Just opened A&L Premier Direct with terrible credit rating...

sutton111

pippitypip wrote: »

Thanks sutton111.

I was looking through the boards to see if I could find info on anyone else having problems with the card - that's interesting as had no clue. Haven't had any probs yet apart from the train station so fingers crossed.

pippitypip

Yes at some Train Stations or Cinemas they don't actually authorise your card at POS and being that this is not a "full" Visa debit card, it would have to be authorised, that's why you are having problems at Train Stations

If you have a look at Mrs_Ryans posts they will give you some more information about A&L and this type of card.

eth01

when you buy a ticket on a train the transaction (which is offline) is ONLY actioned by PIN and PIN only. the reason electron/solo and the like are not accepted is because you could have a zero balance and when the train operator come to process the rest of the transaction later that day (usually the case) it will be declined. that said you could have a zero balance with a visa debit/credit etc and it still could be declined.

i think the train operators have more luck in processing transactions which have been paid for by visa debit/credit etc rather than solo/electron. luck in terms of a credit facility.

i think thats the logic behind this.

pippitypip_2

Thanks etho1, though my ticket was purchased at a mainline train station, not on board a train, so I would have thought it would be a live transaction. My card however didn't register in the chip and pin reader so it must be as sutton111 said - this type of card requires authorisation at POS.

However it's still the only place I've had a problem so generally much better than a Solo or Electron basic bank account.

pippitypip

Tan4Life

I have also recently opened this account and I have a dreadful credit rating too. I was shocked to get this as when I applied it states you can't open this account with CCJs. I got a visa debit card with no cheque guarantee and a cheque book. The debit however does not work in train stations much to my annoyance

Mrs_Ryan

Yep... looks like everyone is having the same problem as me!!!

A&L are aware of this problem and have been rapped on the knuckles by the FOS for it (thanks to my complaint) but are reluctant to do anything about it. I asked them would it work in train stations when I got the account - yes they said - very annoyed to find out it doesnt!!!!

The reason for this is that the majority of train opearting companies work off an old system, where basically the information is collected together and downloaded at the end of the day. It isnt capable of authorising online which is why these cards arent accepted. However, if I pay for my ticket with my Mastercard, it goes through straight away.

A&L will always deny there is any problem with this card. However the chip is programmed as an Electron and when I hit them with this they went very quiet. There are other places that will refuse this card due to it being read as an Electron. I rarely use my Visa Debit anymore - I now have an Easycash account with Halifax and find its easier to use my Electron card - at least it says its an Electron and doesnt claim to be anything else!!!!!

nick74

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

A&L will always deny there is any problem with this card. However the chip is programmed as an Electron and when I hit them with this they went very quiet. There are other places that will refuse this card due to it being read as an Electron.

Does your card have embossed numbers on it? Just curious as I have an embossed A&L debit card (which I rarely use) and had been led to believe this type of card didn't always need authorisation?
From what you're saying about the card having the chip set up as an Electron though it seems it would!

Mrs_Ryan

Yes, it has embossed numbers on it.

I was told that the card looks like a standard Visa Debit but due to the fact the chip is programmed as an Electron it needs auth.
I got conclusive proof of this when I was in Tesco once and their systems went down, they couldnt accept Solo or Electron payments and my card was refused due to this - OH has the A&L Visa Debit with £100 chq guarantee and his went through fine.
A&L are very sneaky and like I say FOS have rapped them for being unclear about their cards but they are a law into themselves....

nicky1312

hi all well done to all the people that get 1 of these accounts i tried and got rejected

Innocent_Guy

nicky1312 wrote: »

hi all well done to all the people that get 1 of these accounts i tried and got rejected

Sorry to hear that. Have you tried Abbey or HSBC basic account?

nick74

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I got conclusive proof of this when I was in Tesco once and their systems went down, they couldnt accept Solo or Electron payments and my card was refused due to this - OH has the A&L Visa Debit with £100 chq guarantee and his went through fine.

Thanks, sounds as though my card could be the full Visa debit as mine has a £100 cheque guarantee.

I first had an account with A&L when it was still the Girobank in the late 80's and they were a law unto themselves then, not much seems to have changed!