Bank account - closing from overseas

[Bumblebee]

Hi, hoping someone has had experience of this....

I want to keep my Australian bank account open for a bit to cover bond return and final bills etc.

I asked at the bank about closing it from overseas and she said you can't, you have to put someone on your account here who can do it. As in add a signatory that will have entire access to everything, including authorisation to close. Even the website says somethibg about writing via post to the bank manager to close but the woman in branch said no.

This can't be right can it?! He only person I could use would be my neighbour and although I trust her its a little risky. And what if I had no one at all to do it?! Sounds weird to me.  If I keep the account open it'll cost $4 a month which will add up over the years before I ever return to oz myself.

Any info greatly appreciated! 

[Pugwall]

Sounds strange – I recently closed a Commbank account over the phone as I am now based in the UK. It was no problem at all, they were very helpful.

[Bumblebee]

Great, yes I'm comm bank too. Must have got a funny staff member

 

[Amber Snowball]

I closed my westpac over the phone from the uk with no issues. Come to think of it I closed my Bank of Melbourne account over the phone as well. Try asking someone different at the bank. The first person I asked at BOM said I had to close it in person, called their phone banking and they said it was fine to do over the phone. Staff aren’t always as informed as they like to think they are I found.

[Guest Carol from Vista Financial]

Doesn't sound right to me @Bumblebee. I suggest you bypass the branch and contact the call centre or send a secure message in your online banking if you can to request closure. If you have to refer back to the branch I would suggest insisting on speaking to the manager and point out the instructions you found on the website. Sounds like they don't know what they are talking about.