Cheshire BS application problem

bsw2600

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone else was having problems with the Cheshire BS.

They currently have a Fixed Rate bond paying a decent rate and on the 9th of this month i.e. almost 2 weeks ago, I went on-line, completed an application for myself & one for my partner. I printed them off and sent them together with 2 cheques each for a large sum in separate envelopes to the address in Macclesfield given on the web-site. I even followed the advice to put a 1st class stamp on rather than rely on the freepost system.

When the cheques still had not been cashed at the beginning of the following week I phoned the Cheshire and was told that the application were actually being processed in Scotland and that they were being sent up in batched from Macclesfield. But ours had not been received.

I have phoned almost daily since then but it still the same response "it could take 15 working days to open the account", "try again tomorrow" & "we'll back date the interest to 2 days after we received your application in Macclesfield". Which is all very well if they do ever turn up but if they really are lost in post then we are losing interest at an alarming rate - they are big cheques.

Right now I'm waiting for a Manager to ring back and discuss the situation but I'm not holding my breath.

It would be useful to hear if anyone else had had recent dealing with the Cheshire and how it went.

bsw2600

alanq

How ridiculous! If applications need to be processed in Scotland why not get customers to send them there in the first place! I wonder, does the Nationwide send applications for Dunfermline accounts to Macclesfield for processing?

bsw2600

alanq wrote: »

How ridiculous! If applications need to be processed in Scotland why not get customers to send them there in the first place! I wonder, does the Nationwide send applications for Dunfermline accounts to Macclesfield for processing?

It's even dafter than that - the Mortgage dept. is in Northampton (pity it isn't the Saving Dept or I could go and bang on somebody's desk as it's quite near to me) and the HQ in Swindon apparently. Probably just a lone girl in Macclesfield busy re-directing mail.

I didn't get the promised phone call from a manager so rang them for an email address for the complaints dept. - no such thing - you have to write in using snail mail.

I'm going to cancel the cheques and go elsewhere, probably the AA. They have a similar account paying 0.05 more. I've been with them before and they do live in the 21st century unlike the Cheshire.

Be warned.

bsw2600

pqrdef

bsw2600 wrote: »

I
I'm going to cancel the cheques and go elsewhere, probably the AA. They have a similar account paying 0.05 more. I've been with them before and they do live in the 21st century unlike the Cheshire.

The AA doesn't have a banking system at all, it just badges other people's accounts. The deposit-taker is Birmingham Midshires, a trading name of Bank of Scotland plc, of Edinburgh, which now operates on Lloyds TSB's systems, in England. Your account will probably end up being processed at the former Halifax HQ, in Leeds.

pwuk

The Cheshire BS in Macclesfield has closed down. They are considering selling the building to a department store but I expect that a mail redirection must be in place?

bsw2600

pwuk wrote: »

The Cheshire BS in Macclesfield has closed down. They are considering selling the building to a department store but I expect that a mail redirection must be in place?

That's interesting as they have told me they will pay interest from 2 days after my application was received in Macclesfield. If they are relying on a RM re-direct I can't see how they would know that.

bsw2600

pqrdef wrote: »

The AA doesn't have a banking system at all, it just badges other people's accounts. The deposit-taker is Birmingham Midshires, a trading name of Bank of Scotland plc, of Edinburgh, which now operates on Lloyds TSB's systems, in England. Your account will probably end up being processed at the former Halifax HQ, in Leeds.

Yes the AA make it clear in their literature that the deposit taker is BM. I think from previous experience they operate from Wolverhampton and that is where you send the application and phone in necessary.

alanq

Watch out! You need to check account by account. Although generally AA accounts are rebadged Midshires ones. within the last year or so I have seen a fixed term account which was with RBS/Natwest. The difference would be very important for anyone taking care to stay within FSCS limits.

crittertog

alanq wrote: »

How ridiculous! If applications need to be processed in Scotland why not get customers to send them there in the first place! I wonder, does the Nationwide send applications for Dunfermline accounts to Macclesfield for processing?

Dunfermline seems to process Derbyshire & Cheshire savings accounts. All of the correspondence I've had from either goes directly to Dunfermline (the Derbyshire's site states to post to Dunfermline too).

bsw2600

crittertog wrote: »

Dunfermline seems to process Derbyshire & Cheshire savings accounts. All of the correspondence I've had from either goes directly to Dunfermline (the Derbyshire's site states to post to Dunfermline too).

Well 2 weeks ago the Cheshire site only had the Macclesfield Freepost address but did suggest that it might be a good idea to put a stamp on as Freepost could take about 3 days.

Anyway the good news is that they have found both applications and will backdate the interest to Friday the 11th, which is OK (if it happens).

bsw2600

Update.

Just checked their site and the are now quoting the Dunfermline address. The also seem to have pulled the Fixed Rate Bond we applied for and launched another only paying 3.1.