Alliance & Leicester - Awful Bank

HallamLad

Alliance & Leicester are an awful bank to be with.

Got a letter last week stating that I had gone over my overdraft limit and were starting to charge me £5 a day until I brought it under it's limit. I only went over my limit because they are charging me £5 a month for being in my overdraft and £5 a month for not paying £500 a month into the account.

So because of what they have charged me bringing me over my limit they then take £5 a day out of my account!

Scandalous!

Don't really know what to do about it? They say I owe an extra £60 because of this. I just want to get rid and fast!

horsechestnut

You have breached their terms and conditions.
Pay off the amount and either pay in the required amount each month or ask for a different account that doesn't have a minimum amount to be paid in.
A&L is one of the better banks.

HallamLad

horsechestnut wrote: »

You have breached their terms and conditions.
Pay off the amount and either pay in the required amount each month or ask for a different account that doesn't have a minimum amount to be paid in.
A&L is one of the better banks.

I agree I have breached their terms and conditions and am culpable I don't disagree with that, I just think their t&c's stink. If you are constantly in the black, paying £500 a month in etc they're a super bank I'm sure, but when you aren't they don't half make things worse for their customers.

It's the fact that because of their charges they were charging me £5 a day makes me sick.

I won't be a customer for much longer if I can help it.

schoolrunmum

I don't think they are one of the better banks I'm afraid-try Smile or First Direct maybe??I really don't like A and L...

LilacPixie

I like A&L, they are alot better that HBOS and RBS/Natwest who I also hold accounts with.

To the OP, pay the £60 and shift your account elsewhere. You can open a basic account with no overdraft at almost any bank. I believe bothe the co-op and the Barclays are decent accounts. Onceyouhave switched everything contact A&L to setup a repayment plan to pay back any monies still owed and close the account.

tanith

If you sign up you agree to the t & c which included the charges that you have inccured. If you don't like them then of course move elsewhere... I thought we all wanted banks to be stricter with customers who spend more than they have? It would certainly make me more careful about going over my limit if I knew what was going to happen.. I've been with them 20yrs and I have never had a problem with them.....

HallamLad

I've got an account opened with the Co-Op, a basic account with no overdraft. Very happy with them, understanding, came recommended by a friend and I can only do the same.

Did have a conversation with A&L with regards to closing my account, they said they would do it in 3 monthly payments but also something would go on my credit score which I don't think would be good?

I'm fully aware by getting an account I agree to the t&c's. I will be reading them more thorough in future.

I've been over my overdraft before but only due to the banks themselves charging interest etc and in those cases they don't charge any further.

What I am getting in this case is that the charges they made that made my account over its limit has caused me even more charges. This has never happened with other banks and it's something I think is very wrong! Talk about kicking someone when they're down.

Tinka21

I have had real problems with A&L too because of their charging structure. I phoned my local branch when I first got into difficulty but they said they couldn't discuss my account as it was internet based. I had lost my telephone banking details so couldn't get through to speak to anybosy there either.
I wrote to them 5 times explaining my sitiuation and offering an affordable repayment plan but I never received a reply, I was simply ignored. I also sent a letter of complaint at the fact I was being ignored but still I got no acknowledgement!!
They have now passed my account to a debt collector which is ridiculous because I offered a montly repayment 6 months ago but they chose to ignore me!! From going £5 overdrawn I now owe over £700 according to their calculations.
So I wouldn't hold out much hope of them coming to any arrangement about any money you owe them!

HallamLad

Just been on the phone to them again. The guy I spoke to on the phone says that there is another £100 of charges to go on the account so if I haven't paid another £100 into my account by the time the charges are applied they will start charging me £5 a day again.

How the hell is that right? Awful, awful bank.