Alliance and Leicester the most inept bank?

mazza245

We started to open an A & L account (daughter's recommendation) in March of this year, but everything that possibly could go wrong with this went wrong and we never actually activated the account. We informed them immediately that this a/c should be cancelled and thought that would be the end of the matter. Since then they keep writing to us demanding £200-plus which comprises fines for not having transferred our salaries into the a/c, so the DD etc were all refused even though we have all these letters saying that as we were in the middle of setting up the account, we won't incur charges!

We came back from holiday in June to a pile of letters from all our DD, whereupon we had to spend a lot of time and money and effort ringing them all up, paying two payments, setting up new DDs and generally extricating ourselves from this mess that A & L had got us into. We have phoned, emailed, written loads of times (the last time we wrote to the MD recorded delivery with a copy to the Credit Control department and another department in Bootle and have not received any reply at all from any of them!). They write regularly, saying that they are looking into our complaint and to bear with them whilst it is investigated. At the same time other departments write to us regularly saying that the amount owing is increasing (£313 today), they give us until 5 November to pay up or we will incur costs, get a negative credit score and God knows what else!

Now, I am getting frightened. We will write to them again, of course, and ring them up. We have copies of all the correspondence but what can you do when you can't even get a reply? On ringing, someone always says I will point this out to the proper department and it will be sorted but nothing happens? We have never been in any trouble like this before, we feel quite intimidated and threatened by an anonymous company who it seems impossible to actually get through to someone who knows what is happening. Has anyone any advice about this? What more can we do please? Sorry for such a long explanation.

taless

I'm really sorry to hear what happened.

I would suggest going to the branch, and demanding to see a person of authority right there and then (instead of going through the post etc. where it is easy for the people to duck your complaints).

I have had previous complaints with banks, and applying a polite but "I want an answer straight away" always helps - problems that require weeks to deal with (according to the bank) always get an instant solution.

Good luck!

YorkshireBoy

Since they clearly haven't resolved your official complaint (you did make an official complaint as well as writing to all and sundry didn't you?) within the stipulated 8 week period, then go to the Financial Ombudsman.

MarkyMarkD

Going into an A&L branch will not help at all.

If you haven't already been contacted by Customer Relations in Leicester, you should have been. Phone 0116 201 1000 and ask for Customer Relations.

Saying "this mess that A&L got us into" is not really the right way to get things resolved. The mess appears to be that you went part-way through the process of transferring your debits and credits to the new A&L account, but that you then changed your mind and wanted to reverse the process.

You say "we never actually activated the account" but your DDs were still transferred. There is no such thing as "activating the account" - what do you mean?

mazza245

Thanks for your replies. I think that's a good idea to go into a branch, the only trouble is that the nearest is about 30 miles away! Anyway, we might do that on Monday.

Yes, we have made an official complaint, they have sent us the details of how to contact the Financial Ombudsman. We were just discussing doing this on Friday but we were waiting, as they have requested, for them to investigate it and then today, we get this letter saying they want payment by Tuesday (!) or we get further fees and give us a negative credit reference. I am concerned that, if we contact the Financial Ombudsman, it will take time, and in the meantime, our credit rating is jinxed.

We have never activated this account, we cancelled immediately, we have done nothing wrong - and yet an organisation can intimidate you like this! We dread the post each day as it usually brings a letter from A & L with yet more rubbish in it. On the same day we will get a letter saying your complaint is being dealt with and also another letter from another department saying you've got to pay this amount or else. We thought that writing to the MD would bring action but nothing! I've just re-read today's letter and it over says that overdraft fees will be added to the £313 and shown on our next statement! Dear God!

YorkshireBoy

mazza245 wrote: »

We have never activated this account, we cancelled immediately, we have done nothing wrong

At which point in the switching process did it go wrong/did you "cancel"?...

• We will acknowledge receipt of your request - please ensure you have completed this correctly including your old bank details and employer's payroll (as applicable).
• We will liaise with your old bank to obtain details of your existing Direct Debits and standing orders
• We will send the Direct Debit/ standing order list to you – no action is required unless there are transactions that you do not want moved.
• We will confirm to you when the Direct Debits/ standing orders have been set up on your new account.
• We will let you know when we've informed your Direct Debit providers of your new Alliance & Leicester account details.
• We will inform you when we have sent instructions to your employer/ main creditor (maximum of 1 salary/ main income transfer per customer).
• We will confirm to you when the account switch is complete.
• If any delays do occur, we will write to you to explain what we will do for you at each step of the process.

https://www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/faqs/index.asp?page=currentaccounts#switching

MarkyMarkD

Quite, YB.

"Not activating" means that the whole process goes through as listed, as there is no such thing as "not activating". To stop the transfer process you need to explicitly stop it by telling the bank (A&L in this case) to stop it. Otherwise, it will continue as instructed.

If A&L believed the transfer should continue, but the OP told their employer not to change their bank details (or to reverse the change to A&L) then it's the OP who has messed the transfer process up, not A&L.

If A&L were instructed to stop the transfer process, and failed to do so - or failed to reverse the part of the transfer process which had occurred - then it's A&L's fault, and not the OP's.

Honestly, OP, don't go into a branch. Branches know nothing about (a) complaints and (b) current accounts and they won't do anything worthwhile because it's not their area of expertise. Call the number I quoted and speak to Customer Relations.

LittleVoice

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

Quite, YB.

Honestly, OP, don't go into a branch. Branches know nothing about (a) complaints and (b) current accounts and they won't do anything worthwhile because it's not their area of expertise. Call the number I quoted and speak to Customer Relations

I agree that it is just about useless to try to get help in a branch. IF they have ANY expertise it must be in sales, not service. (The Customer Service desk in my nearest branch is certainly not about serving customers.)

If OP phones, they may still be asked for their phone PIN (not the same as the card PIN).