A&L upgrade to Santander Zero - new Debit Card? Which online banking?

firsttimestudent

Hi,

I am looking forward to upgrading my A&L Premium Direct Current Account into the Santander Zero come my A&L account anniversary, when it no longer pays 5% interest (and so I can get another whole year of 5%)

a. Do you get a new Debit Card, or keep the old A&L debit card? If you keep the old one, am I right that the foreign exchange loading fees will be changed to 0%?

b. Do you still login to online banking using A&L's system, or Santander/Abbey's system?

c. Am I right that after a year, the A&L PDCA no longer pays 5%? (thought so, just wanted to confirm)

Thanks for any experiences and inputs!

Hasty

a. You keep the old one. You're correct.
b. You log on using your existing details.
c. PDCA - Premier Direct Current Account, Premier 50 Current Account – after 12 months 1% gross/AER variable

callum9999

firsttimestudent wrote: »

Hi,

I am looking forward to upgrading my A&L Premium Direct Current Account into the Santander Zero come my A&L account anniversary, when it no longer pays 5% interest (and so I can get another whole year of 5%)

a. Do you get a new Debit Card, or keep the old A&L debit card? If you keep the old one, am I right that the foreign exchange loading fees will be changed to 0%?

b. Do you still login to online banking using A&L's system, or Santander/Abbey's system?

c. Am I right that after a year, the A&L PDCA no longer pays 5%? (thought so, just wanted to confirm)

Thanks for any experiences and inputs!

I'm assuming you know you have to have a mortgage/£10,000 savings with Santander/A&L to be eligible for this?

giorgio992

Hey,

Your best bet is to start using the new Santander Online Banking system as all ex-A&L customers will be transferred onto the new Santander system soon. With regards to you changing the account up, when you upgrade it won't be an upgrade as such you'll be given a new account, new debit card and new chequebooks etc which will all give you the zero facilities.

d61mts

giorgio992 wrote: »

Hey,

Your best bet is to start using the new Santander Online Banking system as all ex-A&L customers will be transferred onto the new Santander system soon. With regards to you changing the account up, when you upgrade it won't be an upgrade as such you'll be given a new account, new debit card and new chequebooks etc which will all give you the zero facilities.

Don't know if things have changed in the last month, but when I changed from an A&L Premier Direct account to Santander Zero, my experience was similar to Hasty's response above. Same A&L online logon, and A&L branded debit card, but online it now describes the account as Santander Zero, I get a new 12 months 5% interest and fee free cash withdrawals abroad. Unless perhaps you're suggesting the OP specifically asks for a new account to be opened and their existing account closed to be able to use the Santander website instead of the A&L one?

firsttimestudent

Thanks a lot for your replies!

Callum9999, yes I do have the required savings to upgrade.

Fingers crossed, it will be the same account with same debit card. Would prefer to keep everything the same - so no need to change any Direct Debits etc.!

ses6jwg

I process these upgrades for a living I can confirm you DO NOT need a new debit card, account number, cheque book or online login. Upgrading takes about 3 minutes.