A woman claims she has lost £36,000 after NatWest closed an account with her entire life savings inside. Kirsty Hamlet says her life has been 'put on hold'' after the bank allegedly closed down her account without warning - leaving her unable to access the funds for the last six months.
The 30-year-old claims the NatWest's 'catalogue of failures' in dealing with the situation has led to her losing a sale on her first house, affected her credit score and 'made her ill'. Kirsty initially contacted the bank in June this year after she was locked out of her online banking, but was left 'lost for words' when the call handler told her that the account had been closed down.
The NatWest representative said that a letter had been sent in April informing her that she had 60 days to move her funds as they would be shutting the account - something she claims to have never received. Since then, Kirsty says she has spent countless hours on the phone to the bank to try and get back the funds. However, she has so far only received £300 compensation from NatWest, Manchester Evening News reports.
She also claims that she has been sent another customer's letters by the bank, which include their personal details and account number. In one letter addressed to Ms Hamlett, NatWest admitted they had erroneously sent her information relating to investment account in 'someone else's name' and asked her to destroy it.
Kirsty, who has had a bank account with NatWest for 15 years, said: "My life has been put on hold for the last six months. I've had to take sick leave from work and I have lost the sale on my first property.
"I couldn't have my wages from work, I missed direct debits so I've been charged extra and my credit rating has been affected. I've also lost money from having to take days off work over it.
"It's disgusting. The whole thing has made me ill. I have been given a heart monitor by my doctor and I have had so many sleepless nights due to the anxiety of it all."
Kirsty was in the middle of buying her first home this summer when she was sent a text message to say her personal details had been changed. "I didn't do this so I contacted them and tried to log onto my online banking but couldn't get in," she said. "On the 5th day of trying I still couldn't get in and they said 'are you aware your account has been closed down?'
"They are saying they sent me a letter on April 6 with a 60 day window saying my bank account was being closed down but I never received this letter. I asked what I was expected to do, I still had a large amount of money in the account and I was in the process of buying a property. I have been going back and forwards with the bank but still haven't got my money back.
"When I have spoken to them they have just said that they don't have to tell me why they closed my bank account down. I'm honestly lost for words over it."
She has now had to hire a solicitor to investigate the matter after spending four hours on the phone with the bank every night. "I have lost £36,000 and the whole thing has just been a catalogue of failures," Kirsty said. "I have spent around four hours on the phone to NatWest every night. I've had enough.
"They sent me a cheque for £300 as compensation but they have still not given me my money back. I had a 60 day window to withdraw my funds which obviously if I'd known about I would have done.
"Now they've told my solicitor they're sending forms for me to fill out to get my money back but I was at this point six months ago. I want proper compensation for what I've been through."
A NatWest spokesperson said: "Like all UK regulated banking institutions, NatWest is subject to legal and regulatory requirements, and we treat compliance with them as a matter of priority.
"This may mean NatWest is required to delay or refuse to act on a customer’s instructions, and/or suspend or restrict a customer’s accounts and/or services. The bank does not make any comments on the specifics of this case."
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