Santander used CHAPS not FPS

savdefriz

We're with Santander and we were transferring money to solicitors for deposit on a house.


I couldn't go to the bank, so my wife went in and they proceeded to do the payment via CHAPS and charged us £25.


As the transfer was for under £100,000 and we were moving the money to NatWest, I was under the impression that the payment could have gone via Faster Payment without charge.


Have I got grounds to complain?

YorkshireBoy

savdefriz wrote: »

Have I got grounds to complain?

Yes, but don't be too hard on her! After all, it was only £25 and she went because you couldn't.

See here...

http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?c=Page&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237886380034&empr=Abbeycom&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateA1

...where you'll see that they (possibly) could have done it by FP.

But...the time to query the cost is in branch, not some time later.

savdefriz

To be fair to my better half she did ask them if that was the only way of doing it, and they replied that it "was the way it's usually done".

They didn't mention that there was an alternative in FPS and so I was a bit miffed as I assumed that it would go via that way.

I never shouted at her too much..... lol

BMN

savdefriz wrote: »

"was the way it's usually done".

Solicitors usually insist on a CHAPS payment.

From what you've said it sounds as though your wife agreed to do a CHAPS payment (which was the first thing they suggested) before they were able to offer alternatives.

magpiecottage

I thought FPS was done online/by phone, rather than in branch.

Banks also have limits - see here.

Santander can also do CHAPS online - on the rare occasion I have used it I have not been charged so I think the cost is probably for the branch service that you chose to use.

antrobus

Santander say

Payments that you make through the branch, telephone or internet are usually automatically sent by Faster Payments, making managing your money a lot simpler and faster.

http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?c=Page&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237886380034&empr=Abbeycom&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateA1

Atidi

savdefriz wrote: »

We're with Santander and we were transferring money to solicitors for deposit on a house.


I couldn't go to the bank, so my wife went in and they proceeded to do the payment via CHAPS and charged us £25.


As the transfer was for under £100,000 and we were moving the money to NatWest, I was under the impression that the payment could have gone via Faster Payment without charge.


Have I got grounds to complain?

Your wife should have been advised of the charge when she visited the branch, and she presumably agreed to it at that time.

Another tale of buyers remorse?

ponbeam

Chaps payments are guaranteed the same day if done before a certain time.
Faster payments can take up until the end of the next working day.
These sorts of transfers are usually time sensitive and need to be in same day and the only way banks can guarantee that is via chaps.

savdefriz

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think that I need to put a little context in to my post to be honest.

The completion date for the house is tomorrow and we were paying the money to the solicitor on Tuesday as we would be sure that any transfer would definitely be there in time. So it wasn't as if the money had to be transferred by the close of play that day, just by the close of play today (if that makes sense).

I appreciate that solicitors have to make payments by CHAPS as the value of the transfer is over £100,000 but I would have thought that as our deposit was under that value it wouldn't have been necessary.

My main gripe is that when she asked if that was the only way to transfer the money she was not told of the FPS service, if she had been and had used CHAPS then I would have said fair enough. I feel she was badly advised and that's where my gripe is.

Rant over.....

And thanks for all the replies

SDF

magpiecottage

If she asked the best way to transfer the money and was not told of FPS in those circumstances then I think there would be grounds for complaint.

I think if you do then I think Santander would probably decide a refund is cheaper than an argument.

savdefriz

My better half popped in to the branch today and inquired politely as to why CHAPS was used.

To cut a long story short we were refunded the £25 charge.

Happy ending and thanks to all for their input.