Abbey National ... 'change of address'

DiscoPaul_2

I recently contacted Abbey national via the telephone banking helpline to seek advice on how to change my address, As I no longer reside on the UK, I am now a resident of the Republic of Ireland. I was told that I must visit a branch to do this, which I completely understand and have no problem with. So I spent 2 hours either way on a coach journey to the town of Newry in Northern Ireland to visit the closest branch to me. I took all the neccessary ID and documents required to change my address and order a new card. I was told that I must re-visit the Newry branch to collect the card, I was also told that the likely time would be 7-10 days.

So, after being very cautious and leaving my next visit to Newry 3 weeks, you can imagine my surprise when I visited the bank to be told my address hand been changed and that the card had been sent to my original local branch in the UK. Sheffield.

I was offered no reason as to why it hadn't been ordered just purely 'well the branch manager must have made a mistake' it wasn't until I stressed that I had taken two days off work and spent 20 euros on two seperate occasions, did she seem apologetic, without actually apologising.

I was then told that I had no choice but to revisit the Newry branch again in next couple of weeks to collect my card once the address had been changed and the mistakes rectified.

Before I paid the Newry branch a tird visit, I rang the complaints department to check and make sure that the card was going to the right place and that my address had actually been changed. Yet again, nothing had been done, so I asked for my card to be delivered to the Sheffield branch and I would try and collect it next time I was home. As I couldn't visit when I had planned to due to illness, I rang the complainst number again to ask if there was anything I could do. Nothing was the reply, you can only change your address via the branch. Even if they had made mistakes. Now I was told the complaint would be dealt with by the branch manager in Newry and by their department in order to satisify me that they had followed up and improved their services. I was told that I would receive a letter in the post from the Newry branch regarding the situation in the next 7 days. I waited 2 weeks, nothing. So I contacted the complaints department again. They tried to put me through to the Newry branch but couldnt so told me the branch manager would phone me within 24 hours. Again, nothing.

So I contacted the complaints department again, racking up another roaming charge on my mobile, fairly annoyed and admittedly quite aggreived on the phone. I was finally put through to one of the staff at the Newry branch who. and I quote, said " I guarantee I will get back to you before 5pm' I made her aware I would be working, but she said she wold definetely leave a voicemail. That was Wednesday 15th April. Over 48 hours ago.

All I want to do is change my address and order a new card so I can actually access my money. This is ridiculous.

What is even more annoying is, after searching the abbey website I have found a downloadable form which can be posted to Abbey back in the UK with photocopies of a passport and administered without the need to visit a brannch in the UK. Why was I never made aware of this?

Has anyone else been in a similar situation, or does anyone have any advice for me please?

williham

Sounds like someone you shouldn't be banking with. Just open an account with another bank :P

trevormax

send them a complaint regarding the fact they have given you duff info and demand compensation for all the time and money wasted. Tell them their service has been dispicable and you are going to be leaving.

uktyler

Funnily (or not), Abby did exactly the same to me a few months ago when I moved to Germany. I gave them my new adress two months before I moved, as we already owned the new house.

It was two months after when I finally got my statements sent here.

My written complaint, sent six weeks ago, has not even been acknowledged, and complaining by phone always gets the same response, 'you need to put it in writing'.

DiscoPaul_2

williham wrote: »

Sounds like someone you shouldn't be banking with. Just open an account with another bank :P

I would love to but it's not that easy when you don't live in the country....

DiscoPaul_2

uktyler wrote: »

Funnily (or not), Abby did exactly the same to me a few months ago when I moved to Germany. I gave them my new adress two months before I moved, as we already owned the new house.

It was two months after when I finally got my statements sent here.

My written complaint, sent six weeks ago, has not even been acknowledged, and complaining by phone always gets the same response, 'you need to put it in writing'.

It's ridiculous. I have a substantial amount of money which I have no access to what-so-ever!

Have you looked into how easy it would be to open an account with another bank whilst you are living in Germany?

uktyler

DiscoPaul wrote: »

It's ridiculous. I have a substantial amount of money which I have no access to what-so-ever!

Have you looked into how easy it would be to open an account with another bank whilst you are living in Germany?

I have not tried yet, I have an account with the Natwest, and that was simple to change, just one visit to a branch.

Its not even easy to close my Abbey account, as I'm in credit and they want to post a cheque here, which I then have to post back to my Natwest account.

I can't imagine it will be a simple process to open an account with any bank from out of the UK though.

SueC_2

I've got mad with Abbey myself over the exact same thing. It seems utterly ridiculous that in this day and age they make it so hard for you to do something so simple as change your address. I have several bank accounts, and multiple credit card accounts. Every single one of them allows me to change my address either in writing or over the internet. But Abbey, oh no, I have to drive 30 miles to my nearest branch, pay £10 parking in an extortionate NCP car park, queue endlessly, then get told I need an appointment to see a specific person and that specific person doesn't work on Saturdays (which is the only day I can get there without losing a day's work), lose my stack completely.........

And believe me, that's not my only complaint about Abbey, but best not get me started!