A & L migration to Santander

RumPunch_2

I'm on holiday so have a lot more time than I would normally. I was thinking of calling Alliance & Leicester again myself this afternoon for a bit of sport! I would hate to be dealing with this crap while I was at work. I think I'm only now enjoying the devilment aspect because my money is now safely out of their clutches.

Before we "pop into the branch" to change our names I thought I might just point out that although their system for the PlusSaver Account is showing our incorrect names, the correct names are showing on our Premier Direct Account. On that basis, why can't they simply correct their mistake and change the names?

I think I will print off Premier Direct statements with the correct names on to show them!

I might also ask why their 'standard complaint letter response' doesn't give any timescale for a resolution, name the the person who will be dealing with it and ask why I haven't had a progress update. Standard letter (I expect everybody's is exactly the same) was sent 17th Aug, so they've had a week to investigate! Then again, it hasn't been 8 weeks yet, I must stop being so impatient!

Applied to join First Direct last night.

skaps

I completed a survey yesterday about banks and I was asked about santander. All my responses were the most negative I could put on the scales. I can't believe there has been no media interest in this story. How can banks be so irresponsible and get away with it. I bet first direct are happy.

Alpine_Star

Gav8 wrote: »

I too have a problem where I cannot view my accounts online and instead see them as 'Unavailable'. It's been like this from the beggining of July and so was at least 7 weeks ago when I first told them there was a problem.

You're not alone by the looks of things http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/savings-and-banking/article.html?in_article_id=512704&in_page_id=7&ct=5

J3OEF

is it me or has anyone else lost the ability to instantly transfer money there and then since the switch over from A&L to santander systems?

Its not longer instant into my partners account no more :mad:

Paulgonnabedebtfree

J3OEF wrote: »

is it me or has anyone else lost the ability to instantly transfer money there and then since the switch over from A&L to santander systems?

Its not longer instant into my partners account no more :mad:

I've lost the ability to transfer money instantly between Santander accounts (it takes a day or so) but ironically, I can transfer instantly to an external account. Also I can transfer from an external account into a Santander account. It's been like this for about 3 - 4 weeks now. Weird or what? I have never had an A & L account - just Abbey N/Abbey/Santander.

PaulHUK

acmh-2007 wrote: »

In the meantime this £150 is floating in the ether and neither A&L or Barclays seem able to put a trace on where it is. It was a Direct Debit so assuming I can get it back through the guarentee but not sure how this would work as it is a payment from me to me...?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

I sympathise. See earlier in the thread. £2000 floating in the ether as you put it!

After over an hour on the phone, associated costs due to the lack of free or geographic number and TWO visits to the branch, I did get it back. It was the BRANCH VISIT that sorted their problem out.

So visit the branch I say. Oh, and I took with me my completed FSA paperwork to show I meant business. I'm waiting for the complaint letter response.

£25 will not be enough for my time, never mind the stress of it all. I think Small Claims court rate is £20 per hour. That's what I'll be starting with. I won't be unrealistic, just fair.

So in summary, download complaint form from FSA. If you have not aleady, get a complaint letter into A&L HQ (you cannot go via FSA if that has not been done anyhow). And write EVERYTHING down, names, times, costs, the lot - even down to what you would have been doing if you were not having to deal with their maladministration...

Edit: Forgot to say, good luck, you will get it back so try (it's not easy I think) to stay calm and businesslike

tenuissent

I transferred several thousands from my own A&L account into my daughter's completely different bank (NatWest). It got there quickly enough, but so did the same amount from a joint A&L account with my husband, who was counting on it for something urgent and is hopping mad (not with me, fortunately). How did that happen?

Still arguing about it three weeks later. I suggested daughter gave me a cheque to pay it back - keep it simple and safe - but husband is determined to make Santander own up and return it, which they won't.

PS Forgot to add that the person answering husband's phone call was extremely rude to him, very unprofessional

Gav8

RumPunch wrote: »

Having done some research today and read the positive customer service feedback, it looks like we will soon be experiencing the delights of banking with First Direct, however, we will be pursuing compensation with Santander. Does anybody know what today’s compensation rate is?

It sounds like First Direct are going to do well out of this, I'm on my way there too!

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Although I have/had a number of gripes with Santander - some of them about gross incompetence, something I will say is that I've never yet experienced rudeness from a member of their staff either on the phone or face to face. In fact, occasionally I've felt so wound up with them that they might have been justified in being rude to me, but they haven't been.

Cheesedoodles

Gav8 wrote: »

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It sounds like First Direct are going to do well out of this, I'm on my way there too!

Ditto! I got my First Direct cards through the other day. It all went VERY smooth! From application to receiving the card just over a week!! Still waiting for the PIN, but that should be here in a couple of days.

So far, very please with First Direct. I had some questions about their regular savings accounts and when I phoned them, not only did the pick up almost straight away but the person on the other end actually KNEW the answers to my questions! There's not often Customer Services can actually answer your questions, I think of them as first line defense...they are there to take the main brunt of the gunfire.

You have a lot to learn Santander!!