---
title: "A vendor's bank sent back my payment"
description: "When a vendor's bank sends back your payment, the money returns to your Cleo Pay balance. If the vendor's account was wrong or closed, we ask them for new bank details and resend the payment from your balance automatically once they add them."
url: https://cleo-pay.com/help/a-vendor-payment-was-returned
category: "Payment timing and problems"
audience: [business]
updated: 2026-10-22
support: support@cleo-pay.com
---

# A vendor's bank sent back my payment

> When a vendor's bank sends back your payment, the money returns to your Cleo Pay balance. If the vendor's account was wrong or closed, we ask them for new bank details and resend the payment from your balance automatically once they add them.

Sometimes the vendor's bank sends a payment back, for example because the account is closed or the number was wrong. The money comes back to your Cleo Pay balance, not to your bank, and we email you. If the vendor's account is the problem, we ask them for new bank details and send the payment again from your balance once they add them.

## The email you get

The subject starts with your business name, then reads "Your [amount] payment to [vendor] came back from their bank". The email is titled "Payment Returned" and says why the bank sent it back, for example "because the bank account is closed".

If we can't reach anyone at the vendor to ask for new details, we email you instead, with a subject ending "[Vendor]'s bank sent back your [amount] payment", so you can ask them yourself.

## What happens next

It depends on why the bank sent the money back.

| The bank's reason | What Cleo Pay does | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| "The bank could not find this account.", "The bank account is closed.", "The account number is not valid." or "The bank account is no longer valid because the bank changed hands." | Holds the money in your Cleo Pay balance for the vendor and asks them for new bank details. The bill shows Payment Held. Once they add a working account, the payment is sent again from your balance on its own. | Nothing, unless you want to nudge the vendor or cancel. |
| Any other reason | Marks the payment failed. The bill shows Payment Returned, and the money is back in your Cleo Pay balance. | Once the vendor has a new bank account, open the bill and click **Retry Payment**. It sends from your balance, and nothing is pulled from your bank again. |

If the vendor already has another bank account on file with you, Cleo Pay sends the held payment there instead, and the email tells you there's nothing more to do.

## What the vendor needs to do

The vendor gets an email with the subject "Your bank sent back [amount] from [your business]" and a **Connect bank account** button. They enter the routing and account numbers for a corrected or different account. If the account was closed or wrong, Cleo Pay won't accept the same numbers again. You can send them [Your bank sent a payment back](https://cleo-pay.com/help/your-bank-sent-a-payment-back).

If the vendor is a contact without their own Cleo Pay login, they can't add a bank themselves. Get corrected bank details from them and update the details you have on file for them. Don't take bank details over email.

## When it won't be sent again

A payment is only resent a limited number of times. If it has already been sent as many times as Cleo allows, it won't go out again on its own. The money stays in your Cleo Pay balance, and our support team will follow up to help you pay the vendor.

## Cancel instead

If you'd rather not wait for the vendor, cancel the payment:

1. Open the bill from the **Pay** page.
2. Click **Cancel Held Payments**.
3. Click **Yes, cancel payments**.

You'll see "Payment cancelled. The money is in your Cleo Pay balance." The money stays in your balance. See [Why is my payment held?](https://cleo-pay.com/help/why-is-my-payment-held) for more on held payments.

## The "Returned" payment status

Inside a bill, a payment marked Returned is a different problem. It means the vendor was paid, but the money Cleo Pay pulled from your bank to fund that payment came back from your bank. The vendor keeps the payment. This needs our team, so email support@cleo-pay.com with the invoice number.

If your bank sent the money back as not authorized, payments are also turned off on your account until you talk to us. See [Why did my payment fail?](https://cleo-pay.com/help/why-did-my-payment-fail)

## Need help?

Email support@cleo-pay.com with the invoice number, the vendor's name, the amount and the reason in the email you got.