1. Home
  2. UK Finance Discussions
  3. Bank transfers/payments: adding a reference

Bank transfers/payments: adding a reference

Girlfriend & I use different banks. We transfer money between us from time to time. When she sends me money, when I look at my account online, in the narrative bit, I get her sort & account details and I get meaningless text ("000000 INTERN 9270") in what might otherwise be the reference for the received payment. When I send her money I can add a reference, but it doesn't get passed across when she sees the payment in her account, all she gets is my name (and not the reference I added)

Sister & I use same bank, when either of us send money and add a reference, that reference gets noted beside the payment details in both accounts (sending and receiving).

Are there any guidelines (APACS?) as to what should happen to any payment reference. Within the same bank it's not really an issue. The issue arises when it's between different banks.

I wonder what happens when I pay my (mythical) gas bill for example. I send a payment to British Gas (for example) and add a reference to the payment of my British Gas account number (otherwise how will BG tie up my payment with my BG account compared to their other customers). I am assuming BG don't have their account with the same bank as me.

Any thoughts?

It's not a problem, it would be useful to have, and I'm mildly curious as to how the "reference" bit of the payment works, especially between different banks.

TIA

Allan

Reply to
Allan
Loading thread data ...

The reference field will still be there, its just that different banks desplay details differently in their online banking/statements. A cashier/call center worker will be able to pull up the reference if you really need it.

I think we can asume British gas isn't using consumer internet banking to check whos paid them and probably get a full data feed from their bank.

Reply to
Peter King

I would have thought the purpose of giving a reference would be for the convenience of the people receiving the money. If you have to call the bank and go through the security rubbish it reduces the efficiency. I've never thought that people in banks have any brains so this would seem to be another example that indicates that is the case.

Reply to
PeterSaxton

I agree, you'd have though that it would have been considered a important field to include when they designed their internet banking front ends. Most banks appear to have taken the view that it wasn't important for consumers though.

Reply to
Peter King

BeanSmart website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.