Alliance & Leicester Cash Machines Access

Hi Everyone,

I've explored the whole Current Account Plus offer, and although it looks great, I'm concerned about is issue of free cash machine withdrawls. Their fine print says that some banks may charge, and I've walked past Barclays, NatWest and Lloyds on Tottenham Court Road, to find that none of them show an A&L logo is being 'free'.

Can any current A&L users enlighten me? Do the major banks charge A&L users to withraw from their cash machines?
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Comments

  • MarkyMarkD
    MarkyMarkD Posts: 9,912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    It's "Leicester"!

    Withdrawals are free at all normal "free" machines, AND all A&L machines (some of which charge other banks' customers). So in other words, more machines in the UK are free for you if you bank with A&L than if you bank with Nationwide or most other banks.

    And you can undertake transactions at Post Offices free of charge too.
  • MarkyMarkD wrote:
    Withdrawals are free at all normal "free" machines, AND all A&L machines (some of which charge other banks' customers). So in other words, more machines in the UK are free for you if you bank with A&L than if you bank with Nationwide or most other banks.

    And you can undertake transactions at Post Offices free of charge too.
    And using your ATM card at a Post Office is a lot safer than doing so at a hole in the wall.
    30 years, 217 days!
  • Darryl
    Darryl Posts: 218 Forumite
    If the A&L cards have LINK logo on them then they should be free at all LINK ATMs.

    Don't know if they do though.

    Darryl.
    ... Fool's Gold ...
  • None of the big banks (Barclays, RBS, LTSB, HSBC) will charge anyone for withdrawing cash from their machines. So as long as A&L don't make their own charge for using someone else's machine (and it would be a very short sighted business practise if they did) then your withdrawals will be free.
  • MarkyMarkD
    MarkyMarkD Posts: 9,912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Darryl wrote:
    If the A&L cards have LINK logo on them then they should be free at all LINK ATMs.

    Don't know if they do though.

    Darryl.
    They do, but that doesn't follow, Darryl.

    As I said, A&L cards (and virtually any LINK cards for that matter) are free at any "normal" free machines. But they will all be chargeable if they are used at charging machines - unless the machine is free under a special arrangement (e.g. A&L charging machines are free to A&L customers but charging for other customers).
  • Darryl
    Darryl Posts: 218 Forumite
    You learn something every day. Thanks MarkyMarkD.
    ... Fool's Gold ...
  • MarkyMarkD
    MarkyMarkD Posts: 9,912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You are very welcome, Darryl. The point to remember is that all the charging machines are also LINK branded and accept all LINK cards - but that doesn't stop them being charging machines.
  • I was also a bit concerned by the A&L small print :

    "You will pay a charge of 1.5% (minimum charge £1.50) of any cash withdrawal obtained by the use of the Debit card at any Visa ATM which is not part of the Link Network, or at any financial organisation which accepts the Visa card. The charge may also apply to the purchase of foreign currency or travellers cheques at any outlet that provides foreign currency."

    Does this mean I will get charged for cashback in the supermarket using my debit card?

    Does it also mean that if I get foreign currency I will get charged for paying for it with my debit card?
  • Glad
    Glad Posts: 18,921 Senior Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    we've been with A&L for a number of years

    yes you will be charged at the fee-charging cashpoints that charge a fee on most cards, but you are always informed of charge before completing transaction, these are usually the machines found in garages etc,

    you won't be charged for withdrawals using your debit card at other bank/building society cash machines,

    you won't be charged for cashback in supermarkets,

    you won't be charged a fee for using your debit card to purchase currency

    and as previously stated you can withdraw money free of charge from any Post Office, you can also make deposits cash/cheques at the PO using envelopes ordered from A&L which I find very useful living in a smal village,

    A&L online banking is also very straightforward
    I am a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Wales, Small Biz MoneySaving, In My Home (includes DIY) MoneySaving, and Old style MoneySaving boards. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • excellent. Thanks very much Glad
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