Considering the switch to Santander but am very wary. Advice please?

adonis10

Just weigh up the pro's and cons (are there any?) and make a decision. Whatever you do, there will always be people who have had bad experiences. However, you don't hear about the good experiences.

I switched to Santander, using their switching service, and it took up to 15 working days for everything to be sorted (DD's etc.) and the £100 came in a month after opening. Have had no problems with customer service (only had to call 3 times), online banking is easy, all smooth so far.

Also, it's fine to have another bank account for day to day use. This is what I do. The Santander is essentially a savings account as it beats my 3% ISA. My salary is paid into this one, but I've switched a couple of DD's to Santander just to meet the requirements. OBviously, the more DD's to switch, the more chance of an issue. Why not just switch the minimum, (is it 2?) and just transfer £1,000 in and out each month? That's literally 4 transactions/month.

£100 is £100, just take the 'risk'.

adonis10

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

Another person sucked in by the £100 and 5% "offer".

'Sucked in'? How so?

How many other instant access savings accounts pay 5% for a year?

Soupersaver_2

Let's be honest - that's pretty good. My HSBC offers 4% on a 12-month regular saver!

Baldur

Soupersaver wrote: »

Let's be honest - that's pretty good. My HSBC offers 4% on a 12-month regular saver!

......or 8% for holders of HSBC Premier, HSBC Advance, HSBC Graduate (Advance) and HSBC Passport accounts

Nine_Lives

Mikeyorks wrote: »

No. I've come across them repeatedly over the months. Where you post a thread and then basically ignore it ...... rarely acknowledging other people's responses.

I don't have to count the threads ..... takes two mouse clicks to get the thread count from a username. Just a modicum of research ....... you should try it sometime.

I've thanked people in the past. Thats what the thank feature is for. Some times i just forget, some times i don't get online for some time. If i was to help someone & they didn't return thanks, it wouldn't bother me at all as the help would be out there for all to see, not just the one asking the question.

And as for the answers being there for me if i just search, the same could be said to damn near every question asked. This would be a very bare forum indeed. Answers to most peoples questions are there if they spend the time searching for it (not just talking about questions on a forum)

but it's why we have forums & why people don't mind helping others.

I'm a member of a car forum & there's many questions i've answered more than once. Do i tell everyone to go using the search option? No. What do i do if it bothers me THAT much to the point i can't sleep at night - i simply don't reply. It's not difficult.

I don't usually spend time e-disagreeing like this, as it's pointless, but for some reason i've decided to waste a bit of my time on you.

Anyway, thanks to each & everyone who's helped.

AnonymousForObviousReason

adonis10 wrote: »

'Sucked in'? How so?

How many other instant access savings accounts pay 5% for a year?

I think the "sucked in" means they saw the rate, applied and got the account before finding Santander are a complete f***ing nightmare and really not worth the hassle of going near them due to the loss of money on phone calls, and general stress they cause.

Hope that clarifies the situation for you. I had a slightly different problem, I joined A&L which was then screwed up by Santander.

@adonis10 again:

However, you don't hear about the good experiences.

First Direct seems to get good feedback on a regular basis on this forum and is why I went with them (pleasantly surprised so far).

There is a saying no smoke without fire, with complaints about Santander it's more a case of "No raging flames, with people screaming in agony, choking on smoke and jumping out of 7 story floors in panic to escape.. without fire".

paulw98

chambta wrote: »

I've 'switched' but haven't. I have moved a single d/d (TV licence) from a third bank account to comply with using the switching service and will cycle the £1000 from Santander and back to comply with the the funding requirements.

Job done.

exactly what I do every year, you would have to be a complete mug to do it any other way. Instead of a TV DD i use a creditcard i hardly ever use so even less risk.

ffacoffipawb

eschaton wrote: »

Maybe a bit late for OP but I would say forget it.

I also thought, what can go wrong, transfer an account with one DD and get £100 bonus and 5% on £2,500 for a year.

I can't be bothered to go into detail but I closed my account last month after only 2 weeks. A £100 bribe wasn't even enough to keep me with this shower of wanks for 3 months.

Surprised the last sentence passed the censor! Agree 100%.

AnonymousForObviousReason

ffacoffipawb wrote: »

Surprised the last sentence passed the censor! Agree 100%.

I really want to see what gets through now... shame it's a family forum.

Wonder if they stop slang words, I imagine Santander entering common usage soon and having to be banned, eg:

• I'm up Santander creak without online access
• I'm gonna take you over then Santander you
• You are so Santandered
• I really Santandered up last night

jen245

:rotfl: Lol anonymous!

You'd have to be a brave soul to switch to them with the mess they are in at the minute! Make sure you have a back up account if you do decide to switch. Personally the £100 they offer is nowhere near enough to tempt me to go back to them!