Charges for closing the bank account having customer Id?

Question

I had a salary account in bank in 2010. I left that company and after few months I stopped using the bank account. Generally when we do not use any account it goes inactive. but this dint happened with my zero balance savings account. I had made a request with bank to close that account as I was not using it then I came to know that they have converted my zero balance savings account to some other account which was never communicated to me. I used to get sms on my registered mobile number about the balance and other information but i never got any sms that I have to maintain any minimum balance in that account or it has any negative balance. when I went to bank and raised a request to close the account they told me to pay 2000 INR to close the account. My issues is when they changed my account from zero balance account to some other account why this was not communicated to me. ALso when they can send sms about other things why dint they send a sms regarding negative balance in my account. because the sms I used to get always contained some positive amount in my account. why only for closure I have to pay. ALso every financial year bank does their calculations then why din they informed me last year that I have some debt with this account.

 

Answer 1

Monica,

At the outset, let me clarify that this site is designed by a group of Senior Banking Professionals to assist Bank Customers to provide guidance for resolution of any complain/query in respect of financial services. This site does not belong to any Bank nor a regulator, which may please be noted.

When you are maintaining a zero balance salary account, the salary account privileges are available till your salary gets credited. When salary stops coming in the account for three continuous months(could vary from Bank to Bank), the salary account is converted into a normal savings account with the requirement of normal AQB/AMB. The Bank should have intimated you about the conversion of salary account to a normal savings account with AQB/AMB requirement. Normally, savings account statement either physical or e-statement is sent at quarterly intervals. If you haven't received a communication to that effect, you may escalate the issue to the nodal officer - grievances whose coordinates are available on the Bank's website. If you are not satisfied with the nodal officer's response, you may approach Banking Ombudsman/Consumer Forum for resolution.

Regards

Deepak