Best Current Accounts Discussion Area

whibbled

M_Thomson wrote:

Hi there,
You can't have the 12% regular saver if you have the 6.1% current account. You can only have the regular saver if you take the 1.5% premier current account.

My apologies...You are quite correct.

Alliance & Leicester cunningly (and very quietly) withdrew that facility when they increased their savings rates on 2nd September!!

.

69xians

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Before you send it, give Group Customer Relations a ring on 0116 200 4444.

Further to my previous tome, and in direct relation to telephoning A&L, because it would cost me a fortune dialling 0870; waiting, punching numbers, placed on hold etc., I used an alternate number from the 'saynoto0870' website, the obtuse lady at A&L asked if I was dialling abroad, I said no, she said 'this number is for people dialling outside of the UK so they don't have to wait and get through straight away to an operator and that if I called this number again they would terminate the call - nice!

This has never happened to me with Smile. Service with them is excellent and I'm convinced now that if a financial institution is offering you cash then why do they need to do that? Surely if they were any good their reputation would go before them.

CopperPlate_2

EagerLearner wrote:

Interesting post 69xians - I am considering moving from First Direct to A&L but worried about scenarios like yours. FD have always been great so it's a big risk for the sake of a dangling carrot...

What is it they say, "the grass is always greener"? I've opened an A&L account but for no other reason other than the free cash offer from referrals. The litany of bad experience on this site of A&L was enough to put me off even thinking about transferring. I'm with smile, although have a FD account too. Am torn between the two because so far FD have been really very good both in terms of running the account and their customer service when you email them or phone them. smile take a bit longer to deal with things, but have never had a problem with my accounts and any issues have been sorted out to my satisfaction so have to ask myself, do I really want to rock the boat? Better off with the devil you know.

69xians

Shortly after opening an A&L account, (which if you haven't already gathered, I wish I hadn't) I requested my experian credit file; I was horrified to find that this listed the new account with A&L, the overdraft limit and a running conduct of the account for all (financial institutions) to see, my Smile account is not listed here at all. So, be careful, a new account with A&L and I guess, any other bank, will be listed in this way, whereas older accounts aren't listed on your credit file. However, I don't know when this came into being and I don't know whether your exisitng account have the authority to start registering info.

YorkshireBoy

69xians wrote:

I was horrified to find that this listed the new account with A&L, the overdraft limit and a running conduct of the account for all (financial institutions) to see...

Why were you "horrified"? They tell you in the T&C's/privacy statement they're going to do this. You agreed they could when you applied for the account.

However, I don't know when this came into being and I don't know whether your exisitng account have the authority to start registering info.

1998, I believe. However, this only applies to accounts run satisfactorily. They can, though, report negative account conduct on pre-1998 accounts if they wish.

PS: Did you get anywhere with the Group Customer Relations department?

69xians

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Why were you "horrified"? They tell you in the T&C's/privacy statement they're going to do this. You agreed they could when you applied for the account.1998, I believe. However, this only applies to accounts run satisfactorily. However, they can report negative account conduct on pre-1998 accounts if they wish.

Wise words: always read the small print, never assume! But many people do and not everybody has the wherewithall to argue and fight for what's right, which means that perhaps another person faced with the same scenario as I experienced might not have the wherewithall to know their rights, fight for what's right and consequently end up with an adverse credit file.

PS: Did you get anywhere with the Group Customer Relations department?

Yes, eventually, but it wasn't easy getting them to admit fault, I suffered a good deal of distress in the process which just wasn't necessary and I can only assume it was so the bank could avoid paying a few quid in charges when they're worth nearly £5Billion! I didn't want a fight, I just needed them to accept responsibility and put it right which most decent, honourable person or institution would want to do not deny their responsibility.

johnofhertford

EagerLearner wrote:

Interesting post 69xians - I am considering moving from First Direct to A&L but worried about scenarios like yours. FD have always been great so it's a big risk for the sake of a dangling carrot...

DON'T DO IT! If you value good service, if you like having the phone answered within a couple of rings by someone in the UK, if you like have a reliable and convenient website, if you like the fact that every now and again when you do something stupid your bank notices and calls you to tell you you're doing something stupid so you don't lose money, if you like the fact that you sometimes smile when you finish talking to your bank, then in the name of God stay where you are.

CopperPlate_2

johnofhertford wrote:

DON'T DO IT! If you value good service, if you like having the phone answered within a couple of rings by someone in the UK, if you like have a reliable and convenient website, if you like the fact that every now and again when you do something stupid your bank notices and calls you to tell you you're doing something stupid so you don't lose money, if you like the fact that you sometimes smile when you finish talking to your bank, then in the name of God stay where you are.

:rotfl: - How true!! :rotfl:

pfpf

sorry if this is common knowledge but i have read more than once about people stating that on the A&L current account you cannot delete old payees details online.

well unless its new, or you have missed it, you can.

just goto "list payees" select the one you want to delete and click, eeerrrr well delete.

hope this helps someone, it did me

MPH80

well unless its new, or you have missed it, you can.

It's new - it was rolled out last week.