'Smoke and mirrors methods' at Abbey

[dulede]

Hi All,

 

 

I don't know if anyone else gets more than they can cope with through Abbey's banking practices. I recently started using post dated cheques and then found out that these could be cashed at any time and not simply after the date specified. Worry got me at that point so I canceled every single post dated cheque I still had outstanding – reason was one cheque had been cashed early and I had to find just under £100 that day which was pretty hard going.

 

 

Now I understand that if you go against bank rules you can very often lose out. However, by ringing Abbey and specifically asking for a number of cheques to be canceled and being told in no uncertain terms that having stopped them there could be no way that these cheques could be paid to the respective companies. I was pushy to make sure they wouldn't be paid and was 'double' clarified on this point. As far as I'm concerned I could do no more, I marked my cheques as void and on these two separate cheque books these were the only remaining cheques so in effect the stop was not just on individual cheques but on the books. This was confirmed to me again today.

 

 

However, even though I have been told there were stops on the cheques, and this clarified again today, because I have a debit card which like all others has a cheque guarantee aspect to it they have been paying cheques regardless of my request for them to be stopped because a cheque guarantee card exists alongside these cheques. I have told them I have never written my card number on any of these cheques. I know by doing so would have made stopping them impossible. But how can a bank tell you it can do something for you, then drop you in it with cheques being paid when you have no money in account and then charging you for instant overdraft fee. I didn't want them paid and I didn't want an instant overdraft. How on earth can one control what goes on with his own bank account. I am disgusted and looking at complaining direct to the ombudsman on this matter.

 

 

Has anyone else experienced this and what can be done?

Regards, Dulede.

Edited November 2, 2009 by dulede

[yourbank]

Providing the cheques have not got your debit card on the back of the cheques and they have been cancelled by the bank, they cannot be cashed at all because there is an indefinite stop placed on the cheque whether they are post dated or not.

Not entirely sure I know what you are talking about but I hope the post clarifies the situation

[dulede]

Hi YourBank,

 

I was trying, badly, to explain exactly what you've said there.

 

I have had a post dated cheque cancelled and confirmed cancelled at beginning of October. The cheque has been through my account today and has been cleared by Abbey and has placed me slightly overdrawn. I've been told to talk to someone tomorrow to see if will be charged or not as they shut at 6pm. I have never ever written card number on any cheque - last time I went through guaranteeing a transaction would have been at a retailer at least 3 years ago. Never done it on a personal transaction basis.

 

What the lady in Abbey told me tonight was that this has been happening where cheques have been for less than £100 and a cheque guarantee card is held by myself that they make the decision to pay it. Total disregard to the fact that I had called on 1st October and they have a record on the system saying that all remaining cheques in that book have been killed off. They've paid it anyway.

 

thanks, dulede

Edited November 2, 2009 by dulede