Co-operative bank student account 2011/2012: We want your feedback

mattyccfc

mihaiburcea wrote: »

Having received another letter from the co-op on 24th of October, asking me yet again to provide proof of ID and address, I had decided to close my current account and cancel my application with them and was supposed to go right now to Santander to open an account there. Luckily I checked the post to find a letter from them saying that the account has been opened and also found a cheque book from them.

I am very surprised that they linked my current and student accounts for internet banking though, even though I mentioned that when I made the application I thought it'd be necessary to call them again. Just transferred the money to activate the overdraft now. You don't actually get a debit card until you do so, so they say.

Today is the 26th of October, so, in total, the application took about one and a half months. I imagine it will take at least one week from now to received a debit card. The moral of the story is... if you need an overdraft urgently, don't go with the co-op.

I disagree.

Mine was set up incredibly fast and was really really easy. Also so far the customer service has been excellent, couldn't be any better really, or maybe that's just because i was with santander before :mad:

i guess this may happen to some people, but i am willing to bet the vast majority have had a good experience just like me.

callum9999

mattyccfc wrote: »

I disagree.

Mine was set up incredibly fast and was really really easy. Also so far the customer service has been excellent, couldn't be any better really, or maybe that's just because i was with santander before :mad:

i guess this may happen to some people, but i am willing to bet the vast majority have had a good experience just like me.

My experience mirrored theirs. I have accounts with most of the major banks, including Santander, and I have never had so much trouble in my life! If it wasn't for the generous overdraft I would have given up a long time ago.

I don't know if its some legal requirement, but their pedantry over addresses really wound me up! Any idiot could see it was the same address formatted differently but no I had to start the entire application all over again!

Lychee

23 Sept: Applied online for the student account

3 Oct: Not heard anything, so rang for an update. Told that my application had been approved, just wait for the welcome pack to come through the post.

10 Oct: Nothing in the post. Rang again, was informed that account had been set up and a welcome pack had been sent out.

12 Oct: Welcome pack arrives through the door. They had got my address slightly incorrect, so it had been sent elsewhere, someone had written on the front of the envelope "Not known at this address" and persumably stuck it back in the post :P It's a wonder it got to me eventually, but the envelope had also clearly been opened and taped up!!!! Welcome pack had my account details on it... Anyway, rang Co-op immediately to tell them of their error and get my address changed.

19 Oct: Deposited the required £300.

26 Oct: Letter arrives confirming that my debit card is on its way and the overdraft facility has been set up. The address was still wrong but the post-people are obviously very good to have delivered it to me!

27 Oct: Debit card arrives, address still wrong. So I ring up again to get my address changed and register for internet banking. Hope my pin number arrives safely, it no doubt has got the wrong postal address too!


So, it's not been hard work setting up the account, just taken a long time!, the nearest branch is within 3 miles, just the lack of communication when I was waiting to hear if my application was approved or not, and the fact they got my address wrong and it didn't get changed after the first time I rang up. Speaking to customer service on phone has been fine, not been left on hold for too long and I speak to someone in the UK.

student_1104

I have applied for a student account with the co-op and i must say i am not impressed at all! I applied on the 20th sep and only now on the 9th nov have i got anywhere! I was asked to provide more info, they asked for my ucas letter and student finance letter, so sent that off. Then had a text saying we need more info, please ring us. So i rang them..... and rang and rang!!! on hold for atleast 20 mins and still no answer! I rang today and got through to be told that my account was missing alot of information, well i am 99% sure i filled in everything that was required! i dont make a habbit of leaving chunks blank on an app form! So i gave her the info for her to turn around and say, im sorry it has been declined due to a credit check :mad: Now i dont have an amazing credit score as im only 20! i pay my credit card off and my car finance on time so im abit miffed! and its takens soooo long!!! so sorry co-op! im going to visit natwest today!

Student_2011

Hello

I had to open this account twice as they lost all my documentation the first time around when I handed it in to them at the city branch in London. Thankfully the documents were not originals. However, the process of them being lost was highly unprofessional and showed how sloppy they were with my personal data which included bank account statements, etc. They themselves accepted this was the case without prompting.

Since opening its been absolutely fine and setting up internet banking was easy. However, I was asked for all my personal data over the phone and to create my secure codes there and then. I am sure some people may have a problem with that and they might look to tighten there data control issues.

I am lucky that I have a decent enough job to pay for my degree so I have money coming in and I am solvent enough so I don't know how they work when you are over your buffer. I have not been told to close any of my other accounts, which are not student ones anyway, or move over direct debits. They opened my account with the overdraft for the second year immediately which was helpful.

Brian

mumknowsbest_2

I helped my daughter with opening her account before she set off to Uni. It did take between 2-4 weeks to complete but all is working well with normal online banking and no hassles. She expects to get the overdraft facility as outlined in their literature and has put her £300 in to activate the account and all seems well. She has had no problems so far using her card.

skintparent

We took all the necessary documents into the local (home town) branch back in August. Absolutely everything was copied and verified.

The account still isn't open. My son gets continual texts and letters saying there's a problem with the application but when he rings the costly enquiry line he's told there's no problem. His (university town) branch won't deal with it because he's not yet a customer and refer him back to the enquiry number.

Given up to be honest. Very disappointed with this.

anjeff

How long do the co-op give you to put the £300 into your account?

JessKhat

Hi all,

I am a "mature" student doing her second degree, having realised late in the day how I want to spent my working life.

So I feel I am pretty experienced with student accounts, mine with the Co-op being my third.

I am having a slight cash flow problem so just called them to ask if they could increase my max 1st year o/d of £1400 TEMPORARILY for 3 weeks, till my summer jobs pays me.

The answer was a flat out no. So if I go into my informal o/d I WILL incur charges.

When I was with Natwest/ RBS they were pretty flexible with this and I am really disappointed with Co-op's lack of flexibility.

The earliest I can receive the 2nd year o/d of £1700 is August.

Pretty unhelpful I reckon!

EMMAJANE

Just thought I would give feedback from my experience of opening up a student account with Co-op.
I was starting first year of university last September so applied online on the co-ops website in August after receiving my place for their student account as the overdraft was very generous and it was top-rated on the student bank accounts article.
After a few days, I received a letter having to provide ID, and proof of being a student, so I went into my local branch where they copied everything that was needed and sent it with their post - they did not need original copies so don't let this put you off.
After a couple of weeks, I received a letter asking me to place £300 into the account to activate my overdraft.
By the time I started university (the end of September) my account was open and ready to go, although I had to wait until I got to my accommodation as they had sent my card to my term time address.
I receive regular statements which is good to monitor my spending and if I ever need one, I just have to go to a ATM and request a postal statement and it comes within a couple of days. Additionally, I set up internet banking which was easy peasy, even when I locked myself out of it, all I had to do was pop in, answer some security questions and they reactivated it for me.
When I finished first year and moved out of accommodation, I had to make sure that my address was updated so that they would not receive any post, I did this by phone and literally took a number of seconds which was very straight forward, the man was very helpful on the phone.

Overall, my first year experience with the Co-op was a very positive one, I suppose you get good and bad ones depending on different circumstances. I just suggest making sure you read through the application carefully and apply in good time.

Wondering how easy my overdraft will be upped when I go into second year though, will update when this happens!