FNB holding account hostage

<p>I have always been a very loyal FNB client but over the last two years they have steadily proven that their quality of service is not as valued as it once was. I opened a business account with them two years ago and I have only had problems. First the consultant who opened the account for me opened it under another branch, this caused problems later on when my debit card stopped working a few months after opening my account. They then changed the branch and gave me a new card. Then a few months later they placed a hold on my account without notifying me because I had to submit proof of operating address, which was strange because my FICA documentation had to be in order for me to open my account in the first place, right? No matter, I went into the branch and submitted my proof of operating address. It is worth mentioning here that the consultant who opened my account had to make a visit at my place of business to verify my operating address as I run my business from home. Now, a year later they have frozen my account because I have to resubmit FICA documentation. Why I don’t know, but I submitted it and low and behold the documentation I have submitted (SARS documents that my branch told me I can use, they even verified that it is correct) is not valid so a consultant has to visit my operating address to verify that it’s correct. How can this be right? So that they can place a hold on my account again in a few months and ask for the FICA documentation again?? To make matters worse when I asked the business consultant on the phone (I don’t know what her name is as she spoke so unclear and was so grumpy I couldn’t get her name even though she said it twice) how I can go about closing my account so that I can go to another bank she said I won’t be able to close the account before my address has been verified. FOR WHAT PURPOSE??? I don’t have any debt on this account. Why does FNB need to send out a consultant to my home to verify that I operate a business from it when I want to close the account in any case? In essence they are forcing me to stay with them until I comply with something that doesn’t make sense. They are placing a hold on money that doesn’t belong to them and forcing me to pay extra bank charges because my debit orders won’t be able to go through, making it look as if I can’t pay my debt. My clients will also not be able to pay me. As I’m writing this I am so angry because I know I have no other choice but to go into the bank, have a consultant come to my business, so that I can go BACK to the bank to close my account. I am sorry, I am not ever again telling anybody that FNB is the best bank because they have the best service even if their bank charges are a little higher. It used to be worth it, but it’s not anymore.</p>