Friday, November 30, 2007

Just don't trust them!

Because we've both been working hard this week, getting up at 4.30a.m. to start work at 6a.m. and getting home in the afternoon we'd not registered the fact that tomorrow was 1st December and the day the mortgage payment will be taken out of our bank account. As we've only just started our seasonal jobs with Royal Mail we don't get paid until next week so needed to transfer some money from our building society to our bank to cover direct debits. We withdrew our money from the building society and went straight to the bank to pay it into our account. The queue was snaking across the length of the building and only two windows open. We filled out our paying in slip and joined the queue. A member of staff was walking up and down asking if people were just 'paying-in' so we said yes we were and she said come with me and took us to the shelf where people write out their details on payment slips. She took our money, counted it out and put it and the slip in an envelope and sealed it. We asked for a receipt but she said the bank now had a policy of not giving out receipts. We said we needed to know that the money had gone into our account. She said it will, see, I'm putting it in this container, it's perfectly safe - she seemed to think that we didn't trust her with the money - not that we were anxious to know that we wouldn't become overdrawn. We said again that we needed to know that the money would go into our account today. She assured us that it would be in there 'within the hour' - it was about 12 noon. I was still concerned that we had no receipt but there was no way we could get one, so left it at that. After lunch we went for a walk and got home about 3.30p.m. switched on the computer and checked our account - the money hadn't gone in. We tried to ring the bank - no reply. The helpline tried to ring the bank - no reply. We were given another number to ring, they couldn't get through to our branch, then they cut us off. Our branch doesn't open again until Monday so now I have all weekend to worry about what has become of our money and to feel angry that a) we were not given a receipt and b) the member of staff who had seemed helpful was actually quite deceitful and c) that we will now have an overdraft.

Grr...... just don't trust banks especially those who have a policy of not giving out receipts and who instruct their staff, under the guise of being helpful, to fob you off with false information. We have been with this bank for 26 years - I don't think they will have us as customers for very much longer.

1 comment:

  1. Hi there sorry to hear about your bank I hate them and they way that they rule your money and you dont fell like you have any say! I really think that is appalling that they didnt give a receipt but you see you couldnt walk away because you needed to put it in - I hate them so much and theres nothig we can do now I dont think if you change you will it any different. I have been packing again all day and my neighbours now own my dining table as I sold it to them ages ago and now they are ready for it. I am fed up! I think you should go in on Monday and complain to the bank if you put cash in its supposed to go into yur account immediately and please please get the slimy sounding 'clerk' (I bet they arent called that anymore!)into trouble and demand you dont pay any charges.

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