Is there any way to upgrade with Santander without calling? Have a problem...

Nine_Lives

I contacted Santander via secure messaging to ask them how i would upgrade my current cash ISA to a 1yr fixed ISA.

They said call this 0845 number Mon-Fri : 8am-6pm.

Great. I work 7:30am - 6:00pm & i don't get a long enough break to call them while at work. Plus it'd empty my credit.

Ah but there's always Saturday you say. Yes, there is ... 8am-4pm.

& guess what ... i work 7:30am - 4:00pm.

Why can't these people be open to accommodate people who work?

Go in branch you may say ... ah yes, i can, on Sunday's. Oh wait, they're not open Sunday's. Every other day i'm working.

So they're not making it very easy to put my money in their ISA.

Is there any other option that i've missed? (other than pick another provider).

akashi

I had to call them to upgrade my ISA account. They need to speak to you so they can explain the T&C and have you listen and acknowledge them.

During your break use a landline to call this freephone number: 0800 5872764

It took me about 20min over the phone to complete the upgrade.

emeraldbugle

akashi wrote: »

I had to call them to upgrade my ISA account. They need to speak to you so they can explain the T&C and have you listen and acknowledge them.

During your break use a landline to call this freephone number: 0800 5872764

It took me about 20min over the phone to complete the upgrade.

That is long, I phoned 0845 6000 181 with my account number and sort code, they asked name, address, DOB, checked NI number, asked if I held any other accounts. It took 4.28mins, I timed it as hubby hates all this, it took him less than 5 mins to do his too.

I wish you could do it online too.

Siobhan789

K_P83 wrote: »

I contacted Santander via secure messaging to ask them how i would upgrade my current cash ISA to a 1yr fixed ISA.

They said call this 0845 number Mon-Fri : 8am-6pm.

Great. I work 7:30am - 6:00pm & i don't get a long enough break to call them while at work. Plus it'd empty my credit.

Ah but there's always Saturday you say. Yes, there is ... 8am-4pm.

& guess what ... i work 7:30am - 4:00pm.

Why can't these people be open to accommodate people who work?

Go in branch you may say ... ah yes, i can, on Sunday's. Oh wait, they're not open Sunday's. Every other day i'm working.

So they're not making it very easy to put my money in their ISA.

Is there any other option that i've missed? (other than pick another provider).

08003899875 open mon to fri 8am-9pm sat 8-4 sun 10-4

As the others say it takes 5 mins I would actually say 10 mins start to finish

Siobhan789

emeraldbugle wrote: »

That is long, I phoned 0845 6000 181 with my account number and sort code, they asked name, address, DOB, checked NI number, asked if I held any other accounts. It took 4.28mins, I timed it as hubby hates all this, it took him less than 5 mins to do his too.

I wish you could do it online too.

Did u not have to listen to any recorded messages??

innovate

K_P83 wrote: »

They said call this 0845 number Mon-Fri : 8am-6pm.

If you check on the web, it says call 0800 587 2764 Mo-Fri 8am-9pm, 8am - 4 pm on Sat. Well within your working hours on weekdays, and freefone too.

It took me less than 30 seconds to figure that out from the Santander website. Why did you not find out, and call the freefone number in your spare time?

If you got different advice on Secure Messaging, you should file a complaint with Santander.

Are you sure you need to call them, anyway? A lot of things can be done on the website - - - and you could always message them with your precise requirements (emphasis on 'precise') if you can't call them.

KTF

As above, call the 0800 number when you get home and sort it out then. I called it to move my existing Santander ISA to their 2 year fixed one and no problems at all.

Takes about 20 minutes with all the stuff they have to read and the recorded messages they play.

Nine_Lives

innovate wrote: »

It took me less than 30 seconds to figure that out from the Santander website. Why did you not find out,

Because Santander told me the phone number & the times. Why should i not believe them? "because they're santander" is not an answer.

If you got different advice on Secure Messaging, you should file a complaint with Santander.

Don't worry, i've already filed one & looks like another one will be on its way then. I think i must be in double figures for complaints now.

Are you sure you need to call them, anyway?

I was told to go in branch or call them. I'm wanting to upgrade my account.

(emphasis on 'precise') if you can't call them.

My gf went in with PRECISE instructions on transferring money between ISAs today.
They asked a load of questions & thought she wanted to do something else (god knows what) & went around the houses ....... instead of just sticking to the instruction of transferring the money.

Whatever happened to just doing as you're told? If you instruct them to transfer money from one account to another, then that's what they should do. Not waste 30 mins of your time questioning you & asking if you mean something else.

Nine_Lives

So today i get an email from Santander. Lo & behold ...... a 1yr fixed rate ISA has been opened. Funny how that happens after a complaint.


So i contact Santander on the above number. I subscribed £5340 into this tax years ISA & they'd already paid out the interest so the total balance is now about £5,500.
I asked to transfer the FULL balance across, but she said she couldn't do this as this would be a deposit over the allowable limit.
I told her it was a transfer, not a new subscription. She went on about how the balance is £0.00 so it'll be treated as a new subscription.

I'm thinking !!!!!!? I think you're wrong, but surely you should know what you're doing, so you SHOULD be right, but that goes against what i've understood about ISAs.

But then it wouldn't even let her transfer the £5340, which was a blessing, as i told her to just cancel the account totally. She asked if i wanted to upgrade, which would allow me to include the full £5,500.

WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?!?

So 15 minutes later i'd upgraded my account. Painful.

Macc

I'm just in the process of doing this. Sorry for the dumb question but when you say upgrade do you mean the rate/terms on your current ISA with Santander just got changed to the 3.5% fixed ISA?

So no need to close the old ISA and open a new 1yr fixed and transfer money from the old Santander ISA to the new one?

Wammer

Don't under any circumstances close your existing ISA if you don't require the funds. You need to transfer it to the new ISA to retain the tax free status.