I am switching my main account as my donor account is already tied up.
Now, this is where my salary goes and I’m happy for it to go to the new account for a while.
If anyone has done this, have you told your employer? My understanding is there is no need to and the payments will redirect, the issue might be whether the employer updates their records but I understand the redirect would go on for some time? (3 years) It’s a small company and I quite like the idea of it being handled behind the scenes.
I get the idea of giving the employer the details in case, but this almost detaches you from the switch process, where in an odd way manually providing details sort of adds more room for human error than letting the switch do its thing?
I was thinking to let it switch and then see if the accountant/payroll contacts me following a message through the BACS system.
What do you guys think? I’ve never switched a salaried account before!
The simple answer is inform your payroll department, thereby taking any uncertainty out of the equation. Given it’s a small company, the risk of error is low (unless you know otherwise).
I’m not sure I see it as black and white about certainty. The way think I’m seeing it, is one way I’m relying on the CASS infrastructure and the other way I’m relying on the company’s accountants. But I suppose it would need updating with my employer eventually, as the redirect doesn’t last forever? I think a message is sent via the BACS system telling a payer to change their records, but I understand this isn’t always acted upon.
A question for you, I assume you wouldn’t update switched direct debits manually and you’d rely on the process? Perhaps I’m odd viewing it this way. One to sleep on and I may end up sharing the news with payroll in due course, just wondered what people tend to do!
I’ve done this a number of times and have always followed the CASS advice to let the CASS handle it.
After you’ve switched, not only will your salary be immediately forwarded to your new account but your employer will be informed of the new details. In many cases this is automatic and I’ve seen payee details in my Starling and Monzo account update before my eyes when I’ve paid somebody who has CASSed.
TL;DR Trust the system - no need to tell your employer.
Incoming payments are redirected for a minimum of three years, and then for 13 months after the last incoming payment. So, potentially, they will be redirected forever if sender’s keep using your old bank details.
I’ve switched several times and never given anybody my new bank details. All incoming payments have been received without any problems, but then again I’ve never switched the account that my salary is paid into.
Whilst you shouldn’t need to tell your employer directly, by all means do so if that will reassure you.
I started to type, to say that I notified mine.
But then I realised that my former main account is still open, so I obviously didn’t use CASS
In your shoes, I’d probably set the switch date for just after payday, let it run it’s course, then double check with payroll a week before the next payday that they are aware of the new account details.
But then I don’t like leaving much to chance when it comes to my income
I just had my pay for last month and the switch completes in a week or so, nice & quickly.
Will give me a week or so to tell them should I wish. I guess if I do so and they don’t do it for whatever reason, the safety net is there. If they inputted the wrong details, the onus would be on them!
The only time I had an employer contact me about the switch was just to confirm that I indeed performed the switch and they asked me to confirm details of the new account. This happened after I had been paid by them in the new account for two weeks in a row.
I think they were just doing a routine to be sure it was me.
If they were still paying to the old account it would forward immediately, anyway, and maybe they didn’t see or get the information that the account had been switched.
They got the details. The letter had the last two digits of account number and 4 digits sort code of new account number.
I guess it is more of covering their backs.( if there’s anything anyway)
I thought I’d get a take from Starling. Here’s what they said……
As part of a full switch into Starling, we’ll automatically switch over:
All payees
Direct Debits
Standing orders
Any balance remaining in the old account and the old account will be closed.
Once complete, all Faster Payments, Direct Debits and Direct Credits (salary payments, benefits etc.) made to the old account will be automatically redirected to Starling for 3 years and an electronic message sent to the sender to let them know the customer’s new details (some organisations may reach out to the customer to confirm these).
