Stay away from Santander because of bad service, despite the rate?

markalanious

I can only speak for myself, but I tried to open an ISA online but wasn't completely sure about one of the questions it was asking, so I phoned customer services and got the ISA setup in about 5 minutes on the phone, no problems encountered so far.

Just thought it was fair to post this - remember, people usually don't post positive comments, it is just expected.

spikyone

markalanious wrote: »

Just thought it was fair to post this - remember, people usually don't post positive comments, it is just expected.

Absolutely, and some of the comments are distinctly unfair:

lynzpower wrote: »

Not ISA related but the "first time buyer " savings account that was lauded on here, I went into 3 branches and OH into 2 and none of the staff had even heard of it? They looked at me like I was asking for something theyd truly never heard of - I started to think It was me, I had ti wrong, I called thier helpline to be told yes it exists and you cna only get it in branch. After the 3rd time, I wasnt convinved I would trust them as far as I could spit so gave it up as a total waste of time.

Apart from getting the account name wrong, why didn't this poster get the branch staff to sit down in front of a computer and look for the account, rather than just asking the staff if they knew about it? Or print out the information from the MSE or Santander websites?
Two things to remember in this case - firstly, the First Home Saver account isn't widely advertised and is therefore opened by a small number of people (the Santander employee who opened mine couldn't remember opening one before, and remembered me when I went back to the branch two months later to open an ISA), and secondly, in light of that, if you went to an ex-A&L or B&B branch, they're even less likely to have opened one previously than in an ex-Abbey branch...

markalanious

What is this first home saver? Does it have any positive ramefactions with Santander with regards getting a mortgage?!

spikyone

Details are on the MSE Regular Savings article, and an old MSE news article.

If you're under 35 and have never held a mortgage, you can open one (they won't close it later when you turn 35 or get a mortgage!).
You have to save between £100-£300 to get the full interest rate, which is currently 5% (gross), and you can open with a deposit of up to £5k. There's no short-term introductory bonus, and AFAIK the net rate has always bettered the top ISAs, assuming you're a basic-rate taxpayer.

There are no withdrawals allowed - you just have to close the account if you want the cash. And here's the only catch, if you can call it that - you're supposed to have a mortgage interview with them when you close the account.
However there are stories of people simply going into the branch and asking for the account to be closed (without mentioning mortgage interviews), and if you told them you had no intention of taking their mortgage I can't see why they'd waste their time on a mortgage interview.

I'm not aware of the account getting you preferential treatment if you decide you do want a Santander mortgage though.

steste78

After paying them for less then 6 years the have to hold your title for another 20 day upto 45 days they told me me because I might stop payment on a check that is already out of my checking account. Lame.. I just want to be done with these people. Yhem run you around in circles when you have a question. It is my title and I want it.

manuforti

WitNick wrote: »

I recently opened a Santander current account using the account switching service which guarantees to match your existing overdraft facility, it took nearly 6 weeks to get my overdraft matched. Santander do not support faster payments. The staff in my local branch (ex Bradford & Bingley), don't have a clue what they are doing. They issued me an over the counter cheque without telling me it costs £10, I had to ring up to get that charge reversed, which to their credit they did without fuss.

Tried to call them last night to open an ISA, after 20mins holding had the phone put down on me. Tried again and after another 20mins gave up

Not good signs at all

But like previous posts have said, if you can take advantage of their rates like I did with a 0% overdraft facility, which saved me a fortune coming from Halifaxs £1 a day charge, without having to deal with them too much, then go for it

Santander support faster payments I send them everyday

manuforti

steste78 wrote: »

After paying them for less then 6 years the have to hold your title for another 20 day upto 45 days they told me me because I might stop payment on a check that is already out of my checking account. Lame.. I just want to be done with these people. Yhem run you around in circles when you have a question. It is my title and I want it.

You're right. They should totally let you close that account without paying for that cheque.

MoneySaverLog

manuforti wrote: »

Santander support faster payments I send them everyday

Their FP limits are way too low though compared to other banks.

BLB53

My experience of Santanderis that they are OK until you decide to move your savings elsewhere, then they are a nightmare. I would never touch them again after the last experience, no matter what rate they were tempting me with.
I really cannot understand why they spend so much money on advertising and marketing to get new customers and then treat them so badly.
FWIW, my advice - stay well clear!

Gordon_the_Moron

I had the 3.5% flexible ISA this year and last (opened online last year and in branch this year) no problems either time opening or transferring out (I moved this year's to a fixed rate one after about four months once it was full) neither time did I open on or around April 5th (when they were first issued I opened them) and neither time did I transfer out just as the rate expired, both of which are probably their busiest times, may have helped.