Abbey FRMS(7) 7.25%

Milarky

I've just 'opened' one of these- by which I mean I phoned two days ago and the account number was immediately allocated and I've now had the 'welcome' letter.

No passbook! So I phoned Abbey again and their answer (which I want to check is correct) is that the passbook will be issued at a local branch (which is 10 miles away) if I take ID. (It says nothing about this in the welcome letter - which actually talks about a non-existant cashcard in the post - oh, so I wouldn't need to go to a branch for a cashcard - how very modern of them!)

In the meantime, I can start sending standing order payments (I assume) as the account is open and I have all the details.

Is it safe to ignore the visit to a branch and get the payments going in - then, after the thireenth payment has gone in, go to a branch of Abbey on the day (Monday, 4 January 2010?) to have it all done - there and then? i.e. Issue of book, completeion of all entries, withdrawal* of balance and issue of payment?

Last time I went through these hoops was late 2007 when my Issue 5 matured and Abbey bounced the final payment. At that time *it was possible for them to transfer the maturity balance to my Abbey esaver and I cleared it out from there (and, of course, the passbook was posted to me in the first place!)

Has anyone more recent experience of being able to get Abbey (over the phone) to do a closing transfer like that?

Thanks

Dagobert

Milarky wrote:

Has anyone more recent experience of being able to get Abbey (over the phone) to do a closing transfer like that?

Yes. I have had 5 or 6 of these accounts, most of them opened via post, in which case you never get or need a passbook.

On maturity, withdrawal into another Abbey account can be made over the phone. If you get to speak to the right person (i.e. someone who knows this is possible) you're done in a few minutes. Half the time you get muppets though. I suggest you start calling early in the day. Eventually you will succeed.

I am not sure whether closure can be done over the phone. I usually withdraw the full amount and close the next time I visit a branch.

Milarky

(Thanks for your PM with the details) Which freephone (ot '01/02') number is used?

johnmoney05

I opened this last month on the phone. A welcome letter arrived a few day after my call. Then after 10 days another letter chasing me to deposit money into the account. Well, the T&Cs clearly states that deposit money on the second month after account openning! Then I made a bill payment from my Abbey current account to this account, it bounced back! They said this account only took SO!!! So, yes, I also no passbook.

johnmoney05

Milarky wrote: »

(Thanks for your PM with the details) Which freephone (ot '01/02') number is used?

I have been using this one 0800 032 4600 or this one 0800 389 9875

Dagobert

johnmoney05 wrote: »

I made a bill payment from my Abbey current account to this account, it bounced back! They said this account only took SO!!! So, yes, I also no passbook.

You can make bill payments from external accounts. Then they won't be able to distinguish a one-off BACS payment from a SO. A SO is just a repeated BACS payment.