

11 hours ago, doctormann said:

Tempting but I don't want to p*ss them off.  I still have an International Account and I don't want to compromise that one.

They are only closing UK accounts for customers who do not live in the UK so your international account is safe (Living outside of the UK is the main purpose of these accounts). 

 

I do think you've made it much easier for them to close your account by cancelling direct debits / standing orders etc... as they make money on those transactions... 

 

I pay them approx. £17 per month for my Stockbrokers "Smart" (sic) Investor account so they seem to be leaving me alone (& they do know that I don't live in the UK as they moved me to Singapore 15 years ago, my account still shows "Staff Account" & has a sort code that you won't find fits any "Branch")

 

 

Can I ask how much the Barclays International Account costs you pm (Seem to recall a fee of roughly £40 pm) only if they do close my account then that's probably the route I would go down as I wouldn't want to lose the Stockbroker accounts (Though smart they are not)

 

 

[doctormann]

45 minutes ago, OJAS said:

What a cheek! Barclays are closing your onshore accounts but expecting you to do their dirty work for them, it would seem!! Suggest that you open an international account with another offshore bank and then close your Barclays one - thus making it possible for you to tell Barclays to get royally stuffed in no uncertain terms!!!

 

EDIT#1: As a matter of principle, would you really want to have an offshore account with a bank which has gleefully closed your onshore ones with them?

 

EDIT#2: Apologies, @scubascuba3, I was actually replying to @doctormann!

 

I'm not sure how easy it would be to open an international account with a different bank when I don't have a UK address.  It would need to be an account that has a UK sort code as my occupational pension provider insists on that.  My Barclays account in the IoM works OK for that so i will probably stick with them, for now at least.  I don't think that they will close the international account - at least, there is no indication that they plan to do this, but never say never!

 

I am far from happy with Barclays but they are not the only bank that is closing ex-pat accounts.  All done in the name of money laundering and KYC - and they really should know me quite well after 60 years!

[doctormann]

3 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

They are only closing UK accounts for customers who do not live in the UK so your international account is safe (Living outside of the UK is the main purpose of these accounts). 

 

I do think you've made it much easier for them to close your account by cancelling direct debits / standing orders etc... as they make money on those transactions... 

 

I pay them approx. £17 per month for my Stockbrokers "Smart" (sic) Investor account so they seem to be leaving me alone (& they do know that I don't live in the UK as they moved me to Singapore 15 years ago, my account still shows "Staff Account" & has a sort code that you won't find fits any "Branch")

 

 

Can I ask how much the Barclays International Account costs you pm (Seem to recall a fee of roughly £40 pm) only if they do close my account then that's probably the route I would go down as I wouldn't want to lose the Stockbroker accounts (Though smart they are not)

 

 

Yes, it's 40 GBP per month and 15 GBP per SWIFT transfer.

 

Clearing the accounts and cancelling direct debits etc is a precursor to closure.  If I didn't do this then they would close the accounts anyway but this would create problems for anyone trying to deposit or get paid from a closed account.

[Mike Teavee]

12 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Yes, it's 40 GBP per month and 15 GBP per SWIFT transfer.

 

Clearing the accounts and cancelling direct debits etc is a precursor to closure.  If I didn't do this then they would close the accounts anyway but this would create problems for anyone trying to deposit or get paid from a closed account.

Barclays try to take a holistic view of their customers so you (& me paying £17 pm) are way back in the queue of "Customers we are going to close accounts on", especially as I'm sure you have a lot more money/assets in your International account than the average Joe has in their UK account 

 

If they do finally decide to close your account, it's  not your job to close it, they notify you, they close it... BUT they have to give you at least 3 (might be 6 now after the recent Farage palaver) formal notice that they are closing the account (you will get an end date when the account will be closed) which is plenty of time to reorganise DD/SO's etc... 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Mike Teavee
Lol.. Typed Farang instead of Farage :P