Abbey Debit Card, Where Is It?

supersavershal

In May I opened a savings account with abbey the idea was they would link it to my current account and I could transfer money into it online as its hard for me to get into branch.In May they couldnt link it because they said their systems were being updated due to them joining santander group.I have been back each fortnight since then and still they cant link it.I have just been again today and have stood in a que for 20 mins then at the counter for 45 mins and still they cant do it.Today they say my savings account isnt registered and doesnt exist but I have a paying in book and a small amount of money deposited in it but on their computer the account doesnt exist.They have promised to try to sort it out in morning and said they will phone me but im not holding my breath, if they cant sort it they said there is a special department they can refer to which has been set up for the cases they have where the computers are messing up and the counter staff and cs cant sort it.This is a new one , has anyone else heard of this dept? incidently whilst I was there 5 people on either side of me withdrew money over the counter because they still havnt received their card.

rick2000

supersavershal wrote: »

They have promised to try to sort it out in morning and said they will phone me but im not holding my breath, if they cant sort it they said there is a special department they can refer to which has been set up for the cases they have where the computers are messing up and the counter staff and cs cant sort it.

Is it a branch saver passbook account or an online account?

BTW, I wonder how the bank would stand legally if you had to pay a builder or get the money out for a house purchase and you could not do this due to
their system. I'd really like to know the answer to this one. Would they have to refund any losses?

This system switchover is getting ridiculous.

supersavershal

its a passbook account but they link it to your current account on line so you can transfer money into it with on line banking.

rick2000

supersavershal wrote: »

its a passbook account but they link it to your current account on line so you can transfer money into it with on line banking.

i see. let us know what they tell you tomorrow. This is shocking stuff.
Tell them you'll sue them if it is not fixed tomorrow. I've never heard of a bank losing one's account details like that.

Can i ask you which branch dealt with your query?

supersavershal

It was the Runcorn, Cheshire branch.The only reason I opened that account was so I could easily save using on line banking, you know transfer the odd tenner here and there (usually e-bay or amazon earnings) otherwise they get lost in the household spends.It is so frustrating.And ive just read some other threads about the online banking system being down today.Is it too much to ask for a big high street bank to provide an efficiant service.When I started this thread I was intending to remove all my abbey accounts due to the debit card fiasco, but then I got my card and thought I would give them a second chance.Things seem to be going from bad to worse with them.If it isnt sorted tommorrow im going to put an official complaint in.I seriously want to save and become savvy with my money but Abbey is standing in my way, what chance do I have.If it hadnt been for this site I wouldnt have even known other people had problems too, mse opens your eyes to what is going on.The media coverage has been crap.

rick2000

supersavershal wrote: »

It was the Runcorn, Cheshire branch.The only reason I opened that account was so I could easily save using on line banking, you know transfer the odd tenner here and there (usually e-bay or amazon earnings) otherwise they get lost in the household spends.It is so frustrating.And ive just read some other threads about the online banking system being down today.Is it too much to ask for a big high street bank to provide an efficiant service.When I started this thread I was intending to remove all my abbey accounts due to the debit card fiasco, but then I got my card and thought I would give them a second chance.Things seem to be going from bad to worse with them.If it isnt sorted tommorrow im going to put an official complaint in.I seriously want to save and become savvy with my money but Abbey is standing in my way, what chance do I have.If it hadnt been for this site I wouldnt have even known other people had problems too, mse opens your eyes to what is going on.The media coverage has been crap.

i sympathise with you. We have some money with abbey and we are very worried.

If I were you i would go in tomorrow and tell them that you need that money immediately to pay a debt (ie. a builder or for a car). Tell them that if you don't get the money you will face financial penalties that you will then reclaim from Abbey in court. You can mention the ombudsman but i think court is better.
It is clearly a computer glitch (you have the passbook to prove that you have not closed the account and if someone had taken your money out via id theft they would still be responsible as you have had the book in your possession at all times).

Push them. you have to look bothered and don't get fobbed off. Tell them you need the money by 4pm.

We once had a cheque credited for only 40 quid instead of 4000. We told the bank clerk that it was our wedding money and needed it for expenses. He put the money in immediately even before investigations began. If we had not pushed it we would have waited weeks.
I know you are dealing with abbey so things are different but be assertive. If I were you i'd type a letter tonight and take it there in the morning. Mention the ombudsman and the fact that you are willing to take them to a small claims court (assuming you are after less than 5k here).

Sagaris

Being assertive in the branch does no good - a couple of months ago Abbey totally screwed our joint account, taking us past our overdraft limit, bouncing goodness knows how many direct debits and standing orders, eventually crediting them back to our account, but not before they had raked up £400 in charges (and the £8 - odd they charged us for the privilege is still on our account). I involved the FO as soon as this happened, and I'm still waiting for an apology from Abbey -I've written a few 'stiff' letters and when all this kicked off I visited the branch and ended up in tears, then losing my temper and storming out, after 20 minutes of standing firm and saying explaining what they had done, pleading with them to do something constructive, and explaining the financial hardship it was causing us (one daughter was graduating, and I had no money to buy petrol to get there, and the elder one was getting married later in the week - and no money for anything, including petrol and drinks!)
They were patronising beyond belief, and refused point blank to let me see the branch manager. I'd typed a letter explaining everything, which they totally disregarded.
I'm now with A&L, although Abbey are still causing problems in the handover of the account! It seems they have so many problems at the moment, they are not dealing with anyone in a satisfactory manner.
Vote with your feet!

rick2000

supersavershal,

any news on your account being "lost"?

saxmund

nealallen wrote: »

I'm sorry, I'm not having a go, but that the attitude that lets Abbey walk away from this with nothing more than a few lost customers.

I can understand how you feel, but in my case I feel that (assuming I actually receive it) the compensation offered will more than compensate me for the inconvenience I have suffered. This is partly due to my own financial circumstances - I'm reasonably well in credit at the moment and have another account I could withdraw money from - so more luck than judgment, but all the same I have suffered inconvenience rather than real hardship.

In retrospect it seems to be my third letter that prompted the action. I wrote directly to the person in Sheffield who had replied to both of my earlier complaints and made the point that Abbey were failing to comply with their own complaints procedure, let alone the banking code. I said that I didn't think this was the sort of complaint that needed to go to the ombudsman, but I was happy to take a claim if I needed to. I work in HR and know that a failure to follow your own procedure is basically a good way of losing a tribunal case before you start, so I wonder if it's the same in banking. But, if people haven't had a satisfactory answer after 8 weeks I suggest people try a similar letter.

And start moving your account now, if you are able.

There does seem to be some sort of conspiracy of silence when it comes to customer service. Financial and consumer journalists seem to find it OK to criticise banks for purely financial arrangements (interest, charges etc) but not for poor customer service. I know all banks will sometimes get it wrong, and when hundreds of transactions a year are involved, there is going to be the odd glitch. However, the level of posts on this board suggests that Abbey is out of the ordinary. Yet in his Best Bank Accounts I think it is appalling that Martin says

"Abbey’s current account pays new customers a huge 8% on balances up to £2,500 for the first year and drops to 2.5% after that; though you can always switch again at that point. This isn’t just an internet account; it’s in-branch, online or by post. However as you need to pay in £1,000 a month to qualify, it’s only for those earning over £15,200."

without adding "... but they customer service is really crap at the moment, they have a dysfunctional complaints procedure and their online systems only work when they want to. So you may want to think twice before moving to them".

In fact I will ask exaclty this question in the Site Feedback forum and see if I get an answer.

If anyone is interested in the letters I used to get a response out of Abbey please PM me and I'll happily email them over (with a bit of editing as I don't want to share all my financial affairs with everyone!)

supersavershal

No not heard a thing.So much for them ringing me, I will have to go back to branch tomorrow.Couldnt go today as waited in for them to ring, then picked son up from school and they shut at four.Why do they say they will ring when they have no intention of doing so.