Alliance & Leicester Switching Solution!

theloft

Paul_Varjak wrote:

My other worry was that there is no A&L where I live. But then I learnt that you can pay in cash and cheques at any Post Office, which actually makes it more convenient than many other banks/building societies. For anything else, just do telephone or internet banking.

You have got to be joking, surely! Due to the closure of so many branch post offices, there is a queue to the door at all times at all of the branches still open near us. Have you been to one lately? You have to queue behind everyone, using ALL of the post office services and if you are unlucky as I was recently, one person with a load of overseas mail kept the cashier busy for 10 minutes just by herself! We don't have an
A & L branch near us so for me it is definitely a thumbs down. :mad:

shropslad

I switched to A&L last October. I decided to deal with the transfer of my Direct Debits myself. It took me about 45 minutes one Saturday morning to contact all the companies and transfer them over to A&L. Everything went well and I had no problems.

simonkirkland

theloft wrote:

Paul_Varjak wrote:

You have got to be joking, surely! Due to the closure of so many branch post offices, there is a queue to the door at all times at all of the branches still open near us. Have you been to one lately? You have to queue behind everyone, using ALL of the post office services and if you are unlucky as I was recently, one person with a load of overseas mail kept the cashier busy for 10 minutes just by herself! We don't have an
A & L branch near us so for me it is definitely a thumbs down. :mad:

My post office is not like that luckily, I always try to you my small village PO wherever possible so they don't go bust.

Simon

beaker141

Thanks Martin - thats an awesome service you have got going with A&L !

I switched over a year ago so my 0% o/d has gone now. Our switch was pretty smooth as I recall, the only thing that caught us out was due to their online service. The DD screen only shows "AUDDIS" transactions, "NON-AUDDIS" transactions dont show online. We had to cancel one so I checked online and when I saw it wasnt there I then presumed I hadnt included it in the transfer over, it was a 3 monthly for opticians. However payment then taken at a later date. When I contacted them it was a case of "The T&Cs state etc", so I asked what others there were that I couldn't see ! They then tried to get me to pay for a list of them to be sent to me, I put this down to a failing of their system so got the operator to read out every single dd on the system, auddis or non auddis, and I told her whether to keep or delete. Wasnt having any of this paying lark !

On another point I think their online service is by no way the best. The most annoying point is only being able to see 30 days of statement activity at a time, so if the month has 31 days you cant run a statement for the month - this annoys me every time !

Otherwise bring on the interest !

Tarkus

I like the idea of a free £50, but don't really need the account. However I opened it just for the free £50.

My thinking is, just follow the T&C's (as I understand them) transfer £1k in for 3mths, then transfer it straight out, back to my existing current account, use their credit card once and 'hey presto' a free £50.

Anyone think of any reasons why this wont work?

ED

theloft - sympathies for your over-busy Post Office!

Do you have a satisfactory facility for depositing cheques? If not, perhaps Coventry Bdg Soc could be useful. Their NetSave a/c pays 4.85% for £1+ balance, and they supply postage-paid envelopes for sending cheques. Interest is earned from the day the cheque is received, although it does take an extra couple of days to clear. Standing Orders from NetSave arrive 48 hours after being sent, and setting up / changing online is very simple for customers. In this, Coventry are superior to Alliance + Leicester. (The latter also take an extra day to arrive, as do SOs from Halifax Plc.)

HMandCo

I switched my mother's account to A&L last year, It became an awful nightmare. It cost me far more than £50 in time, phones and grief to sort out the mess of the transfer, and ended up distressing my elderly mother considerably.

Unless the advantages are great in real terms, forget it. If you must do it keep careful records at all stages and be ready for confusion for all your direct debits etc.

ED

HMandCo - very sound idea, keeping careful records of all contact with bank staff (in-person, telephone, email + online messages).

Loulou_5

Anyone else had problems applying for A&L accounts in the first place?!

Have twice applied for their Premier Plus account in the past 10 days, but despite automated messages saying I would hear from them within 24 or 48 hours have heard nothing!

Obviously they're still having 'teething problems'...

Can I use Martin's link in this thread to pursue this with A&L, as I can't even get to the switching stage!

Lolyaya

Take note!

After clicking on the teeny tiny link at the bottom of the information page about the acocunt, I clocked that you'll only receive the £50 if you also apply, are accepted for AND use an A&L credit card. If you don't want the credit card, they'll deposit £25 into your account within 8 weeks...and that's it. So I guess theoretically, there's nothing stoping you from taking the money and running after you deposit your 2 grand.