Santander "Free" Accounts - Important Changes...

Pete_Skinner

euroaccountpls wrote: »

to be honest 'BusinessIsBusiness' i had guessed you worked for santander from your first positive post with the slant in santanders favour/defense. I find your title/name quite appropriate to Santanders probable view about this change.

I absolutely Do Not agree with you re pressuring Santanders staff who answer the phone. these people have the info required to answer my very basic questions and if they dont they really should have/find out, or shouldnt be answering the phones. The people you quote i shoudl be speaking to you can not get hold of and they shoudl be listening to their staff on teh front line about what issues need looking into. personally i think everyone should call them.

In terms of the actual change, what serious use it the extras like the new 'wow' facility to pay cheques in over the PO counter,.?! jeeze were going backwards here, most post offices around me and have shut. I've really liked santander and i think they done a great job on my business account over the years id just like to ensure something i signed up for years ago 'free banking for life' would remain as such and not get changed because it is finiancially not the best for santander. IF it is going to stay as Free Banking santander would have said and carried it forward to the new account. illl check back in 6mnhs and well see if were all paying a monthly fee then and whether its naive to think it banks dont just consider it business is business.

Here Here.

bmtney54

Yes we got the 'Important Changes to your Bank Account' letter today. Like many others we had an A&L 'Free Forever' business bank account which became a Santander account when the company was consumed /taken over by Santander.

Santander last tried to impose charges back in July 2012 by writing and telling customers it was doing away with the Free promise. Enough people moaned (myself included) via the FSO and MSE forum etc. that this change was retracted. But much as everyone at the time predicted this was just a temporary victory, and less than 3 years later they're back trying it on again.

This time they are changing the account to a Business Everyday Current account, with NO MONTHLY FEE (a big change from before) BUT terms which will severely disadvantage a lot of small businesses - particularly those paying in lots of cash or with a high cheque transaction rate. These changes will not effect my business or the amount I pay to Santander (zilch) for continuing to run my FREE FOREVER account, but they will impact significantly on other small 'cash-heavy' businesses whose costs will increase (e.g. butchers, greengrocers, local convenience stores etc). So we should all stand together on this again and fight the changes - which we all know are the thin end of the wedge.

Write to your MP, complain to the FSO etc. Santander are simply trying it on - after all someone has to subsidize their 123 3% account. They failed before with the 'one fell swoop' approach so now they're trying the salami approach - a slice at a time. Next it'll be monthly fees if we don't oppose this - mark my words.

euroaccountpls

has anyone lodged anything with FOS yet, is it quick to do and get a reply from them on whether there is any ground for asking for some sort of protection on not having a monthly fee introduced down the road on the previously 'free forever' accounts. or even not changing the account ideally. i shall fill an FOS form in and hope others join in.

neilsedaka

Received the letter, phoned Santander, but got the runaround "your account will remain free forever" but "Santander can make changes to the account at any time" and "you cannot complain about something that has not happened". Santander would only record my dissatisfaction but not allow me to make a formal complaint. I have therefore filled in the FOS form.

chevrons2

Hi All.
Has anything more happened about this situation since 20th Feb?
There's only just over 3 weeks before it changes!!!

neilsedaka

My complaint via the Financial Ombudsman Service is progressing.

chevrons2

I have written to them today, basically informing them that I do not give them permission to change my account and that without written confirmation that the free banking forever will continue, I will never give permission to do so.
I would advise others that want to keep their 'free banking forever' to do something similar asap, otherwise their accounts will change on 1st May.

neilsedaka

We only appear to have three choices. Accept the new terms and conditions, or close the account, or complain to the FOS.

chevrons2

neilsedaka wrote: »

We only appear to have three choices. Accept the new terms and conditions, or close the account, or complain to the FOS.

Quite possibly but by doing nothing before 1st May, you are agreeing to their proposed changes. They know (because of a previous FSO ruling) that they can not change such a term of your contract without your consent. Therefore, they have informed you that you don't need to do anything to allow the change to take place. In other words, by doing nothing, you accept. Although that may or may not stand up in court, registering with them that you don't give them permission to change your existing contract must be better. It worked last time, (in 2012).

chevrons2

Just to add to the above:
I am all for informing the FSO but I think telling Santander that you do not give your permission for them to change your contract is more urgent. Personally, I will contact the FSO after the 14 days that I have given Santander to respond.