A Warning about A&L

TwistedPsycho

Are you a Premier Direct A&L customer?
Do you need to review your overdraft?

STAY AWAY from the online Overdraft Request service.

I requested a small overdraft (£300) middle of June using the online service. I recevied a confirmation screen that it had been sent.
I heard nothing, so 5 days later I sent the request again. I received a confirmation screen that it had been sent.
I then went into the red and got £50 of charges for a £40 DD being paid!

When I complained, there was apparently NO INDICATION that I had requested an overdraft.

If you want to review yours... PHONE THEM!

Dickieburd

When you log into A+L internet banking any overdraft limit applied to that account is displayed at the top of the screen along with the account details, did you check that the overdraft you applied for online had in fact been applied to your account before you went overdrawn?

masonic

Like Dickieburd, I'm a little confused as to what led you to believe A&L had given you the overdraft you'd requested.

TwistedPsycho

I think there is a misunderstand to what I am saying here.

I am not warning about the overdraft itself, but the fact that the online facility torequest it appears to not be working as it should. I did not intentially go into the red assuming it was applied as I am not that stupid (although I am stupid to need to go into the red), but what I am saying is that if you are considering overdrafts, do not use their website because although it will say "We have received and are processing" it does not appear to actually get there.

When I made a phone enquiry tonight on the phone asking them about the online requests progress they state that they have never received the request even though I got a print out of the screen saying they have received it on both occasions!

MarkyMarkD

I understand your explanation of others' misunderstanding, but you are missing their central point.

Requesting an overdraft doesn't mean it's been granted.

You requested an overdraft, and then went out and spent the money. You hadn't had an acceptance of your request. You'd had an acknowledgement that your request had been sent which isn't the same thing at all.

As others have posted, it is obvious from your available funds whether your overdraft is in place or not. If you haven't any uncleared transactions, it's as simple as available balance = actual balance + agreed overdraft limit.

And I don't see any particular reason why a call centre operator needs to know that there is a queued (and unapproved) overdraft request. So the fact they didn't know it was there is not particularly surprising, and irrelevant to your failure to wait for approval before going overdrawn.

TwistedPsycho

I did not spend the money on the basis of the fact I requested the overdraft. That is an unrelated consequence that would have been avoided if they ever recevied the request that I sent.

I know there is a difference between received and accepted. The point I am trying to make out is that their concept "received" on the website actuallys means "we will say received but it might not have got here".

The primary reason I posted this was because I can see someone getting to that breadline, thinking "Ahhh I can do it via the website" and waiting, and waiting and waiting, where as 10 seconds talking to the operator and YES or NO or Oh hang on we have to credit score you!

I can see now that this experience will be of no obvious help to anybody and I will have it removed.

Dickieburd

I think that TwistedPsycho has clarified his point in that some online facilities on bank websites may not be as effective as dealing directly with someone from the bank either by phone or in branch especially when that facility maybe required sooner rather than later.
The reply I gave was that if you make any applications or amendments for an overdraft as an example, then it is always best to check that what you requested has in fact been actioned on your account via online banking.

MarkyMarkD

Your post is useful, Twisted, and it's always good to debate.

As Dickie points out, some online facilities (such as "request an overdraft") are not instant automated decision processes, but merely requests which put something into a worklist for someone to manually work through.

I don't actually believe that the A&L notification that it had been received was wrong; but I think your expectation as to the speed of processing that request was disappointed. It would help if they gave an idea of turnaround time when the request is received online.

It's not certain that you'd get an instant decision on the phone either; I would imagine that it would depend on the authority levels of the person you spoke to.

TwistedPsycho

Hi markymarkd

I have actually just got a secure messege back from them as I sent a secure messege reply to the "we are not interested" letter that they sent out.

Apparently the overdraft request is still processing, even though I have already now got the overdraft after the phones I had in relation to this. I think its poor show that:

If I went into the branch - which I am not allowed to as I have a PremDirect account (phone/online only) - then I would have got a virtually instant/same day decision
If I phoned them - costing 0870 rates - then i would have got an instant decision
If I use the online facility - who knows.

And this is the technological age?

Anyway, rant over... I suppose I had better find a new account ready to challange them over the charges.

MarkyMarkD

There are other posts pointing out that you can phone the A&L credit card number which is 0800 and then select the option for current account enquiries. But Premier Direct is 0845, not 0870.

It is ironic that phoning is quicker than using an online service, but A&L are not unique in this regard.