A fundamental flaw in NatWest's accounting system

[Guest]

Natwest are my personal bank, and I've discovered they know how to exploit technology to their advantage.

 

In common with anyone who uses Ebay, I use Paypal to process payments to various people. The Natwest see Paypal as a mechanism they can use to trigger their charges. Let me give you an example.

 

I make a Paypal transaction on the Tuesday. It shows up immediately, and the funds have gone from my bank. On Wednesday it is still there, though marked as a pending transaction.

 

On the Thursday, however, the paypal transaction is gone completely. The funds of the paypal transaction are back in the account, and there is no record of the transaction whatsoever. On the particular Thursday I'm thinking of, by co-incidence, an automated transaction to my Solo card went out. This showed up on the Thursday as a cleared transaction.

 

On Friday, the last chance before the weekend, the paypal transaction still wasn't there. The thing is, the combined amount of the automated transaction AND the paypal transaction would take me overdrawn, meaning that Friday is the last time I have to pay in sufficient funds to cover both, as my branch doesn't open on a Saturday.

 

On Saturday, BANG, the Paypal transaction is back, and it's cleared. Remember, it's been promised since Tuesday, so the bank can't bounce it. The Solo payment cleared and went out on Thursday so that won't bounce either.

 

By the Monday morning I've been charged for the time the account was in the red (2 days, though not two BANK WORKING days - this doesn't matter to them however, for charging purposes they never differentiate between bank working days and none bank working days) plus their computer writes to me straight away to tell me that it's charging me £38 for the letter and paying the Paypal transaction.

 

Has anyone been caught out by anything similar?

[kevin.philips]

With respect I'm not sure of your moderator status - let me explain and please correct me If i'm wrong:

 

You know that two transactions are going to hit your account because you've authorised them, you further know that the combined amount of these transactions is greater that the available funds in your account, you then have the audacity to complain and request a refund of charges because of this....

 

Now I'm not sure that this is the right attitude to have (A) being a moderator and (B) bringing about a change in banking practices in the UK in punitive charging.....

[Guest]

With respect I'm not sure of your moderator status - let me explain and please correct me If i'm wrong:

 

You know that two transactions are going to hit your account because you've authorised them, you further know that the combined amount of these transactions is greater that the available funds in your account, you then have the audacity to complain and request a refund of charges because of this....

 

Now I'm not sure that this is the right attitude to have (A) being a moderator and (B) bringing about a change in banking practices in the UK in punitive charging.....

 

I can see your point, if it were not for one thing. In my case, the transaction that occurred was what you might term a "variable" debit. In this case a subscription to an online game, who had a habit of delaying billing peoples cards as compensation for serverdown time. If it was solely related to something like a direct debit or a standing order, where I KNEW the day without fail, I'd fully agree with you, but such variable debits can be up to a week different each month.

 

I highlighted this case in particular because from what I've seen it seems to be a difficulty with the way banks interact with Paypal and I wanted to bring to light the fact that transactions CAN apparently disappear for several days.

 

Despite any dispute about the balances, I still think it strange that paypal transactions can vanish from the online banking system (and apparently from NatWest's systems, if a call to them on the day a paypal transaction has vanished is anything to go by) completely. If they can cause a Paypal payment to vanish, can they do it with other things?

[Russe11]

this is the case with solo, had it happen with various amounts including

 

1500 gone on friday...earmarked

 

 

come monday its back in my accout

 

 

the on tuesday it comes back and is deducted from my account

[Guest]

I'm glad it's not just me then.

 

I was chatting with someone the other day and we got on to the topic of mistakes by third parties, a thing which also affects the "YOU should know what's going out" argument.

 

There have been cases where a third party has asked the bank for a deduction that is wrong, or has sent a duplicate transaction. Where this happens the bank pays without question, but if the mistake lies with a third party, where does the responsibility for looking out for the account lie?

 

Going by previous records, and what I've read in the press, the NatWest is on the list of banks that don't tend to inform someone the moment there's a problem. If they only send out monthly statements, a mistake is made at the beginning of the month, and the account holder isn't aware until they receive the statement at the end of the month, where does the responsibility for any bounced items in the interim lie, baring in mind the account holder is likely to have budgeted for the correct amount, not the amount that was actually put through?

 

Paypal transactions disappearing ARE a glitch in the accounting system, and it's obviously not just me who is seeing it occur, particularly if Solo cards are the cards that are linked to Paypal (mine is too, btw). I still haven't had anything from the bank which explains this anomaly.

[BankFodder]

On the basis that exceeding the agreed overdraft limit is a breach of contract, the banks has a duty to mitigate their loss.

You might reasonaly argue therefore that they have a duty to inform the customer as quickly as possible so that the breach can be remedied. It could be an argument for a furth reduction of the charges.

[Vampyra]

In Whisperwolf's defence here, I too have had a similar problem, except mine has been in the past and this week, waiting til I am over my limit due to an incorrect charge, then slamming me with a £38 charge for a £3.86 Paypal direct debit. The dates paypal pulls and the banks honour the payments are never quite the same each month.

 

But having read this post, I realise I'm not the only one they play about with paypal payments with - oh and it's NatWest again!!!!!

[Paro]

What is the Natwest Head Office Address

[cheddar]

Wow Paro no idea where you have pulled this thread from as it is 9 months old. Please start your own thread and have a read around you'll see that the Natwest Contact Addresses are at the top of this forum.

[Guest]

This topic was closed on 03/05/19.

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