Santander's Customer Service - Nightmare Continues

bobwilson

I've been trying to transfer a sum out of my current santander account and into a better bond elsewhere. It has been several days now, and they are showing no signs of any intention to transfer it.

I tried the internet transfer service, it said "Your transfer has been confirmed." ... but nothing happened.

I tried the telephone banking service, they took 15 minutes to find my details, and then said "Your transfer has been stopped by our fraud department. I don't know why you weren't informed. I will ask them to call you back, but I can't guarantee it will be fast as it depends on their workload." I replied: "Okay. But please erase this number [xxxxxxxxxxx] , it is out of date, you already have my current number, it is [xxxxxxxxxxx]. The other number is now no longer in use by myself." He answered "Ok sir."

Since then, it took a day, and finally, their fraud department called... the old number! Fortunately, I know the people at the old number, and they let me know about the call. But really - this is very unsafe for Santander to be calling a number which I've told them is out of date.

As requested in their voicemail, I called them back, I went through their automated security and it said "We can confirm that your transfer has passed fraud protection and is now in progress."

I called again, passed security, and spoke to a representative, and told him, "Please stop calling my old number. I told you before, it is out of date. You have my current number on the system, it is [xxxxxxxxxxx] please make sure that is used." He said "No problem, sir."

A day later.. still no sign of the transfer going ahead.

Then, the people at my old number called me and said I had another call from Santander on their number this morning. I can't believe Santander are still trying to communicate through an old number when I've told them it's out of date, twice. This seems extremely unsafe.

Now, I've tried calling them back on their 0845 number they asked me to call in their 2nd voicemail, but they have put me on hold for 20 minutes (costing a fortune), and then they gave me a recorded message "We're currently too busy. Please try again later." and hung up

Doing a simple transfer is turning into a nightmare. I've been into the branch, and the boy said "Nahh, I can't do that from here, you have to call up innit'... I can try, but I'll just get put on hold like you were. Wait a sec, I can see that you're eligible for our most saught after credit card! It gives you 1% back on some purchases at some stores, you should get this dude." I had to persuade him that I didn't want the credit card, and left.

It's lucky that I'm only transferring this money into a savings bond, what would happen if I was buying a house? I could lose the whole sale because of all this.

bobwilson

Have finally got through... they said the transfer has been stopped (! again !), and she's getting in touch with fraud department to make it go ahead. I explained this is the 3rd time I've done this... its like I'm going around in circles!

She said she can see on their system that they've already done the check for this transaction, she doesn't know why they have to keep repeating the same check.

She said she doesn't know why they keep calling my old number, as they should be contacting my main number on the system.

She said she's trying to get through to the fraud department, but they're busy.

(!)

bobwilson

I don't care about their high interest rates, I'm going to close my accounts with Santander when I get a chance, I have a lot of cash invested in Santander and this is scaring the s*** out of me.

rockitup

I had the same problem with Santander, they held on to my cash for some extra 4 or 5 days while I was trying to transfer it to my share dealing account. Missed out on some profits because of this, same excuses as you received the Fraud department making checks.

This bank seem to have a problem in letting customers get hold of their own money yet Nationwide never delayed any transfers of mine. I got shot of Santander account, lose a bit of interest but gain on customer service

rockitup

Also when Alliance & Leicester International on Isle of Man were being taken over by Santander, I paid for a CHAPS same-day transfer (about £30 I think). 3 days later it was not in my other bank account, Santandire repied "we will transfer it when we are ready"..... Account closed too

xylophone

Write a letter of complaint setting out all the facts and send it special delivery.http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?appID=abbey.internet.Abbeycom&cid=1210607166846&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateA2

bobwilson

I called them up again. The lady got through to the fraud dept and told me "Don't worry, it's all been sorted for you now, sir, you won't have any more problems"

I called back again, 30 mins later to make sure, and the man said "OH I see you have 2 bars on your account. You have returned mail, AND, a blocked transfer. Is this your correct address? [xxxxxxxx x x x x xxxxxx x x x]

Me: "Yes that's correct."

Man: "We had returned mail from that address." (Likely story... why would there be returned mail? There is a letterbox, is there not?)

You'll have to go through to the fraud dept. to get this sorted. (!! again !!) " He put me on hold for 10 mins.. then said "Ok, they are too busy at the moment. You'll have to try later, or go into your branch to get it lifted.

Me: "I went into the branch yesterday, they said there is nothing wrong with my account. They said if I want to do anything, I have to call you."

Man: "Well I'm sorry about that, but they have to sort it out there. Either that or wait on hold for 40 minutes with the fraud dept. In fact, I'm sorry but it has to be done in branch. I don't think you can do it on the phone." (??)

Me: "So they say I have to call you, and you say I have to speak to them. In the meantime, I'm stuck in the middle unable to access my accounts."

... and the phone call went on for about 40 minutes.

In the end, I agreed to try to go into the branch yet again tomorrow.

Since I opened the account, when I call the telephone banking, they say "Why don't you use our telephone banking service?"... I reply "um.. I am?" They say "Oh that's strange, you've come through to a different department." They give me a new phone number to call, but it's the same one. And the same thing happens again, like going on loop.

They often offer to set up a telephone banking ID for me when I already have one. Surely the system shows them that? The whole thing is so disorganized.

I put over £40,000 in my first home saver account, and haven't even had any confirmation or statement from them in over 6 months. They promised me it would arrive within 3 months, but nothing.. they promised me I could see the balance online.. no you can't. I've asked so many times "How do I find my balance of my first home saver?", usually they don't know, or give ridiculous answers (e.g. "Go to an ATM machine sir" - how can you go to an ATM machine for an account with no card?), the best answer I ever get is "You have to use telephone banking, and speak to a representative sir" - but that's no use if you need printed proof of your balance, and half the time it doesn't work.

So right now, I have a lot of money in Santander, and despite months of trying, I still have no idea how much, and can't access it. And I have very little time to continue all the wild goose chases, and every time I speak to someone they feed me a different story.

The whole thing is a mess.

I think I'm going back to HSBC where I get no interest, but at least the money is relatively safe.

ses6jwg

It sounds to me as though the branch has fobbed you off initially and that has caused the problems.

If you were to walk into our branch, we would have gone on the telephone with you there and then and had the block lifted straight away.

Visit the branch with photographic ID and some account details and ask to speak to the manager regarding blocks on your account.

bobwilson

ses6jwg wrote: »

It sounds to me as though the branch has fobbed you off initially and that has caused the problems.

... not really. No one even called to let me know there was a problem. I have been into the branch more than 3 times in total, and no one even let me know there was a problem. Whenever I go in there, there is no staff serving. They're sitting at their desks with no customers, just ignoring everyone. And if they eventually do serve you, they access your account on the computer but can't help with anything. What you read here is only the half of it. I had called up Santander telephone banking 5 times, and called up Santander fraud line 4 times, to no avail. It has taken a total of 3 hours spread across days just to establish that my transaction was stopped, plus a further 4 hours just to establish that there is a separate block on my account (which has been there for some time but no one informed me), so now I have to go back into the branch again, and persuade them that a block is there and to get it lifted.

No one in the company seems to know for certain what is going on at any time. Having a Santander account is a full time job.

I've been banking in the UK for over 20 years with various banks, and never had any problems like I have with Santander.

... and what about having never received any statement or proof of opening of my savings account? It isn't even accessible online or anywhere in written form. I have the best part of my life savings in Santander for almost 9 months, and all I have to show for it is an account number that a girl in the branch scribbled down on a piece of paper with a pen.

I keep asking for printed proof, or statement showing my balance & details, but keep being told by different people: I have to wait 3 months, then I was told 4 months, then I was told it's not possible, and most recently I was told you have to access it online, then told it's not accessible online, then you have to wait a full year to receive it. No one knows what's going on, and it seems incredibly unsafe. What happens if when I receive a statement, it doesn't match what I put in, or, goodness forbid, I don't receive anything and they deny the fact I ever opened it? (I wouldn't be surprised)

It's very disconcerting to know I have a large sum of money in a bank with absolutely no proof.

Doesn't it breach some kind of FSA rules?

I've been patient with Santander for months, and now I've lost patience. This is very serious.

I'm going into the branch today. Assuming someone actually gets off their desk and comes across to serve the queue, if they can't lift these blocks once and for all, and give me a written copy of my balances & details, I'll be closing all my Santander accounts.

stuzhunter

bobwilson wrote: »

I don't care about their high interest rates, I'm going to close my accounts with Santander when I get a chance, I have a lot of cash invested in Santander and this is scaring the s*** out of me.

Santander is bunch of useless..not long before they go down but brace yourself... I contacted them online by secure messaging to close my account and they have asked me to come to the bank in person to do this. They are truely !!!!!! banking. What is the point of having internet & phone banking if you can't close your account online or by phone. So I told them I will not be wasting half a day's work to visit a !!!!!! bank branch. I have written to them again and they have now said that I need to write a letter to close the account and apparently they will do so within 14 days..:mad:

bobwilson

Right. I tried calling last night to book an appointment, they said I have to call back in the morning. I have just called again, and after a 30 minute wait, I got through :-)

The boy on the phone sounded suspicious "Why do you want an appointment?"

me: "I require statements for all my accounts, to unblock my account, and to make a transaction go through."

boy: "when you say statements, what do you mean?"

me: "er, bank statements?"

boy: "what exactly do you mean by that?"

... Suffice it to say the call was quite inane.

And after a long conversation, I then had to spell "London" for him so that he could find my branch.

After getting through to the branch finally, a lady told me they can't guarantee an appointment because they might be busy with customers. She booked me in for 3pm anyway, and said "thank you, we'll see you then."

me: "er... don't you want my name or details?"

Lady: "oh ok. Yes please"

:S I'm going into the branch at 3pm.