Bank problem

On 21st December 2011 a friend of mine transferred some money to an account I previously held at Barclays. This account was closed on 08/09/10 (which has been proven to me on their system) and I was told that, because that account was no longer active, the money would automatically be sent back to the account it was sent from within 14 days. When it hadn't reappearred within 14 days I called my friend to confirm that he had sent it on that date etc, which he had.

Barclays now claim they have no record of it and could not, by law and how their system works, have accepted ANY monies to a closed account. My friend's bank claim that Barclays have held it in an account. They both claim the other has it, so I've been to both today to find out where it is. Neither claims to know, and neither will help because I no longer have an account with Barclays and the account it was sent from isn't mine. NatWest say that it's with Barclays.

What the funk is going on?! I know most people have gripes against banks but this is just a bit odd and I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall. I've lost money through this (in charges for not paying other things) and, unfortunately, my friend who transferred the money to the wrong account (without checking if it was the right account) is unwilling to help any further.

Can anyone help please??

Gramaisc said:

You are likely to end up at the FSA, I'm afraid - http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumerinformation/product_news/banking/know_your_rights/solving - banks are infallible in their own opinions.

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I really hope it doesn't require that, but considering 2 of the largest banks in England can't work it out between them then I fear you may be correct.

Gramaisc said:

It's not like it used to be when we had real bank managers, eh?.

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He loved his D&B

Gramaisc said:

A friend of mine was once penalised by Nat West for paying his mortgage late - by Direct Debit from his Nat West current account...

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It really is a joke. I'm peeved to the Nth.

Gramaisc said:

He seems to have had more hair when he made that video, than when he lent me a hundred quid, with another twenty 'because you never know'..

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He never appeared in his own videos...

I didn't put this in my OP but my friend had a trace done last week and I have a copy of it. I took this to Barclays along with my passport and my old bank card (which had been lurking in my wallet even though it ran out last year...and the account was closed the year before that...) but they maintained that what NatWest said was an impossibility. Barclays then printed off 2 letters which would have been sent to me upon closure of the account in 2010 and I took them to NatWest. They told me the money will definitely be with Barclays and that they will contact my friend if they find anything.