Treated like !!!! by Santander: what's my best revenge?

cashferret

khana wrote: »

I'm sure you realize that it is not Santander that is at fault, but an individual working in the organisation that has effectively messed up and caused you all this inconvenience and stress.

Most bank staff have worked for many other banks in the past, and so moving bank's really is not the answer to resolve things.

If an individual is at fault, then registering your complaint will ensure that it is looked at and resolved, hopefully to your satisfaction. More importantly, this will also log the complaint against the person responsible, meaning that they will find it a lot harder to get away with providing shabby service in the future.

Unfortunately, you will get incompetent staff everywhere, and it's only by dealing with this directly at the bank will this stop. Of course, if you are not happy with the outcome of the complaint then the FSC is the next place to go to.

Hi khana - unfortunately with Santander, it hasn't been a single individual that has been at fault - it has been every single individual in each of the six encounters that I have had with them over the last four weeks. Each of them has screwed something up and each of them has taken a "computer says no" attitude towards me in terms of getting it fixed. I really have never encountered anything like it in a single organisation.

I can only think that there is something very seriously wrong with Santander's training. I can't otherwise account for how systemic it appears to be.

RuthnJasper

Hi CashFerret,

I can't offer any better advice than what has already been posted above. But - if you haven't already read it, I strongly recommend that you take a look at this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/741653

It's not the same as your problem, but is one witty MSE'er's tales of how he dealt with a company who were causing him much hassle and frustration and who refused to listen to either fact or reason (bit like Santander, really...).

It never fails to make me smile!

Enjoy!
:beer:

Very best wishes to you and your mother. Hope your situation gets sorted soon. xx

cashferret

angel_islington wrote: »

That's how they handle your complaint so you have to be persistent and explore as many avenues as you can, i.e the 'official' complaint procedure, the fos, social networking, at the same time. Will it have a major effect, maybe not but that's not the point and is exactly the type of mentality that allows companies like Santander to get away with treating their customers so badly in the first place.

I'd appreciate it if you joined the Facebook group, if you have an account.

Hi angel - I disagree - I think having a major effect is the point! I think we agree that we don't want Santander to get away with it, but they are getting away with it if what we do doesn't have any real impact on them. If what we do makes us feel better but doesn't really hurt them, it's not a productive outcome for the future. Though I must say that having a rant has made me feel cleansed!

I don't have a Facebook account but I bet you got lots of people signing up who do! Perhaps you will break some sort of record on there!

I still like the idea of a change in the law/giving the FOS more teeth to slam bad banks with hefty fines for each customer complaint upheld. Have I made this idea up in my own head or did I see it mentioned somewhere? I'm wondering if there's a petition I can sign up to or whether I should write to my MP or something.

cashferret

RuthnJasper wrote: »

Hi CashFerret,

I can't offer any better advice than what has already been posted above. But - if you haven't already read it, I strongly recommend that you take a look at this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/741653

It's not the same as your problem, but is one witty MSE'er's tales of how he dealt with a company who were causing him much hassle and frustration and who refused to listen to either fact or reason (bit like Santander, really...).

It never fails to make me smile!

Enjoy!
:beer:

Very best wishes to you and your mother. Hope your situation gets sorted soon. xx

Oh, brilliant thread, RuthnJasper - I was killing myself laughing! Really cheered me up! Thanks for your good wishes as well.

Consumer40

Cashferret - I think you and some others should consider complaining to the Information Commisioner's Office (ICO).

The Data Protection Act does not simply govern the disclosure of your personal data. There are a series of principles that organisations holding your data must satisfy.

In particular, the 7th principle requires that: Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

The ICO website states that: If your personal information has been lost or is not held securely you can complain to us.

The ICO helpline is 0303 123 1113

Another principle that, on the face of it, Santander may have breached, is the 4th principle: Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. I imagine that screwing up a customer's tax status, as reported in the migration thread, would break this rule.

RuthnJasper

cashferret wrote: »

Oh, brilliant thread, RuthnJasper - I was killing myself laughing! Really cheered me up! Thanks for your good wishes as well.

I'm glad. Always happy to help, poppet. x

Acremead

Consumer40 wrote: »

The Data Protection Act does not simply govern the disclosure of your personal data. There are a series of principles that organisations holding your data must satisfy...............

I tried opening a savings account with Santander last week. As part of a long saga I tried at one point to open it by phone. I was asked a set of intrusive questions which are completely unnecessary for a savings account, and especially as I am an existing customer (Like who my employer is and how much I earn). When I queried this I was told it was required by the Data Protection Act! Effectively using an Act designed to protect my privacy to bully me into revealing personal info.

As other posters have stated, it goes beyond the incompetence of one or two staff and seems to be systemic. The basic motto seems to be 'Do it the Santander way, or don't bother talking to us".

End of story: Closed my existing account and am moving the money to the Barnsley BS, where I managed to do in ten minutes on the internet what Santander failed to achieve over an eight hour period via internet, two attempts by phone and making a special visit to a branch.

fairtrade

cashferret wrote: »

What can hurt these awful banks, to make them treat people better?

]

Open as many current accounts as you can, put £2 in each and set up standing orders for £1 to transfer money each month. This will cost administration (erode the profits and the bonuses) and the accounts would not be dormant as there is activity each month.

Essex123

Well here is some bad news... looks like Santander is set to get bigger again through the acquisition of over 300 RBS branches outside Scotland.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/rbs/7923442/RBS-to-sell-318-branches-to-Santander.html

I'm glad I don't have any accounts with RBS!!

cashferret

Consumer40 wrote: »

Cashferret - I think you and some others should consider complaining to the Information Commisioner's Office (ICO).

The Data Protection Act does not simply govern the disclosure of your personal data. There are a series of principles that organisations holding your data must satisfy.

In particular, the 7th principle requires that: Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

The ICO website states that: If your personal information has been lost or is not held securely you can complain to us.

The ICO helpline is 0303 123 1113

Another principle that, on the face of it, Santander may have breached, is the 4th principle: Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. I imagine that screwing up a customer's tax status, as reported in the migration thread, would break this rule.

Thanks, Consumer40 - I didn't know about them. I gave them a call and they helped me navigate their rather confusing site to this page about complaining. If you have all the correspondence in electronic form you can email it and since all my correspondence is a letter of complaint from me to Santander, I've emailed it off.

I still wish they could be given a real slamming on behalf of all of us who they have treated badly rather than a few little slaps on the wrist, though!