Cahoot Bank - Problems Setting up Direct Debit

dealsearcher

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem with Cahoots. I have a savings account with them and am trying to set up a direct debit. I sent a direct debit mandate and bank statement of my other account to them and after 4 weeks it had not been set up. When I queried this with them I was told to try again.

Again I waited and again nothing happened. When I queried it I was told to try a different secure method! I was not impressed as they didn't seem to be bothered that my bank details had got 'lost'.

With the present revelations in the news of banks being unsecure with customers details I am concerned with this and am wondering if anyone else has had the same experience?

johnmoney05

I requested a direct debit form from Cahoot for my current account using their online service. They sent me an e-mail to confirm the form will be with me within 10 working days. Well, there is nothing arrived yet....and it was 4 weeks ago. I will move all the money out very soon anyway, don't bother them any more.

dealsearcher

Thanks for the reply John. I went with Cahoot because it is a branch of Abbey and well respected (apparently) within the financial fraternity. The direct debit mandate is sent to a Bradford address, different from their main Coventry address. I am concerned that if people who are looking to steal bank details know that this is the address for Cahoot customers sending in bank details then they could well be targeting letters to this address. In which case others may have had this problem as well. If not then my cases may just be isolated incidents, but two of them at the same address?

Arkwright007

Over a period of 4 months my wife and I attempted to open a joint account with Cahoot. I held a current and savings account with them and she opened a current account. Despite sending in bank details etc. twice and numerous e-mails and 'phone calls they still failed to action anything as the details 'had not been received'.
Like Dealsearcher I despaired of their service and gave up. Can their system be trusted? - I think not. As their sales pitch goes; "Who would you rather be in Cahoots with?". Certainly not them!

Oompa_Lumpa

Agree pretty much with what everyone has said on this thread. I tried to set up the linked direct debit to my Cahoot account about 4 times, until I just gave up in the end.

I then opened an account with my wife and they lost her original ID documentation.

They are definitely more hassle than they are worth.

oldagetraveller

I gave them three chances, over a three month period, to set up a Direct Debit for the payment of Council Tax. They failed on each occasion. As a result I lost the option to pay monthly and of course received letters from the Council about the arrears. The Coucil then submitted DD instruction yet again. Cahoot never answered any e-mails about this and I had to 'phone to enquire, in fact they never answer e-mails, each time they blamed the Council stating they never received the instructions - nonsense- not three times. It was only when I closed the account that they decided to offer to do something about their errors. Too late because i'd already paid the Council Tax in full, something that had not been budgeted so credit card interest has had to be paid as a result.
So you're not alone, close your account and transfer elsewhere from this useless bank.

dealsearcher

Thanks for the replies.

anniecave

I had a cahoot savings account that I opened approx 18 months ago and closed approx 6 months ago. Throughout that time, I never had any problems.

I have recently re-opened one, and like the above people, nothing but problems. I sent in a copy of my bank statement for ID and for them to set up the DD, and they received the statement and sent it back, then I tried to set up the DD and they told me they'd never had the bank statement. I phoned them up and they apologised and said they'd now set up. I then tried to make a transaction, and it told me it hadn't been set up!
It is now working, but the interest rate is rubbish, so I'm going to close it.

humfer

I had an account with them about a year ago and remember having exactly the same sort of problems you had. I also remember speaking to customer advisor after customer advisor who just kept repeating keep trying or send your details in again. In the end I closed the account down

dealsearcher

Interestingly I had one of my statements returned to me (sent as proof of ID with the direct debit application). I therefore emailed them to ask when my direct debit was going to be setup. They had clearly received the application as they had just returned the statement which went with it. Initially I received an email saying: "I can confirm that your direct debit is linked to your account as is set start pulling your funds today" (don't you hate when they email gibberish?). Of course that was wrong and it hadn't happened at all.

I have now received an email saying: "cahoot have temporarily suspended the set up of direct debits which enable funds to be pulled from external accounts" (did they ever start?). It's like snakes and ladders isn't it - except you never actually move forward at all. So they don't have the expense of erecting the ladders or feeding the snakes. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Well youv'e got to laugh haven't you? Or it would drive you nuts.