Santander anger!

elginge

:mad: I am having problems with Santander, and just don't know which way to turn or what to do next!
They have failed to take my direct debit from my account for my DFS sofa, every month this year. Resulting in me having to ring and make manual payments only to be assured that the DD would be taken the following month...it never has. I have never cancelled this DD and always have enough money to cover my bills in my account, so I have no idea why this started in the first place!
I am livid, as I have now failed a credit check for a new mobile phone and am really worried about the state of my credit record now, which I work hard to maintain at a good level. :-(
I never get any decent answers from Santander call centres and have no idea where or who to write to, with what paperwork. I would like to know what they have on their files regarding this account, can I get a copy somehow?
Please tell me that someone has had a satisfactory resolution with a problem like this with Santander?
I have already told a couple of friends who are purchasing from DFS to ask who the finance is with and if it is Santander, don't bother!
Thanks in advance for your, hopefully, reassuring responses!

maninthestreet

To be clear, Santander are NOT who you bank with, but are the finance company used by DFS?

fluffnutter

On your paperwork for your finance deal, you should have some detail about who to contact. Have you tried this?

Have you checked your credit record?

When did you buy the sofa? Did the DD used to be taken and this is a recent problem or has it never been taken? If the latter, it sounds like the finance hasn't been set up properly, in which case you really need to be going back to whomever put it in place, DFS I assume.

elginge

Sorry - In my haste to vent I left out details!

I do not bank with Santander (thankfully!)

Anyway, I have had the sofa from DFS (financed by Santander cards) since September 2010 and everything was going fine until January this year when the DD's stopped being requested. I don't know why this happened, but when I rang in January to question this, I was told to make a manual payment and they would reset the DD for February.

I founf out (finally) last week that the problem if probably because a DD takes 28 days to set up and when I or they, ring to take a manual payment, there are not enough days between payment and next payment due, to cover the 28 days. I suggested they make my next due payment a couple of days later then, thus leaving 29/30 days between...they say they can't do this! So surely, every month the payment is going to be "late" because the DD won't work!

This obviously never happened as every month since then I have had to ring and pay manually, I then receive a defualt notice and a letter fining me £12 every time payment is "late".

My credit record shows that I have defaulted on this every month this year, hence the phone knockback and now a new credit card that I applied for 2 weeks ago (was hoping to do a 0% balance transfer).

I have spoken to Santander and requested my records, but have heard nothing since last Friday. I presume that now my account is "up to date", they won't vontact me until next month...when the DD fails again...etc etc....
Anyone have any advice for me?

bris

Going on the assumption that Santander are the OP's bank, then they are not to blame. DFS need to instruct the bank to take the payments from your account, if they don't request it, they won't get it.
If Santander are DFS credit then you need to talk to DFS as they haven't done the paperwork correctly.

elginge

Even thought for the last 18 months the DD has been coming out of bank perfectly fine?
x

POPPYOSCAR

Write an official complaint and say you will take it further to the ombudsman if it is not sorted out to your satisfaction.

fluffnutter

^^ Agree. Write to both Santander and DFS. Make sure it goes to their main complaints departments. Explain the problem and be sure to include details about the dates and what you've done to try to resolve this. List which months the DDs have not been taken together with the total sum you've been charged for late payments.

Request that Santander 1) set the DD up properly, 2) refund all late payment fees and 3) remove any defaults from your credit file. And I mean remove, not put a note saying that you've now paid - this still looks like you've defaulted but have subsequently sorted it out. They need to make sure the defaults are removed entirely.

Give them two weeks to reply. After two weeks keep chasing (by letter) every two weeks. Keep copies of all your letters. If you've heard nothing in 8 weeks, take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman.

I have every faith this will get sorted eventually. But it's another nail in the coffin for me for Santander, I'm afraid. At least you can choose not to bank with them. Unfortunately this thread just shows you might not be able to avoid them completely.

elginge

Thanks all for your advice and support.
I have the credit agreement with me today at work, so will get a letter off today (recorded!).
Wish me luck and keep you posted!
x:beer:

maninthestreet

By failing to collect the DD payments, either not at all, or not on time, surely Santander have breached the terms and conditions of the credit agreement?
However, I'm not clear if Santander are still not collecting the DD payments or just not collecting them on time? Even if a DD takes 28 days to set up (is that really the case?), once it's set up, why would DD payments due for colllection in subsequent months still not be collected?