Alliance & Leicester / Santander problem receiving BACS payments

molerat

We have a poster on this thread saying that AXA reckon the sort code is invalid but the sort code checker says otherwise and my DD's work OK so who is at fault there ?

AnonymousForObviousReason

molerat wrote: »

We have a poster on this thread saying that AXA reckon the sort code is invalid but the sort code checker says otherwise and my DD's work OK so who is at fault there ?

Santander. Why not set this sort code up with enough notice that organisations would have time to update their systems? Why change the sort code anyway, also shouldn't they have contacted some of the major companies to make them aware of this just in case. Probably because they couldn't be ar**d and thought, customers will sort that out for us.

Anyway Santander are evil and deserve blame for extra stuff, it balances out all the problems they cause and deny.

BTW I sorted my sort code issue, moved banks

LilacPixie

I've had nothing but hassle with this. L&G life insurance DD was 'cancelled' my link to my regular saver account has been severed, I only know because the provider wrote to tell me that my bank had written to inform than that account was now closed. So no i'm not impressed and activly researching another provider.

Hardwick5

Hi

I've also been having problems with A&L DD. In July 2010 a DD was accidentally cancelled so I completed a new DD instruction with the old A&L sort code 72-50-** and was informed that the bank refused the request, I was then asked to complete a new DD instruction and again was informed that the bank refused the request, this happened 4 times before I realised that A&L had changed the sort code to 09-01-** and I resubmitted a new DD instruction (nr 5). When an account summary statement was sent out in Aug it showed the new sort code, although the account statement for that month still showed the older 72-50-** sort code (confusing), I wrote to the bank's customer services explaining this confusion only to be told that the fault lay with the company requesting the DD request and that they felt the matter was resolved and it wasn't of their making. I have since discovered that the bank has refused the latest DD instruction, so now I'm even more confused as both sort codes have been rejected and their customer services don't believe it's their fault and I am now receiving letters from other companies informing me that I have changed banks and requesting new DD instructions to be completed. What can I say as soon as I can get this sorted it's adios Santander!!!

singingshutters

I only found out that Santander had changed the sort code of my account when another institution (who pays me) wrote to me referring to change of account details. I'm pretty sure Santander/A&L haven't written to me to let me know. I've since had two other accounts cancelled because of this and I'm just hoping my pension arrives on time at the end of the month.... So far Santander haven't replied to, or even acknowledged, my email to them questioning their lack of communication.

arnovl_2

Glad I checked the Forum - I'm sure I didn't receive a letter or any other notification either! First I heard was that my employer couldn't pay my wages.. I'm changing contract on my house today - I bet my first Mortgage payment will fail as I've just given them my "old" bank details. (especially since it's with another Santander bank

Frustrated_Banker

I am having major problems with this bank changing its sort code.

My husbands wages were rejected. My PayPal account has been blocked, and when I have logged a complaint with Santander, I have had a letter saying that someone will ring me. That was a week ago, and still no phone call.

Santander should have informed its customers about this action before it was done!! I cannot possibly be the only person having these problems. Maybe a call to Watchdog is the next step!

MissBoots

You're not the only ones!

I have been trying for the last three months to set up a direct debit for gym membership.

First month, I fill out the direct debit chit at the gym with my Alliance and Leicester sort code and address - Not paid.

Second month, I find out, from the gym, that its a possibility my sort code may have changed with the takeover, phoned bank, yes, it had changed, filled out another chit with new sort code and Alliance and Leicester address - not paid.

Third month, still no direct debit showing online, so ring gym, they've sent paperwork to bank, no reply. I ring bank ask for correct sort code (the same as last month) and correct address to send it to. Santander, Bridle Road, Bootle, Liverpool GIR 0AA. Filled out a third direct debit chit on the 2nd of October. Direct debit should come out on the 15th, check bank today, no direct debit. :mad:

I ring the gym, they have requested it, had no reply from the bank. I ring the bank, they check I've used the correct sort code etc, then I just happen to ask them if the address I supply on the direct debit form is the one they should send it to, they tell me yes. I've put Liverpool on it, they should go to London, they tell me. What a joke.

Rang gym, gave them new address but I'm still having to go in tonight to fill out a forth direct debit chit.
Gym are really good and have wavered this months fee due to all the trouble.

Alliance and Leicester have given me £10 for giving me the incorrect information, resulting in me having to pay the gym with my debit card which costs more as there is a discount for paying by direct debit! Hardly going to make a dent in their profit margins now is it?!

All through this, I have never received a letter from Santander or Alliance and Leicester telling me that my sort code had changed or that the address for sending direct debits to had changed. Not Once. Nor a letter about the merger, the only information I have seen and read is in the media and when I've been online banking. You cannot find out the direct debit addresses for these places on their websites.

On Googling the new address they have given me, 21 Prescott Street, London, E1 8RP, It turns out to be Abbey's address! Lets see if it gets there this time!

I'm considering changing to HSBC.

[Deleted User]

I have the same 72-50-03 A&L sort code. I've not had any problems with my salary going into it and direct debits coming out of it yet. I've not updated any organisation on the new Santander sort code. The only time the new Sandanter sort code got used was when I paid a cheque in to my A&L account at a Sandanter branch a few weeks ago, well the cashier did.

JGal

I have had numerous problems with new and existing A&L direct debits since the coming together with Santander.

My theory is that it may be something to do with this :

http://www.experianpayments.com/kb/132053

May be there's an Experian or equivalent system somewhere between the company I'm/we're having problems with setting a DD and A&L/Santander.

I read it that a simple account number / sort code validity check is performed, possibly similar to Luhn codes on credit card numbers, etc. The old A&L 6 digit sort code + 8 digit account number passed the "modulus check" but now with the new sort code it requires the new 6 digit sort code + 9 digit account number (with preceding 4, which was the last digit of the old sort code) to pass the check. However the systems of most companies only allow a 8 digit account number to be entered and so the validity check fails, causing DDs to be rejected. They may need time for a fix for this issue to filter through to all companies that use this system.

This is all my speculation and I could be totally off the mark! Wish they'd get it sorted out though. Branch deny all knowledge of any DD problems (3 monkeys) and call centre staff are equally uninformed.