Santander A&L cheque delays

backsmith · 19 April 2011 at 5:52PM

Anyone else experience long delays with cheque processing with Aliance and Leicester Business Banking?

I paid in cheques at the post office on Wednesday 13th April, but the are not showing on my account 6 days later. Called them to find out why and want to share my ridiculous phone conversation.

They said the cheques were recieved on Saturday 16th and it takes 4 working days to process. Now setting aside the three days it took my cheques to travel to their clearing centre I make four working days. Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thur 21. Call cenre man says my cheques will clear on Wednesday 27th.

When I query this he says its because of the bank holidays. But I say we have not had any bank holidays yet so that is not the cause of the delay. Even with the bank holidays the 27th is a furter two working days away. He resiliantly held the line so I asked for a manager.

Long story short.... I asked if the delay was due to the migration of A&L accounts to the Santander system over the weekend and she said it was. And because the cheques were recieved on Sat 16th but because of a backlog they were not enetered on the system untill Tuesday 19th. So 12 working days from pay in to credit.

I have always been happy with the A&L service. Funny how the first week it migrates to Santander and I have a major problem with them.

I think I will line up a new account and be ready for a switch, especially as when I asked what she could do for me the manager said "nothing".

Very interesed to hear if anyone else had the same problem this week.

backsmith