I Hate The Woolwich

pukkamum

I'm sure this isn't right place but really need to rant about the woolwich branch staff. Here goes bear with me. I moved house a few weeks ago so obviously needed to change my address on my current account. I went in to ask what i needed to do to go about this i ws told i would need to show id with photo and proof of new address so gave them my driving licence and my tenancy agreement to the droid behind the desk "we cant take that" she said referring to my licence it's got your old address on. Of course it has i replied i only moved yesterday. Have you got a passport instead she uttered to which i replied yes but passports dont have addresses on anyway. "that doesn't matter" she said. Fine so i went back there a week later passport clutched in hand. Gave to another droid cant take it she droned its out of date (by 2 days) So what i said it's still me "cant take it" she muttered. Right so what can i do i said not gonna apply for new passport as not going abroad in forseeable future and it costs sixty pounds. Then i had a brainstorm Hang on i said what if i didn't drive or go abroad how would i change my address. This led to a huddle of droids after much muttering they announced that a child benefit letter from my new address would do. Great went home no child benefit letter as paid directly into account so took today a utility bill and a council tax bill. Gave to male droid. went through rigmarole of explaining haven't got driving licince or passport he tried to say i couldn't do it when the droid i had previously dealt with came over. Told her i had utility bill etc. You need a child benefit letter she said to which i replied what would i do if i didin't go abroad didin't drive and had no children to which i was told in no uncertain terms that if that was the case i would be recieving a pension. I was so flabbergasted i walked out in a daze of confusion as to why the woolwich decree that people who dont drive go abroad and have no children are all pensioners. Sorry to rant feel better I will be closing my account and requesting bank charges back!!

Toomuchdebt

OMG that is such bad service-I'm sure there are people who don't have any forms of photo ID and have no children either and don't claim a pension-and surely a utility bill is good enough.I would complain in wiriting about that if I were you.

zoologygeek

OMG thats terrible. I bank with the Woolwich & have never had any problems like that. I cant think what I've used to change my address with them, but I've moved a fair few times & the change of address has always been hassle free. I'd definatly complain & ensure that any bank statements etc that they are going to send you either get stopped or redirected to the local branch. You dont want someone else getting their hands on them.

pukkamum

Toomuchdebt wrote:

OMG that is such bad service-I'm sure there are people who don't have any forms of photo ID and have no children either and don't claim a pension-and surely a utility bill is good enough.I would complain in wiriting about that if I were you.

I have just sent an e-mail to their customer services team!!!!

UKTigerlily

Well i'm 27, don't drive or have a passport, no kids either. I think that's disgusting how they've treated you, when i've had to change address with my bank i've only had to phone them. Let us know of the outcome.

GUMPO

UKTigerlily wrote:

when i've had to change address with my bank i've only had to phone them.

Surely there was some kind of security though or this would be just as bad?

RayWolfe

Are you sure that you went about this the right way? Last time I moved I wrote a signed letter to all my finance providers. Not a problem from any of them.

CopperPlate_2

RayWolfe wrote:

Are you sure that you went about this the right way? Last time I moved I wrote a signed letter to all my finance providers. Not a problem from any of them.

Me too. That said it's over five years ago so I might find things have changed, but it sounds like pretty poor service nevertheless. Unfortunately they have to be exactingly stringent about the types of ID they accept (or think they have to accept - sometimes they go way over the top) so not accepting the passport might seem pedantic (perhaps it was) but if it had expired, it wasn't valid regardless of whether it was your face grinning back at them on it. It seems overly petty and bureaucratic (it is) but it's unfortunately what's been foisted on all of us by our dear rulers and the FSA.

sinizterguy

Ok, in this time of ID fraud all over the place how can you blame them for not accepting out of date ID or ID with the wrong addresses ?

Personally, I think they were in the right with regards to wanting to confirm your new address. Although their logic about people being pensioners seem severely flawed.

ihatepasswords

Utterly ridiculous, why didn't they just check your signature?