Top Bank Accounts Discussion Area

beario79

I totally agree that the latest Alliance and Leicester deal is too good to be true. I'd advise you to get all the facts before committing - and please be aware you will have to sacrifice efficient internet banking for the cash prize (which hopefully you will receive in 4 months time).

Now that's the short version. Stop there if you don't care - carry on if you are considering changing your account to A&L.

• The £100 comes only if you use the A&L Switching Service for your direct debits etc. The advisor I spoke to at the Coventry branch (who apparently deals mainly with mortgages and didn't realise that it was part of the package) said that the switching service could be problematic and take too long - not what you want to hear if you worry about direct debits going AWOL and bills not being paid.

• You are only eligible for the matched overdraft if you are in credit for 15, yes 15, days in one month. I know that Martin :money: says that an overdraft is a debt - and I agree - but for the first time in years I have had to rely on mine (temporarily) and thus my statements certainly don't fit the criteria.

• Lastly, their online banking is bloody AWFUL! For all its faults, HSBC has got that one thing right. A & L does not display transactions in proper chronological order nor does it update itself immediately, in fact it can take ages. Which is utterly confusing - and a mistake that a completely amateur tin can of a bank would make. Particularly as it also shows that you have money in your account when you don't.

EXAMPLE:
On midnight of payday I tried to transfer the funds I plainly saw in my A&L account over to another. The next day I saw that the payment had failed because, although clearly on the screen, the money was not actually in the account. I decided to go and physically withdraw the cash instead, but not without making absolutely sure the money hadn't gone already. But when I checked my accounts later it appeared that A&L had decided to have another go (without my permission!!!!) to transfer the money I had attempted to move earlier. So with twice the amount of money going out of my account than I had intended I was plunged straight into my non-existent overdraft and incurred immediate charges of £25.00.
I called to complain. The customer services respresentative said that yes, an error had occurred, and she believed I would get my money back. But first I have to wait for a letter and then, after a review, I may get it back in 4 weeks. :mad:

If and when I get my money back I am going to leave A&L and never, ever come back!

Thanks for listening - I feel better now. And I hope that I have spared someone else the utter irritation of going through this.

stphnstevey

Haven't had that many problems with A+L

Just thought I would let others know that you can
- open the account that gives you £100 (and £50 quidco) for opening but rubbish interest
- then switch the account to the fixed high interest one

they did this for me when I said I wanted to close the first account. You keep the same account number and get the best of both worlds

Gill_Lindsey

Hear Hear.... I wholeheartedly agree about ABBEY's poor customer service - and its just got worse!! I am so frustrated by their whole Customer Call system, that I am going to switch my Current account from them that I have had with them since the 80's!!
To call them is unbelievably complex, time consuming and impossible to call a branch or any other number to find out the simplest of questions.
DON't open an ABBEY account unless you have alot of time and ALOT of patience to spare!!
:mad:

the182guy

stphnstevey wrote: »

Haven't had that many problems with A+L

Just thought I would let others know that you can
- open the account that gives you £100 (and £50 quidco) for opening but rubbish interest
- then switch the account to the fixed high interest one

they did this for me when I said I wanted to close the first account. You keep the same account number and get the best of both worlds

Good tip thanks. However I will be steering clear of A&L at least until they sort their online system out.

the182guy

For the person that got paid £150 for staying with their bank, this is likely because you are a profitable customer to them. It could be that you maintain a large balance, or that you pay for overdraft usage occasionally, or pay for some other service.

Linclass_2

I am thinking of switching to the Halifax Reward account. I have several deposits paid into my account each month, whilst none of them individually exceed £1000, the sum of these do.

Would this qualify the account for the £5 interest?

rb10

Linclass wrote: »

I am thinking of switching to the Halifax Reward account. I have several deposits paid into my account each month, whilst none of them individually exceed £1000, the sum of these do.

Would this qualify the account for the £5 interest?

Yep .

Loughtonlad

have had an application accepted for a&l account done via quidco - so hopefully should make some tidy sum - dont have to contact bank that often so not sure if I'm bothered about the rubbish service.

Gambit

I got an A&L account last year and I would have to say that I was pleased with the while process. I didnt actually use the salary transfer service (as Abbey put me off ever using a bank to do this after they tried to get a council in North London to pay my salary into my account when I work in a West London council.... but thats Abbey for you). I did however use their switching service for the one Direct Debit I had in my account and this qualified me for the £100 which I got after 3 months. They also matched my overdraft but I was hardly ever in the red so that might be why.

I dont think that the internet banking is too bad however I only ever get my salary paid into there and then withdraw it all the next day so I hardly use it. For me though it was a very easy way of getting £100 and of getting an interest free overdraft of £2000 which I used to put money into my ISA.

G_M

Switch to the new Halifax reward account and get £50 extra if applying IN BRANCH, and BEFORE Sat 21st Feb.
You still get the £5 per month.
MUST use their switching service.