I’m in a tough spot and need some advice. A few months back, I switched my direct deposit to a new bank to help manage my money better. The new bank offered the Atomic tool to make the switch, which I thought would make everything easy and ensure my paycheck went into the right account.
At first, everything looked good. I got confirmation that the switch was done, and I thought my rent would be automatically deducted from the new account. To better manage my finances, I even set up a part of my paycheck to go into a savings account using the bank’s fractional deposit feature.
However, I soon discovered that my direct deposits weren’t going into the new account. Instead, my paycheck was still being deposited into my old account, which I hadn’t been checking regularly. This mistake meant my rent payments weren’t made for several months. I didn’t notice the problem right away because I didn’t get any alerts about the failed switch.
By the time I figured it out, I had received eviction notices for several months of unpaid rent. I reached out to the bank’s support multiple times, but their responses were slow and didn’t help.
Now I’m facing eviction and a lot of financial stress because it looks like there was a problem with the direct deposit switch. I’m unsure what legal options I have or how to deal with this situation.
Has anyone gone through something similar or can offer advice on what steps to take? Any tips on handling this legally would be really helpful. I live in Illinois.
Lopez said:
Your priority should be to get your rent paid to avoid eviction. It’s unlikely you can take legal action against the bank.
Thanks for your suggestion. I’m doing my best to cover my rent… it seems like I lost track of the money, but I’ll find a way to get it. I’ve contacted both the bank and my employer’s payroll department, but I haven’t gotten clear answers or solutions yet. This situation has been really stressful, and I’m not sure what else I can do to fix the direct deposit issue.
Lopez said: @Cort
Why do you think the money is lost? You mentioned it was deposited in your old account. Why can’t you just go and withdraw it?
After switching, I found out my old account was closed or I can’t access it anymore, so I can’t withdraw the money that was still being deposited there. I didn’t get any notifications about the deposits going to the old account, so I wasn’t aware the switch hadn’t gone through. I’ve contacted the new bank’s support and my employer’s payroll department, but haven’t received clear answers yet.
@Cort
Go to your old bank in person to withdraw the funds. Closing your account doesn’t mean the bank can keep your money, but you might have to deal with this in person. If your old bank is online-only, you might need to write them a letter or call and ask to speak with a supervisor.
Also, talk to your employer’s payroll department to make sure they have your correct direct deposit info. Don’t rely on a third party to do this; your employer needs to have accurate info directly from you.
@Blake
I was first told I was behind on rent about three months ago. The landlord sent reminders, but I didn’t realize the direct deposit switch hadn’t gone through until later. Yes, my landlord has applied to the court for eviction. They got an eviction order about a month ago. I’m currently looking for legal help to sort this out and hopefully find a resolution.
The delay in recognizing the direct deposit problem made it hard to address the missed payments on time. I’m actively working to fix the banking issue and exploring all options to prevent eviction. Any advice on dealing with the eviction process or resources that could help would be greatly appreciated.
@Cort
If they have an order, your main option is to appeal it, which has a deadline. It sounds like you’re on top of that since you’re seeking legal help, but I’d encourage you to speed that up as much as you can. Take time off work if possible; this is time-sensitive. If you miss the deadline, you might be out of luck.
You can try to settle things with your landlord, but now that they have an order, they don’t have to work with you, and they have good reason to doubt your ability to pay rent on time going forward. If they agree to take payment to reinstate your lease, get it in writing and ensure that the eviction order is canceled.
If I were in your shoes, I’d start looking at options for moving and storage, just in case things don’t work out. There’s a real chance you might have to leave.
There are multiple failures here. If this was just a problem with switching direct deposit, that would be one thing, but it’s been months. You would have noticed no income for that long. And you can’t access the money deposited in your old account? Something else is going on. You should have been notified about late rent, gotten a notice to pay, and then the eviction notice. At every step, you should have known that rent wasn’t being paid.
If the direct deposit failed, your money would still be available in the original account. There has to be more to this.
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You have a duty to mitigate damages. Not checking your accounts or the status of rent payments for months is not fulfilling that duty. If your account was closed, the direct deposits would have been returned to your employer.