Santander Complaints

MrTyo · 30 November 2013 at 12:54AM

Is it just my phone showing the original post back in 2012, and that someone has resurrected?

london2008 · 30 November 2013 at 3:04PM

I've had two complaint experiences with Santander.

First one was back in 2009 when I was trying to pay off a A&L loan. Santander had re-added the initial loan interest when they moved the loan to their new systems. I kept asking for more details to back it up, which they couldn't do as it was 'in an old system' I wrote a letter of complaint presenting all the facts to them and got a fob off phone call and letters saying it was correct, but with no evidence. - this took about eight weeks.
I took the complaint to financial ombudsman service, provided the same facts and after waiting a few more weeks Santander backed down and promised to removed the wrong interest and give a goodwill payment. Four weeks later they failed to action it, so I went back to the ombudsman and santander finally carried out the adjustment and up the goodwill payment - The whole process as annoying!

The second time was in 2011. Having them promised me in writing they had closed all my accounts with them, they sent me a open ISA statement for a zero balance and also a current account statement with pennies in it. They were sent to my old address (friends lived there). I went into branch to get the account shut and they wouldn't entertain me as I had no ID with the address on the statements. No surprising as I had not lived there for three years! I called them and again no luck as I couldn't tell them details of the debit card I never had!!! I ended up writing a complaint letter telling them that they were wasting my time and lied to me the last time and as I had to write to them I was charging a fee for the letter (as they would have if I was overdrawn). I charged them £25. They replied within three weeks sending me a cheque for £45 goodwill and the balances of accounts I didn't know I still had. I was expecting them to send me nothing, so I guess that was a win win for me. :T

Overall, I will never bank with them again.

I always feel it is still best to write/email a complaint to a bank as if you call they don't treat it as a formal complaint and the call handler will usually try and fob you off with a small payment and not really resolve the issue.

FLAPJACK · 30 November 2013 at 3:37PM

A few years ago I was looking to "invest" my accrued cash ISA balance with Santander as their interest rate was pretty good.

I made an appointment and duly visited the branch. I found the person on the other side of the desk to be a little too officious, and seemed oblivious to my request to open the cash ISA.

Instead they were pushing hard the fact that I should be putting the money into an "investment bond".....(not even an S&S ISA), I understood that what they were saying was correct as it would probably perform better than the ISA but as I already had (and still have) several with other providers and I didn't want to not have ready cash in an ISA, should I need to get my hands quickly on some cash...and in the meantime sheltering the sum from the taxman.

I explained all this, however they just started repeating the mantra I had already heard .....sounded like they must have been on a recent course !....maybe there was a bonus at stake?, a marketing target to hit...who knows?.

So for the first time ever I gathered up the paperwork I had taken with me together with a cheque for that years ISA balance and said that obviously they were not interested in what I wanted to do with MY money and I left the office.

As I entered the public area of the branch they came out and shouted (yes shouted) "I am trying to make money for you".

I was incensed at being 1: treated as I had been and 2: being spoken to in public in that manner by a "professional".

When I got home I went on the Santander website and found the complaints section and filled it in saying what I have said here.
I only identified the branch and said that I thought that Santander should be made aware of the fact that someone at that branch were not (hopefully) representing the company as it would wish.

I pressed send and thought nothing of it.....infact I started looking for the next best cash ISA interest rate.

Around 45 minutes later the phone rang and it was the complaints department! Very apologetic, they asked me to go through again what had happened etc. I was told that I would be getting a hamper sent to me by way of saying sorry.

I said that I didn't need a hamper just make sure that their customer facing staff take on board the customers wishes.... even if in that persons view it wasn't the best thing to do with my money.

Anyhow a few days later a hamper did arrive.

As it was near xmas I called the local hospice and asked if they would like it in order to maybe raffle or something....obviously I made sure there was no mention of Santander on it.

So having read the comments on this thread it seems that even now they don't seem to be a company I would want to deal with.

rb10 · 30 November 2013 at 3:42PM

G_M wrote: »

I find Santander a great bankforcomplaints.

Make them official (either in writing or via the 'complaints' option online) and they investigate.

In every case ( 6 so far) I have been given an apology and minimum £30 compensation.

In one case they promised me £75, but 2 monthslater I realised they had not given it to me,so I raised a complaint.

After invesigating, they apologised, gave me the £75, and then gave me £50 compensation!

I'm looking forward eagerly to their next c*ck-up!

You should try Natwest. They make far more mistakes, and are excellent at compensating for them.