Alliance and Leicester - recommend a friend? (Merged)

tpapworth

I opened a Premier Plus Current Account in June closely followed by a work colleague and we duly completed the 'recommend a friend' form. After three months of salaries being paid in and despite six telephone calls, a letter and an email - the promised £50 has still not appeared in our accounts. In the last call that my colleague made to the A & L he was told that as we opened our accounts at about the same time we are not eligible. I have not yet been afforded the courtesy of a reply to my letter. It goes without saying that I am looking around for another current account to switch to!

HugoRune_2

I can safely say I would not recommend A&L to a friend, without going in to the details I am currently close to taking them to court

Dan29

As you both had account numbers to fill in on the Recommend a Friend form, I think it's outrageous that they're trying to get out of paying you the money - surely you fulfilled the criteria - I certainly haven't seen anything in the terms and conditions about the length of time your account has to be open before you can refer people. I'd keep pursuing them if I were you.

tpapworth

I've already ranted about this on another thread - but as it's also pertinent to this one I'll post it again.
I've now had another letter from A&L stating that as my recommend a friend didn't have his salary paid in until after the designated 8 week period, neither of us are eligible for the £50. He in fact opened his account in June, filled in all the forms then, and so if A&L didn't organize the switch with his employer for two months how can that be his fault?
In fact when his salary was paid into the new current account in August it was only 3 days outside the 8 weeks.
Obviously I am not going to accept this pathetic excuse and will continue to pursue them for the £100 after which I will take delight in closing the account.

Dan29

Where does it say you have to make the payment within 8 weeks?

YorkshireBoy

Dan29 wrote:

Where does it say you have to make the payment within 8 weeks?

"Offer terms and conditions
Monthly funding is required within 8 weeks of account opening. £50 payment will be made to each account within 8 weeks of new account being correctly funded."

http://www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/currentaccounts/index.asp?page=recommend-friend&ct=curracchome

tpapworth wrote:

if A&L didn't organize the switch with his employer for two months how can that be his fault?

The fact that A&L didn't switch in time might not be his fault. However, could your friend not have "funded" the account with alternative funds within the 8 week period, or at least chased them up earlier to ensure the deadline was met? Was your friend aware of the 8 week clause?

tpapworth

We thought the funding had to be a salary - and to be honest didn't think about chasing it up. We naiively assumed A&L would be keen to get their hands on our wages asap and therefore didn't realise it would take 8 weeks and 3 days for the salary switch.

Dan29

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Monthly funding is required within 8 weeks of account opening.

Ah, had missed that. Ta.

westham_2

Im the colleague referred to above. I made yet another phone call to A&L and got put through to a manager in the New accounts section. I ranted quite a bit and accussed the bank of being daylight robbers. This touched a raw nerve and guess what, within two days we had both received our £50. The persistance paid off. We are still going to close our accounts when the 0% overdraft runs out. Id hate to think what they will be like when we have a real problem with our accounts.

yebaws

I was "declined" for a premier current account, despite a perfect and extensive credit history, adequate income, and being given an A&L credit card with a £6000 limit some months earlier. I can only assume that they saw me for what I am (a "player") and couldn't see any potential for selling me their other products. As the account is credit scored, I've now got and imprint on my credit record that will have a negative effect on other credit applications. I've demanded and expalination from them and will let you know here what they say, but for any other "players" there - DON'T DO IT, IT'S PANTS

MarkyMarkD

If your circumstances are exactly as you state, I would appeal the underwriting decision as it's wrong. I don't believe for one second they are rejected you because you are a "player" - it's far more likely to be an erroneous decision due to duff credit scoring data of some sort.

I presume that as well as credit history being squeaky clean, you are also on the electoral roll, as that counts a lot as part of credit scoring for most lenders, and that you own your own house and haven't moved 10 times in the last 2 years? All these things make a difference.