Santander causing me rage

hupik

Please bear with me with this post as it might seem long but trying to state all the facts.

In 2014 I switched from Santander to another bank, nothing against Santander at the time I just did it for the incentive (don't remember the bank).

Everything was fine until february this year when I recieved an email from Santander telling me to watch out for fraudulent emails etc. I found this more amusing than anything.

In march I recieved anther email saying the same thing along with a text message, I'm tech savvy enough to know fake emails etc. and these were Santander. I decided I would ask Santander to stop but I can't phone them as I don't have an account, there is no email or electronic form and I'm not wasting a stamp. I decided to use resolver

Santader reply in writing asking for my email address and phone number to confirm the message was from them as have no record of me, I provided pdf copies of the emails via resolver but dont hear back........I figure I'll leave the matter as it's April, I haven't recieved anything else and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it was a computer c*ck up.

To be safe I check my equifax and experian credit reports, No Santander account. I also go through the lost bank account service and they report no account.

It's now May and I get an email from Santander but this time it's reminding me to check my online bank account statement and provides me with the last four digits of an account number (the other emails had a post code I moved away from in 2014). Now I am concerned and contact Santander via resolver with this new info and my concern that an account is open in my name and correspondence with my personal information is being sent to an old address.

They reply by letter which just tells me to go into a branch of Santander with I.D. this is annoying as no branch in my town but I drive to closest branch with my I.D. as I do understand need to verify me. I get the letter and read it at home, firstly the address at the top is my old address, so does that mean they also sent a copy of the letter there............anyway there is an open account in credit it my name and it's my fault for not telling them I moved address, they also have no record of any previous compliants. Should I wish to close the account I need to do it in branch (pity I'm home). The matter is closed and if I want to take it further I need to go via ombudsman

I am a little "miffed" at this point so I open a complaint with the ombudsman via resoler as I had that option it had been so long.

I wait a month and figure you know what I want to see what is in that account and it's in my name to I contact Santander via resolver. Saying to send me the bank card, PIN and online details for the account so I can use it. They reply in writing - no record of any previous complaint or me going into a branch to confirm my I.D. and I need to close the account by going into a branch with proof of account ownership (how I'll do that I don't know) and my I..D. oh and complaint is closed (I'm used to reading that now).

Let's just say I never responded and am awaiting the ombudsman decision, I've had letters from them saying can take 12 weeks so I'll let you know how it pans out.

Am I whining in this post, Yes, yes I am but I am enraged at this terrible level of customer service

Shakin_Steve

When I was with Santander, I never had anything but trouble. This seemed especially true if you were a previous customer of Abbey National or Alliance and Leicester. The IT systems seemed to have bits of all three integrated in it.
Thankfully, I've heard nothing from them since I left.

hupik

So the ombudsman found in my favour and Santander offered me print outs of online statements to close the account in a branch with I.D. which I've now done and £50 compensation (yet to be received).

Greta_Sharbo

Shakin_Steve wrote: »

When I was with Santander, I never had anything but trouble. This seemed especially true if you were a previous customer of Abbey National or Alliance and Leicester. The IT systems seemed to have bits of all three integrated in it.
Thankfully, I've heard nothing from them since I left.

I worked there before and after takeover. Some of the worst systems I've ever used in my working life.

hupik

Well the ongoing saga

Santander have not been in touch regarding the £50 compensation so I had to go back to the ombudsman

[Deleted User]

So the account is now closed and sorted?

What's the compo money for exactly?

swindiff

How about the time and expense of having to travel to a branch outside of your home town, plus all the time taken trying to sort out what was clearly Santander's mess. Do you work for free? most people value their time.

societys_child

If the emails sent you into a rage, why didn't you simply block them?

jonnygee2

So the account is now closed and sorted?

What's the compo money for exactly?

FOS normally awards compensation where banks have wasted substantial amounts of people's time.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

I also get emails in my junk folder for this Spanish bank.

I’ve never banked with them. Ignore

hupik

societys_child wrote: »

If the emails sent you into a rage, why didn't you simply block them?

My rage is not because of the emails, that was just the start. My anger was caused by the simple fact that they had an account in my name and were sending details to an old address despite the fact I had contacted them and my attempts were met with "we don't have an account in your name" or "you've never complained".