Santander's new withdrawal procedure

opinions4u

worriedmummy wrote: »

opinions4u: We budget as well as we possibly can with what little we have, but times are hellish for us at the moment. I also have as much right to queue in a bank as 'the proper savers' you speak of.

You've been provided with a facility to avoid queuing. Granny with her passbook hasn't.

I do have the capacity to use my debit card (should I wish) at the checkouts, but my argument is that I should also be able to lift my own money from my bank account as and when required.

In which case you need to find a bank that offers you the service you require. Sanatander, Nationwide and Halifax don't. I suspect many others are similar.

Unfortunately as a new poster suffering financial hardship at the moment, I wont hurry back for any more advice, as the above two posters know how to shoot a dog when it's down!
All I can say is it must be great to be perfect. Maybe some day we will manage to be 'proper savers'!

Could I direct you to the Debt-Free Wannabe part of the forum? I think you will find the support there is ideal. Genuinely, try it.

If it helps, I'm rarely there.

premierfella

I agree with comments along the lines that if your bank isn't offering you the service you need, go elsewhere. In your situation, that is what I would do (probably to one of the accounts that allows free withdrawals at the post office).

Santander presumably have this policy because of the cost of counter transactions or customer complaints about queues (or both). Would you be happier if they charged you a fee for small counter withdrawals to cover their costs?

stclair

It would not surprise me if Natwest/RBS dont adapt the same policy soon.

On Monday I was stood in the queue for nearly 40 minutes waiting to be served when the people in front could of used a CDM or ATM to conduct there business.

The branch was clearly understaffed it was that bad even the branch manager was on the till.

Haze

worriedmummy I'm with you, regardless if it the Banks policies or procedures it's your money and if times are hard and you need a bit of practical and common sense assistance to withdraw a lesser amount they should help out. Hey when they mess up everyone runs to their aid regardless of circumstances or amount required.

I seldom visit these forums but felt compelled to agree with you and some of the comments from others, not in your current situation should not be so quick to judge and assume you can "just change banks" because by the sounds of your circumstances that is not currently an option!

For the record I bank with Santander, I have no debt now and very well off, but have been there like worriedmummy and sometimes needed that odd pound too see me through so have first hand experience. Chin up all will end well I'm sure.

worriedmummy_2

Thank you Haze, your reply is much appreciated. And you are correct, due to our circumstances (which are too complex to go into on here) we are not in a position to change banks at the moment.

We have a current account with Santander, so does this mean I can lift any amount at a Post Office counter? It would be helpful to know this.

Thanks again Haze for taking the time to reply, it has made me feel a lot better and reassured me. Sometimes the couple of pounds we have in our account has to last us 3 or 4 days, and we need access to it, regardless of queueing times!!
I am so pleased for you that you are now debt-free. We hope to be the same in about 5 or 6 years down the line, fingers crossed. We just have to get through these hard times at the moment, and any helpful advice is welcomed with open arms.

worriedmummy_2

opinions4u wrote: »

You've been provided with a facility to avoid queuing. Granny with her passbook hasn't.

But to then have to queue to put money into your account to make it up to an amount for you to be able to use an ATM is obviously defeating the purpose! I hate queueing as much as the next person but this is only going to make the problem worse, not better.
And of course you missed the major point of it being MY money to withdraw, not the Bank's to hold on to and tell me how much I am "allowed" to withdraw.

In which case you need to find a bank that offers you the service you require. Sanatander, Nationwide and Halifax don't. I suspect many others are similar.

The Teller at Santander advised that this is a new practice just introduced by the company. Unfortunately switching banks is not an option to us at the moment. Santander, up until now, I have found DO offer exactly the services we require, but unfortunately this brings us back to my original point, that it is OUR funds, we should be allowed to withdraw what we want, when we want.

Could I direct you to the Debt-Free Wannabe part of the forum? I think you will find the support there is ideal. Genuinely, try it.

If it helps, I'm rarely there.

We are already in a programme assisting with our debt, and do not require further support. My post was related to my Bank Account therefore I think I was in the correct forum to begin with.

mjm3346

There may not be one in your area but cash machines that give out £5 notes are on the increase.




HSBC successfully piloted the return of the £5 not in the South West and Midlands and is now rolling the scheme out to almost 400 cash machines nationwide

jambosans

worriedmummy wrote: »

And of course you missed the major point of it being MY money to withdraw, not the Bank's to hold on to and tell me how much I am "allowed" to withdraw.

It may be your major point, but it is still invalid. The bank is providing you with a service in "holding" your money, and as such you have to agree to the terms of that service. Therefore the bank can tell you how much you are "allowed" to withdraw, as this forms part of the service agreement.

worriedmummy wrote: »

that it is OUR funds, we should be allowed to withdraw what we want, when we want.

I would suggest putting your money under a mattress then. In all seriousness, even in this 24/7 world of banking access, I doubt you will find a bank who will provide such a service.

People can become so irrational when it's THEIR money, so how DARE the bank withhold it. The reality is (and I know it's said all too often), banks are businesses, not public service providers. What a customer wants and gets are two different things, the former is not gospel, and the latter only becomes a reality if it fits with the bank's business strategy.*

In your case OP, I would empathise more if branch were the only way to access cash but you could have paid using the debit card or have withdrawn the cash at a Post Office.

*I'm not saying I agree with the state of affairs, I'm simply being subjective (from the banks perspective).

vintagegirl

its disgusting the advice on here really. how is it someone elses business whether your husband works or not. How is that relevant to the thread? thats nothing to do with the complaint.

Op i agree with you. My daughter is 11 and has an old abbey account that only comes with a cash card (not a debit).
She has had £17.50 in that account for god knows how long because we're not allowed to take it out at the branch.

GOD FORBID that should be my main account i dont know what id do.
Im in the process of getting the time to take her to halifax and open an account for her there (where she will also get a debit card) to get away from this ridiculous mickey mouse bank.

Maybe you should think about getting an account somewhere like halifax

vintagegirl

worriedmummy wrote: »

Thank you Haze, your reply is much appreciated. And you are correct, due to our circumstances (which are too complex to go into on here) we are not in a position to change banks at the moment.

We have a current account with Santander, so does this mean I can lift any amount at a Post Office counter? It would be helpful to know this.

Thanks again Haze for taking the time to reply, it has made me feel a lot better and reassured me. Sometimes the couple of pounds we have in our account has to last us 3 or 4 days, and we need access to it, regardless of queueing times!!
I am so pleased for you that you are now debt-free. We hope to be the same in about 5 or 6 years down the line, fingers crossed. We just have to get through these hard times at the moment, and any helpful advice is welcomed with open arms.

ps just re read due to your circumstances but most banks will open you a small basic account with a debit card regardless of your situation if thats any help