A&L Customer Service and Switching Service

mparter

I knew this was going to be trouble when I started reading people's experience of A&L on here but I'd already set the wheels in motion at that point.

Basically, I opened an current account online with A&L at the beginning of May and opting for their switching service to get the £100 incentive. Whilst waiting for it being setup, I read all the negative comments on here so thought I'd apply for a First Direct account, again with switching.

I was accepted by FD so immediately called A&L on the 29th May to inform them I was cancelling the account (hadn't used it). The guy I spoke to tried to convince me to keep it but stated that he had closed the account and was cancelling the switching service.

So today, I arrive home from work to find a letter dated 8 June from A&L stating the switching process was complete. I phoned them straight away to explain the situation. The girl I spoke to informed me that there was a note that I wanted to close the account but that nothing had been actioned!!

I asked her why anyone would call up to close an account but not want anything done about it and that surely the last operator was at fault. Her reply was that they would have to listen to the tapes and a manager would call me within 48 hours to decide "who was at fault"!!

I then asked her what's going to happen when my mortgage provider requests the money from A&L and there's none there. She replied that no direct debits had been setup, which seems to contradict the letter.

I'm now concerned that this thing is going to spiral out of control, direct debits are going to be bounced, returned upaid and my credit record is going to be shot to pieces. Which will then take me months to get resolved.

At least First Direct tell you the date when the switching is taking place. Do you think I should call them, my old bank or any of the direct debtors that are going to request money?