Available v Actual Balance and ATM Machines

[Bovvered]

(Thought this subject was worthy of the thread of its own as it doesn't only relate to my bank I'm sure)

 

I am so angry...let me explain:

 

Last week I paid a bill for £50 using my debit card having just checked my balance online, and then logged back on to my online account, and sure enough the available balance had got down by the expected £50 - great no problem!

 

Think nothing more about this, pay a few more bills, and yesterday withdrew £50 for my weekly shop and £30 to pay my mum for using her credit card to file my online claim against Halifax yesterday, from the ATM at Tesco. Of course I checked my balance before withdrawing any cash and my availablke balance was fine.

 

Lo behold, I check my online accounts, and I am £32 overdrawn. Not only that but a DD for £2 showed up yesterday as well which wouldn't have been a problem, but ofcourse will be now that I am overdrawn!

 

Do they do this on purpose? How many times have I been to the ATM in the past and been advised 'insufficient funds for this request'

 

then suddenly I am making noises, and the ATM advises I have £95 available funds, when in fact I only have around £50...

 

So, I tried to call the bank - keep getting an answer machine. I would leave this and just add on their inevitable extra charges to my claim, but I can't afford to! It will take all my money for next week!!

 

Ok, rant over, I guess I'll have to keep trying the bank (and repay the £32 I'm over by, which means I can't pay my mum back yet for paying the court costs of my claim)...

[fallen404]

I think NatWorst ensure that their system totally fails to let you know that a DD is coming out the next day, or reflect it in your balance. I've also had the opposite of what you've had, though: I had a balance of £400 shown on-screen, having just been paid, and available balance of nil.

[idbuchanan]

I know that HSBC have the current balance, but this isn't the "available balance". The "available balance" can be viewed via online banking, or requested by speaking to someone via telephone banking.

 

The current balance doesn't reflect charges that have been "reserved" via credit/debit cards, but haven't yet been called for/collected. The "available balance" is your current balance minus these reserved funds.

 

I understand why it needs to be this way - the funds are technically still in your account, but it takes a day or two for the creditor of card transactions to call for the money. In a perfect world this would be done at least same day, ideally instantly (it's the same sort of argument as cheques clearing). However, it's not a perfect world. This means that you have a balance and an available balance.

 

I do think, however, that banks should be forced to show the "available balance" alongside the "current balance". People could then see what they had available without the confusion that then leads to charges. The current trend to hide away the "available balance" isn't fair.

 

BTW - this post only refers to my experience with HSBC, I'm unsure how other banks deal with this matter!

[Bovvered]

I do think, however, that banks should be forced to show the "available balance" alongside the "current balance". People could then see what they had available without the confusion that then leads to charges. The current trend to hide away the "available balance" isn't fair.

 

BTW - this post only refers to my experience with HSBC, I'm unsure how other banks deal with this matter!

The ATM always shows 'available balance' and has never allowed cash to be withdrawn over this amount in the past, just this time: always in the past, any debit card payments freeze a portion of the balance, and can't be withdrawn via ATMs or other, leaving and 'available' balance, but this time it went pear shaped...

[lee6370]

Lloyds for all there faults, have real time banking what you see is what've got. If they can do it anyone can.

[cheddar]

I have had this so many times with Natwest, I would say it is one of the main reasons I have incurred charges to start off with. I have applied for a LTSB account and am still waiting a few weeks down the line for an answer as they apparently have had a lot of applications recently.....can't think why! LOL!

 

As for the massive delays with NatWest they say it is down to the customer to know what is going in and out of their account, I said whilst I agree to a certain extent doesn't it make the whole point of telephone and internet banking defunct then?

[NatwestUser09]

That's exactly what has happened to me!! what happened with it in the end? I Dont know what to do as I have just lost out on about £150 in charges because they failed to show me the balance wasn't available!! am fuming!! Help!! thanks

[Bovvered]

This topic was closed on 03/08/19.

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