Barclays are a joke

ahai1

I sent them an email through the website asking if I can open a 2009/10 Golden ISA before April and they emailed me back to say that they will get back. Then they did email me telling me to phone up the ISA team. What the whole point of having an email service that will not answer general emails? I am not going to be even considering them anymore. I was willing to overlook some of their ethical shortcomings for a good deal but they are not up to anything.

evenasus

I presume you are talking about opening it in preperation to receive funds in the next financial year.
Opening a cash ISA before 6th April, if allowed, will not guarantee today's rate to be the same come April 6th.

silentfox

"Barclays are a joke"

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/03/17/53672/a-slow-motion-implosion-at-barclays/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/mar/17/barclays-guardian-injunction-tax


in more ways then one, absolute disgrace, no wonder they haven't joined asset protection scheme (nothing to do with fscs so don't worry).

If they join we will pay them and they will shaft us!!

great...

ahai1

I thought that tax avoidance was beyond their skills. I had been to one branch where I had to wait for hours just to be told there is nothing they can do about the fact that the cash machine ate the card. I went to another branch which had too many staff as they wanted be to see a personal banker when I asked for a leaflet.

When I phoned up 0800 494949 the ISA line it was not the most helpful of help lines as it told me to go to my branch and did not want anyone want to talk to me.

I don't want to be a customer of a bank which has a help line which has the aim of not helping you.

I hope that Barclays get a huge fine. It seems that UBS and Lloyds TSB and now Barclays are involved in crime. Lock them up and throw away the key.

newlywed

I tried to open a basic barclays savings account and the branch told me I needed to make an appointment to open an account and to ring the main number, as to be put through to the branch and they'll do this.

So I rang up the main number, someone answered but didn't speak down the phone - all I heard was people chatting about things and saying "oh I'll speak to the girl in a minute". I hung up. Rang back. Started to complain about the previous call and they cut me off!!! :mad:

Rang again. Asked to be put through to the branch. Got 20 questions about why I wanted to speak to the branch and was then told I didn't need to make any appointment I can just walk into any branch to open an account :mad: Eventually they tried to put me through, let it ring maybe one ring and then said they're not answering.

So I asked for customer complaints and gave a rant to them about how I no longer wanted to become a new customer as their helpline is useless and don't even know the correct information.

They took my name and address and still have heard nothing at all! Not even an acknowledgement of my complaint - let alone any sort of apology!

ahai1

I am glad that I have not taken my business to them. I hope you phoned the 0800 number as it costs them money and not you.

The staff who are proud to work for Barclays must live in another world. I have had good and bad service but no bank or any other financial instution has treaded me the way Barclays have treated you.

Maybe Sir Fred can come and run Barclays.

On a general note what is up with bankers the bankers at RBS shafted the tax payer to give a lot of money to Sir Fred Goodwin and the bankers at Barclays, UBS and Lloyds have been up to dodgey stuff. The real money laundering is by the banks.

The Guardian article must be somewhere in the grape vine.

mzqa395

Agree takes a month to get the acknowledge another month for investigation

SavySaver_2

Yeah they are really a joke.....haha .......i don't think so really.

I actually think you are the joke. Why would you think you can open an isa for the 09/10 tax year? And why woudl you? Due to HMRC you can not open the new isa's until the new teax year. Maybe you should try the good old RBS.

withnell

So Barclays are offering tax avoidance advice to high worth clients? I think every bank and professional services firm has a private client tax division. if the government didn't put so many loopholes in the legislation they rush through in droves, then there wouldn't be the issue!

Regards the service - it's been reasonably good for me

ahai1

Thank you for your comments. They are wrong on the point that you can open an account before the tax year but you cannot pay into it. I know of someone who did that with Saffron Waldon.

Why is it a joke asking a financial provider for information?

You are new on the forum but a word of advise can you check information before posting.

SavySaver wrote: »

Yeah they are really a joke.....haha .......i don't think so really.

I actually think you are the joke. Why would you think you can open an isa for the 09/10 tax year? And why woudl you? Due to HMRC you can not open the new isa's until the new teax year. Maybe you should try the good old RBS.

SavySaver_2

Yeah well the fact that I am new is irrelevant to be honest. But I am basing my information on what I am given and been told. Any company I have worked for you can not open isa's for the new tax year. But every company will be different I guess.Maybe you should open one with Saffron.