My complaint:
I am a customer at Caixa bank, with a – formerly – free account and I noticed earlier this year that I’m charged 20€ for this free account (60€ trimestral). So I went to the office (Los Llanos de Aridane, La Palma) to enquire what I can do to avoid the charges, and was told, that I need to make a monthly transfer of 600€. Which I did. Nonetheless, I was charged again the next period. Once more in the office what can be done, they told me to open an free imagin account. Which, again, I did. Since then I’m trying to close the Caixa account in order to avoid new charges in the end of October. Although I have been in the office, negociating with the staff to close my account for hours, they keep finding excuses for not doing so.
On this account, I had 2 monthly standing orders, and 1 charge from a subscription, no more, no less.
First, it could not be closed because I of the 2 monthly standing orders, which first would need to be taken care of. And I had to come in again once they had done that. The second meeting, they claimed to have moved them to the imagin account, but I can’t see them. But at least they ed, that they are not the problem any more. Then, they claimed that it can’t be closed because I had a monthly subscription on the 4th of each month, and although I could prove that that 1. it’s not connected to the Caixa account (it was before, but I already changed the bank connection and deleted any Caixa account information for this subscription) and 2. it’s not even active any more. So I came in again, but they said I had to wait longer until they can close the account, because they need to make sure that there are no further charges to it.
Unfortunately, I can’t prove that there are no impending charges, withdrawals or anything else on the Caixa account, because the very first thing they did during the first meeting to close the account, was to cancel my access to the Caixa account. Is that even legal? I can’t access any information, I can’t see or control who accesses my account, they can make any withdrawal and charge me interest if they want – I’m completely helpless.
Regarding the supposed future charge from the already inactive subscription, they made me make a transfer of the amount (9,95€) to the Caixa account to secure this payment, as the funds had already been transferred to the imagin account. And they told me, to come back (that would be the 6th time that I have to come into the office, the 4th since trying to close the account) next week, and then they’ll probably find another reason to not close the account. Because I think the goal is, to keep it open and eventually charging me hundreds of euros in fees. I already paid 180€.
Regarding the imagin account, just as a note, after this experience, I’m looking at other options for online banks, because my trust in the Caixa group has been shattered. I don
t think it’s really legal to not close my account (with a positive saldo! and no pending charges to it) while at the same time refusing me access to it, so I can’t even control what they are doing.
Suggested solution:
CLOSE MY ACCOUNT
