It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

lambanana

Annie56 that's terrible, I don't blame you for changing your account! I've heard nothing but bad about A&L since they became part of Santander. The thing that annoys me most about them (and I'm not with them for my banking) is when I go to withdraw any cash from one of their machines they have £100 where every other machine puts the option for £10 :eek: I've nearly been caught out by it a few times...especially as they have a machine near my favourite pub and I've had a couple before getting some money out I hope you give them what for!!

RAS

Annie56 wrote: »

Last night went on to my online banking and found that I couldnt access my online bank facilites I was locked out:mad::mad: and they had not paid my first direct debit to my Landlord

Hi

You need a new basic bank account that costs nothing and will sort your direct debits.

For the sake of arguement, pick on that is not related to any one to whom you owe money, with whom you have a credit card.

Will find the list and post later.

maryb

Anyone with savings now is getting negative real interest since both RPI and CPI is well over the best interest rates you can get and by the time you take tax off, it's terrifying. Santander are the absolute worst for customer service - unfortunately they pay some of the highest interest rates. So I grit my teeth

The Mirena coil is wonderful and so moneysaving when you think what you save on sanitary protection. It also made a huge difference to my bad back - the extra progesterone helps to loosen the ligaments.

This won't be of interest to you Sammy Kaye, but more "mature" ladies may be interested to know that it helps even when contraception is no longer an issue. I literally sailed through the menopause without noticing. Eventually I thought I must have gone through it by now, had the coil taken out and, yes, nothing further. I had about half a dozen times in the first six weeks or so after it came out when I felt rather warm and that was it. I'm sure it helped me to cope with a couple of tough situations because I wasn't feeling low from having to cope with that as well

Primrose

I'd be rather sad to see all those jumbo water fountain container bottles disappear. I rely on the thrown-out damaged ones for my vegetable growing. With the bases sawn off, they make marvellous large indiivual cloches for the early planting out of courgettes, and other plants, especially with their little built-in ventilation hole at the top.

jojotoo

I had the Implanon implant in my arm Sammy Kaye and find it's great. I'm a bit squeamish and didn't fancy having the coil put in! The implant lasts 3 years and stops periods, very moneysaving. Would really recommend it.

smileyt_2

Ooh, Annie56, I don't suppose you could tape your meeting with the bank manager, could you? I'd love to hear it :rotfl:

Annie56

Okay here we go..
I entered the bank and went to the desk, indifferent clerk said "yeah can I help you" whilst not looking me in the face, so I said"Look at me yong man" soon got his attention, said I have an appointment at 10.30am with Mr D.....the manager, pimply rude youth looked at apts and said "Oh yeah, sit over there and you will be called through" to which I replied "Oh yeah????"...
Sat till 10.36am by which time Im :mad::mad:ier when I was caled into managers office...

Picture scenario, fat overweight sweaty po faced individual holds out his hand and says "Mrs S what can Ido for you" and shakes my hand with a sweaty paw that I had to wipe my hand n my suit skirt.

After 10 minutes of me telling him what I thought of him and his carp banking institution he was sweating even more, by this time I was in full swing.

He explains that as my income has dropped significantley that I was a potentially at risk and to "help" me manage my new financial situation Santander was only trying to help.

Me going full pelt expalined that they had the MINE and MY EXOHS business and personal banking up till last month when we seperated so where was the difference?

He said as I was unemployed and my income had dropped it was in THERE interest to make sure that they monitored my account to my advantage, I said you mean your bloody advantag so I cut him short.

Ive closed the account, and said Iwasnt moving from his office till I had official confirmation from him that my closing balance was zilch zero squiddly doo nowt . He did this in 15 minutes with a lot of to ing and fro ing...and handed me the official bank headnoted letter that Mrs S`s account was closed all DDs cancelled and there was no further financial owings on my part.

He said that he was sorry that it had come to this, and that he had no trouble with my husbands personal account and busines account, my parting shot was" Yes well, when the business and house and all other personal joint assetts are legally divided by divorce then I hope you apply the same priciple of harassment to the ExOH and penalise him accordingly"

Mardatha he was cms from having a Glesgae kiss and kick in the hazelnut regions, he was a revolting excuse for a bank manager..

So upset and hot and muddled I tootled over to the Coop...said who I was, to a lovley young smiling receptionist, she said Oh hello Mes S ( yahoo recognition) sat me down, offered me a cup of coffee, called the manager who came straight out to meet me and we both went into her office, in came receptionist with coffee and some biccys..explained what had happened at Santander and she noded as if it wasadaily occurence.

Fast forward, I have a current account with a £50 buffer zone, they are dealing with my direct debit set ups, a Visa Debit card coming and the whole experience was fantastic, she asked if I had enough money to put in the account to cover any day to day expenses til my next JSA payment, I said yes, but what would have been the outcome if I hadnt she said they could have given me a short term overdraft for a couple weeks till then.

She was very honest with me, and I with her and she saidonce the divorce was sorted and financials in order we could have a discussion where to go on the finacial front.

Also asked if I had entered her office this morning with a bad credit record and little money what could she have done for me. She said providing I did nto owe the Coop any money from previous dealing they would have given me a Basic Bank acct, with no overdraft facility, and that ot was a 3 strikesand yor out type of account, they believe in giving you a fair chance I reckon and if you mess it up then thats fair enough.

Internet Banking too , though she did say that it took the Coop a couple of days to update the crdit balances on the Internet Banking but I can always connect via the phone number for an up to date balance etc all I can sayabout the Coop is WOWEE...so I hope they live up to this first wonderful meeting.


Went outside feeling refreshed and delighted and who did I see i nthe local WHSmiths buying the Guardian yep the Santander manager couldnt resist saying "!!!!!!!" as I went to buy myself some envelopes he had the grace to blush and scuttled out of the shop.

So thats it all done and dusted, but I hate to think what these banking institutions are going to get up to in the present financial clime.


must dash have a date with a choccie eclair

Annie 56

Kitcaboodle

I had no idea that A&L/Santander did that Annie! I hope you give them a piece of your mind (Edited as I see you now have! Good for you!), I'd be telling them that they'd better not charge me for changes made without my knowledge or consent or I'd be taking it to the Ombidsman and maybe the local paper.

DH banks with them and his job is very insecure at the moment, I will warn him about this kind of thing as all our bill payments come out of his account and we'd be in real trouble if they suddenly stopped all our Direct Debits! Might see if he can get confirmation from them that this won't happen and will suggest to him that he shifts his savings to another bank if they won't give it!

DS has been obliging enough to have a morning nap, so I've just made a lovely batch of my mocha chocolate cookies - yum! Slightly overcooked them as I was trying to calculate how many calories each one contained (about 150 if you're interested!) They'll be fine, just not as soft as I like. I need to watch them like a hawk and whip them out of the oven as soon as the top starts to form a crust but still has plenty of give.

tiddles

Good for you Annie 56!

lambanana

Good on you Annie!