How quick and easy to switch current a/c to Santander 123?

Frozen_up_north

My switch from Co-Op (Smile) to Santander 123 was completed under the 7 day switch last Friday.

The Santander web site link didn't seem to direct me to a form for 7 day switching, so I phoned them via their switchboard on 0113 2202301 (see www.saynoto0870.com) - I can't phone 0845 numbers as cheaply as geographic ones. The switchboard put me through to a lady who gave me her direct dial number in case of problems and handled the whole process. It would normally take around 15 - 20 mins on the phone, however the name they had for me from an old "Abbey" (taken over by Santander?) account didn't match the Co-Op name and I had to take a passport to a Co-Op branch to have a 2nd middle initial added, which took around 1 minute once in the branch. This was a security issue to ensure that I was the same person at both sides of the fence.

The account was in place that day and a debit card arrived around 3 days later. The next day the direct debits vanished from the Smile account.

The only issue I really had was a DD due to go out the day before the switch may have bounced as I wasn't sure if it was being taken from the zero balance on the new account or from the old account without any DDs set on it. I took £200 in cash from the old account and handed over at a Santander counter to give an instant starting balance, just in case. In any event I needed have worried, the direct debit was taken from the old account.

On "switching day" the old account showed a balance of zero and all the direct debits were present on-line with the new 123 account. Unfortunately under "bills and payees" or whatever Santander call it, there were over 100 payees listed as Visa Credit Card... I phoned and asked that they delete the duplicated entries, which they did in a day or so.

By the way, the Santander web site lists a whole bunch of geographic telephone numbers under "Access from abroad".

The day after the transfer, there was a deduction on the old Smile account showing £107.59DR, meaning overdrawn. There must have been a delayed payment in their system as the minus figure was correct when I checked with a calculator. The Santander switching team resolved that issue in a few hours.

Beware that Post Office Branches do not provide a cash facility for new 123 accounts, even though the PO web site suggests they do!

Hazzanet

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

The day after the transfer, there was a deduction on the old Smile account showing £107.59DR, meaning overdrawn. There must have been a delayed payment in their system as the minus figure was correct when I checked with a calculator. The Santander switching team resolved that issue in a few hours.

Currently doing a Smile to Nationwide switch.

Yesterday a £173.00 payment came into the Smile Account and around midday the balance transferred across to Nationwide leaving a zero balance.

Went in today and it's showing as £173.00 overdrawn and the credit from yesterday has disappeared.

Frozen_up_north

Hazzanet wrote: »

Currently doing a Smile to Nationwide switch.

Yesterday a £173.00 payment came into the Smile Account and around midday the balance transferred across to Nationwide leaving a zero balance.

Went in today and it's showing as £173.00 overdrawn and the credit from yesterday has disappeared.

Ask Nationwide to resolve the issue, it should be straightforward for them to deal with.

Hazzanet

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

Ask Nationwide to resolve the issue, it should be straightforward for them to deal with.

If anyone at Nationwide knew who does the switching and where they would be based... :mad:

Nationwide... on your side.

Hazzanet

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

Ask Nationwide to resolve the issue, it should be straightforward for them to deal with.

Nationwide say they can't see the Smile account so I need to speak to them. Have spoken with Smile and they say speak to the person paying me.

Great.

virtuallyfree

This is not best option.
Santander are a very impersonal bank I had many problems with them. You will get higher interest with savings account. Choose your local nationwide they give me excellent help and advice and will not cause you any stress.
They will tranfer everything.

virtuallyfree

kuepper wrote: »

I proceeded online on 2/9 using Santander 5 star switching service and a month later - though the a/c was technically opened within a week - I can't earn any interest on the balance as no direct debits have been set up by S. S claimed this was because Smile hadn't replied to their request for dd info and they sent me a form to sign for them to send to Smile. Contacted Smile who said they had received no request from S for my dds. That was about 2 weeks ago. Heard nothing from S and my pension went in the S a/c today so I phoned them (more cost btw as you have to use 0845 no. to get through to the switching service). Was told the dds have only been written to today and given 10 days to claim on my S a/c in future. Also still haven't received a pin no. for debit card.

With a bit of luck a/c may be functioning by xmas though I predict there will be cockups with my dd based on the service to date. Beginning to wonder if the strife is worth it when i'd had a rolls royce service from Smile for 13yrs.

Exactly, you should have used a local branch then you can talk to a person. Looks like I am too late for this thread!

ColdIron

virtuallyfree wrote: »

You will get higher interest with savings account.

Which savings account will pay you higher interest than the Santander 123?

rb10

Hazzanet wrote: »

Currently doing a Smile to Nationwide switch.

Yesterday a £173.00 payment came into the Smile Account and around midday the balance transferred across to Nationwide leaving a zero balance.

Went in today and it's showing as £173.00 overdrawn and the credit from yesterday has disappeared.

Just wait - chances are Smile's system just takes a little time to catch up with itself.

Frozen_up_north

Hazzanet wrote: »

Nationwide say they can't see the Smile account so I need to speak to them. Have spoken with Smile and they say speak to the person paying me.

Great.

The responsibility for sorting out the transfer lies with the new bank, ask to speak to their account switching people. This is a quote from the Financial Conduct Authority web site on the subject:
"If anything goes wrong with the switch you should tell the new bank as soon as possible"

Link: http://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/financial-services-products/banking/your-rights/switching-an-account