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Bothered and Bewildered! !

(103 Posts)
Marilla Tue 14-Dec-21 09:08:20

I went into MY bank, the HSBC and withdrew money from the cash point. I needed to exchange the notes for one and two pound coins. I walked towards the teller point and could hear shouting. It was an assistant trying to get my attention.
I said that I needed to exchange the note for coins.
I was promptly told, “the bank do not handle cash.”
“But you are a bank! My bank”
“But we do not handle money” said the assistant while looking at me as though I was the mad one!
“I need coins! You are a bank!”
“You can try the Post Office! she replied.
I had to keep my dignity in tact and not allow the temper rising in me to surface and leave the premises furious and bewildered.

Shinamae Tue 14-Dec-21 09:11:15

????… beggars belief

hazel93 Tue 14-Dec-21 09:21:15

I would complain ASAP. A bank that does not deal in cash ?!!
Totally absurd.

Septimia Tue 14-Dec-21 09:25:07

It's ludicrous.

And the post office will only accept coins in the right amounts according to the cash bags (i.e. £20 worth of £1 coins etc). So if you hold an event and want to pay in the proceeds you can't pay in any odd amounts of cash that don't fill a bag. Not helpful for accounting purposes!

Barmeyoldbat Tue 14-Dec-21 09:29:48

I would have said, well in that case two coffees and a piece of chocolate cake please.

ayse Tue 14-Dec-21 09:35:35

This is a move towards the cashless society where, if your bank’s network is down, no money to be had unless you keep a small stash for emergencies.

Grandmadinosaur Tue 14-Dec-21 09:56:38

Lost for words.

henetha Tue 14-Dec-21 10:01:44

Are you bewitched as well? (anyone remember that song, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered) grin
I handed the lady behind the post officer counter a ten pound note recently and asked for ten pound coins. She said she could not do that because of money laundering rules.
You have to use your bank card to draw money, then ask her for it to be paid in coins.

Calistemon Tue 14-Dec-21 10:13:14

This is ridiculous- what happens to all the money paid in from various cash-raising events eg the recent Poppy Appeal?

BigBertha1 Tue 14-Dec-21 10:25:29

I came across a charity last week that refused to take my money - food items only.

GagaJo Tue 14-Dec-21 10:37:56

Is it a branch that is for online services only?

ALL the banks in my local area are gone. The branch nearest me is still there but is cashless. Mostly automated with just an assistant to help those who can't handle the technology for a deposit.

The real branch (not my bank, but still... a real bank) near me closed 6 months ago.

The nearest is now 6 miles away.

Marilla Tue 14-Dec-21 12:22:21

Barmyoldbat love your wit! ?
Henetha, it’s a song my mum loved!
I really do appreciate all your replies this morning.

Tizliz Tue 14-Dec-21 13:08:12

henetha

Are you bewitched as well? (anyone remember that song, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered) grin
I handed the lady behind the post officer counter a ten pound note recently and asked for ten pound coins. She said she could not do that because of money laundering rules.
You have to use your bank card to draw money, then ask her for it to be paid in coins.

Well they have to be careful after NatWest got fined millions for accepting bin liners full of cash without asking questions

SueDonim Tue 14-Dec-21 13:10:14

My Dh had a similar situation not long ago. He wanted some pound coins for odds and ends, such as parking. Getting £20-worth was like getting money out of Fort Knox. It involved multiple forms to be filled out, put through mysterious hatches, words spoken through an intercom, peering through glass hatches in doors and finally, forms coming back out again and eventually, a little bag of coins.

It took about twenty minutes and I was fascinated! I’d gone into the bank with dh as we were shopping together but I wasn’t allowed to stay with him, I was directed to a chair where I had it to sit until the operation was complete. I felt like a bank robber or a bandit or something. grin

notgran Tue 14-Dec-21 13:55:08

A couple of years ago the HBS locally tried to tell me I couldn't withdraw £3,000 pounds on cash as they were running out until the delivery. I suggested they counted up how much money they had and whatever the shortfall was they went to one of the other banks or building societies and got a loan from them, their credit would be good so it will be a very quick transaction, I'll wait. Funnily enough £3,000 was found (down the back of the settee in the staff restroom presumably) and as I walked out the chap behind me in the queue said " I heard that, don't give me the same s**t ". Crazy behaviour from the bank.

HowVeryDareYou Tue 14-Dec-21 13:56:51

Madness!

Marilla Tue 14-Dec-21 16:37:59

This is extraordinary, reading these experiences of trying to do simple transactions in local banks,

AreWeThereYet Tue 14-Dec-21 16:43:29

This made me laugh, in a sort of hysterical way.

Whats the point of a bank that doesn't deal with cash? Perhaps I'll move my account to the local butchers. They at least seem to understand customer service. I do get tired of people trying to push me into a lifestyle I don't want.

EllanVannin Tue 14-Dec-21 16:59:10

Yet we can't do without them, paying in and paying out, but boy have they changed sad
None of the " old " faces that have known you over the years, it's so sad.
I've been with my bank for 60 years ! Phew.
They've served me well though and I've got no complaints.

Kim19 Tue 14-Dec-21 18:12:22

Yes, I had a similar experience in a large city centre branch of RBS. When I asked for precise coinage, the teller walked over to a corner safe, unlocked it, locked it, brought a bag of 50p pieces to her desk and removed my two pieces before returning to the safe and repeating the procedure. For copper, she went to a colleague and came back with the necessary bag. She made these journeys very slowly and precisely and I was disgusted. Branches don't really want foot customers any longer in my experience

Bixiboo Tue 14-Dec-21 22:28:14

Doesn’t surprise me one bit. HSBC are making more and more branches machine only with no counter service. Then after a year or so they end up closing. The days of a traditional bank are long gone I’m afraid, even mortgages can now be done online with the customer uploading their own documents. How times have changed.

Alioop Wed 15-Dec-21 11:55:30

No wonder banks are closing with stupid rules like that.

Grantanow Wed 15-Dec-21 11:56:29

The money laundering police have made life very difficult for ordinary people. It has all gone too far and I doubt it has much impact on the criminals who can produce all sorts of fake ID. Wasn't a big bank recently fined for accepting extremely large bundles of cash at branches without even thinking 'money laundering'?

Betterlatethannever Wed 15-Dec-21 11:59:13

Here comes the cashless society,the world is going mad getting more bizarre by the day

hereshoping Wed 15-Dec-21 12:24:54

I went into my local Barclays yesterday.
Long queue as only one till open, according to notice this was because of rest of staff were dealing with high number of telephone calls. Don't know why as everything is dealt with centrally these days.
Another notice said that if you wanted less than £300 cash then go to an ATM or Post Office.
Useless.
All part of the process of getting us to stop using banks so that they don't have to bother and can close them.