Closing an A&L account.

Consumerist

jen245 wrote: »

What address did you write to?

Santander,
9 Nelson Street,
Bradford,
West Yorkshire,
BD1 5AN

Edit
This is the address on my statement. If your's is different then use the address on your statement.

jen245

Thanks for that. I dont get statements, as it is an online account (Premier Direct), the only address I have, that is printed on previous letters, is the old A&L Bootle, Merseyside address. I'll try the one you wrote to and hope for the best. I would go into a branch, but I only have a half hour lunch break, so dont have the time to stand in their horrendous queues, and plus I'd rather not have to speak to them!

Consumerist

jen245 wrote: »

I'll try the one you wrote to and hope for the best. . .

Yes, I understand the difficulty in your case. Perhaps, you would post again to let us know how you get on.

Consumerist

Hi jen,

You may find the following Santander web page of some interest.

To close an account by post
To close a Santander Account by post, please write to the following address:
Santander
PO Box 297
BRADFORD
BD1 4YR
If writing to Santander please enclose the following:

• Your address
• Your telephone number
• The number of the account you wish to close
• Instructions for repayment of any credit balance still on the account once closed (i.e. by cheque to registered address or into another Santander account)
• Any cards held on the account (the cards should be cut in half for security purposes)
• Cheque books held on the account

If you have any direct debit mandates (used to pay bills) arranged on the account, you must give written authority for us to cancel them and make alternative arrangements for future payments, with the companies they are payable to.
Please allow 14 days for the closure to take effect

Hope this helps.

Loughton_Monkey

Consumerist wrote: »

Premier account (renamed The Santander Account) closure request sent Recorded Delivery last week. Account closed and closing statement available online today. Awaiting cheque for closing balance.

Don't know what all the fuss was about. Simples.

Consider yourself lucky. Three phone calls to them absoultely insisted that they could accept neither written, nor telephone, instructions for closure. Only personal visit.

In my particular case, closure was complicated by spurious (random) £5 under funding fees. I used to pay the £500 into both my wife's and my accounts from my own bank every month, and then shoot them back later - again, at the same time. For July, they were both in for 6 days. My wife got charged, I didn't. They reversed it, of course, because it was 100% their error, but they do not cancel the consequential £15 "Unauthorised Overdraft Fee". This means that although you spent hours filling in the right forms, signing them, and being told it is closed, you find it actualy isn't.

You find this out when they send you an e-mail the following month, telling you to look at the account you were told would be closed.

This, of course, drags it into a new month where you have already refused to pay any more £500 in, and so further overdraft charges and underfunding fees are in the pipeline.

Consumerist

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

Consider yourself lucky. . .

I think problems start when you believe anything their customer disservice tells you. As I have said earlier, I have never heard of any company refusing to accept written notice.

I suggest you start Santander's complaints procedure. After getting their final response, if it becomes necessary, refer the complaint to the FOS.

jen245

OK, had my letter all typed up and ready to send off with my cut up debit card and cheque book, but I wanted to call them to see if there would be any further charges due to cme out of my account. So called and spoke to someone yesterday who sorted out my query, and I asked him if I could close my account over the phone. As I had to pay a little bit more into the account to cover the charge, he said as soon as i had done that to call back and I could do it. So I paid some more in, and called back this afternoon, expecting to be told no I cant do it, the woman I spoke to took some extra security details, and said "thats fine, I have sent the closure request, and put a note on your account to say you have called in today to close your account" I asked about the plus saver and she said that would be closed also as its linked to the current account! I am in shock!! Apparently I'll get a letter in the next 7 days confiming the closure. So it seems you can do it over the phone, and I dont have to pay for the stamp, LOL!! But Im not going to get too excited until I get the letter, and can no longer see the accounts on internet banking!! :T

jen245

I should add, I did it through A&L's telephone banking number 0844 800 9000, Im not sure if others have been using a different number

Consumerist

Perhaps recent publicity is having some effect, at last. Looks promising if the accounts have disappeared from internet banking. Please let us know if you get the promised letter.

pmduk

Consumerist, they're only lulling you into a false sense of security. You'll probably get letters in a few months detailing your unauthorised overdraft for covering the underpayment fees!