M&S Switch voucher now £220

Caehelig

Are others as puzzled as I am about how difficult it is to switch to a M & S bank account. We are trying to open a joint account so filled in the online form and sent off copies of our bank statement. They wrote to my wife to say they need proof of her identity which one would expect. The letter didn't include any information about what form of proof of identity would be acceptable and it took three phone calls before they sent that out.
Apparently if she had a shotgun licence that would do nicely but she hasn't. A letter from the DWP regarding pension entitlement would do but that has to have been issued within the last three months and they only write to her once a year. The same problem with a letter from the HMRC.
The only form of identity that we are able to provide is a passport but we can't send a copy. It has to be 'certified' No problem you would imagine. Take it into the local M&S branch and ask a member of staff to certify it.
That isn't allowed. Perhaps take it to a nearby branch with a Bureau de Change. They are dealing with large sums of money and frequently check passports. No, it seems they are not trusted enough to certify that my wife's passport bears a true likeness.
We could take it to a branch of M & S Bank but the nearest is about 20 miles away and we don't fancy that.
However we could get a 'professional person' to certify it. My wife visits schools almost everyday but teachers are not considered by M & S to be a 'professional person' even though the government allows them to countersign passport applications.
Instead we have to ask a doctor, a pharmacist, a nurse, an optician, a dentist, a solicitor, a barrister, a chartered legal executive, a chartered accountant or an independent financial advisor approved by the Financial Conduct Authority. It seems to us that members of the first five groups in the list have got better things to do with their time than help people fill in the bank application forms and the last five are not noted for giving their time freely.
Ah well, I'm sure there are other banks out there that make switching a bit easier.

joe134

I'm sick of the paper they keep sending.mountains of it.
got my login key yesterday,used it to login in ok,and switch still taking place, 3rd.
seems never ending.
beginning to wish I hadn't bothered.

Katiehound

Caehelig wrote: »

Are others as puzzled as I am about how difficult it is to switch to a M & S bank account.
The only form of identity that we are able to provide is a passport but we can't send a copy.
.

I wonder if they would permit you to take paperwork & passport into branch of HSBC - M&S are part of that group. Worth an ask at least.

Katiehound

Managed to activate my debit card yesterday- third attempt, but only on hold for a couple of minutes. Very friendly operators, no awkward questions either. Also set up telephone banking and started the switch process- think it is due to go thro Feb 12th.

There are mountains of papwerwork, not confined to M & S bank. I think a tree was chopped down when I switched to HSBC last summer!! Sheets of paper kept appearing both off the printer in branch and thro the post. I think a lot of this is concerned purely with the switching process so that you are in no doubt about what will / will not happen. They are covering their backs!

I am quite happy to be getting the £220 gift card- and the 6% regular saver. Bye bye Lloyds Vantage!

badger09

joe134 wrote: »

I'm sick of the paper they keep sending.mountains of it.
got my login key yesterday,used it to login in ok,and switch still taking place, 3rd.
seems never ending.
beginning to wish I hadn't bothered.

Just keep thinking £220 gift cards and the 6% regular saver

joe134

badger09 wrote: »

Just keep thinking £220 gift cards and the 6% regular saver

It's the only reason for all this grief:rotfl:.

Katiehound

My switch paperwork arrived today- no more than I had from HSBC last year. Also my M&S Pass.
Not sure what all the fuss is about- just skim thro the paperwork and file it. Easy
Found it harder to activate the online banking, but that is also done-horror of horrors someone had already picked the same user name! (not a particulaly common one) However box ticked!
About to phone and give the switch go-ahead
Then sit back and wait for switch to take over and voucher card to arrive.
How hard was that??

My Lloyds Vantage is groomed and ready to go places........( to earn a few goodies!)

masonic

Katiehound wrote: »

Found it harder to activate the online banking, but that is also done-horror of horrors someone had already picked the same user name! (not a particulaly common one) However box ticked!

I'd already found that I could not have the same username at both First Direct and HSBC (mine is essentially 12 characters of gibberish, so highly unlikely someone else chose it). I assumed I'd need to pick a different one again for M&S.

Katiehound

masonic wrote: »

I'd already found that I could not have the same username at both First Direct and HSBC (mine is essentially 12 characters of gibberish, so highly unlikely someone else chose it). I assumed I'd need to pick a different one again for M&S.

Mine must be a real person- it's not gibberish ! as I don't bank with First Direct & am not registered to bank online with HSBC. Nevermind, found a different one easily enough

Switch has been brought forward by 3 days... great

masonic

Katiehound wrote: »

Switch has been brought forward by 3 days... great

Hmm, it's worth knowing that can happen. I need to time mine so that I'm sure both my new direct debits have paid before they switch. I will probably be best delaying my switch until that's happened.