Virgin Money Current Account

Bobblehat

Lightning360 said:

What issues have you had? I've been happy with mine so far.

Despite having sufficient cleared funds, Virgin bounced a one-off £1500 DD back to a PO Saver unpaid ... no real explanation why, just waffle! The next DD (to TV Licence) showed clock ("Being Processed") symbol for several days after the DD collection date, to a point where I started a chat to find out if they were going to bounce that one as well. Again, I was given waffle about how it sometimes does that! I had to expressly ask in the chat if the payment was actually sent on the due collection date or not. The reply was a not very reassuring "It will have done". I wasn't prepared to waste any more time on the chat pursuing this, so I've now moved all future DD's and SO's from the VM CA to other accounts. £1000 can sit there while the interest is 2%, or until I need it!

As mentioned by others, I also dislike the fact that I have to have a smartphone handy to logon via a PC. My old eyes like big screens and proper keyboards, so I prefer to use a PC rather than a phone. Other accounts I have with other banks either don't need a phone to logon, or you get a choice of a landline OTP. Do I hear the word "Luddite" wafting through the ether?

I'll give them that the wine was enjoyable though!

colsten

Bobblehat said:

Lightning360 said:

What issues have you had? I've been happy with mine so far.

Despite having sufficient cleared funds, Virgin bounced a one-off £1500 DD back to a PO Saver unpaid ... no real explanation why, just waffle! The next DD (to TV Licence) showed clock ("Being Processed") symbol for several days after the DD collection date, to a point where I started a chat to find out if they were going to bounce that one as well. Again, I was given waffle about how it sometimes does that! I had to expressly ask in the chat if the payment was actually sent on the due collection date or not. The reply was a not very reassuring "It will have done". I wasn't prepared to waste any more time on the chat pursuing this, so I've now moved all future DD's and SO's from the VM CA to other accounts. £1000 can sit there while the interest is 2%, or until I need it!

As mentioned by others, I also dislike the fact that I have to have a smartphone handy to logon via a PC. My old eyes like big screens and proper keyboards, so I prefer to use a PC rather than a phone. Other accounts I have with other banks either don't need a phone to logon, or you get a choice of a landline OTP. Do I hear the word "Luddite" wafting through the ether?

I'll give them that the wine was enjoyable though!

I don‘t like to use the VM current account as a current account myself, for similar reasons as yourself. I absolutely love it as a savings account, at present, anyway.

I couldn‘t agree with your moan about the app. Firstly, you can disable the need for the app (in online banking). Secondly, if you prefer the extra security layer for online banking through the app, even with old eyes and fat fingers, the login confirmation is easy to handle. All you have to do is launch the app (easiest when using biometric login) and then press that huge red “confirm” button

jimjames

Interesting feedback on using as a main current account, thanks for the warning! I was about to switch my main Tesco bank one as it's getting annoying to keep monitoring balances now that no interest is paid on that account. Looks like it might be better to switch M&S account to Virgin and see how that goes first.

Bobblehat

colsten said:

I couldn‘t agree with your moan about the app. Firstly, you can disable the need for the app (in online banking). 

Horses for courses! Some like VM app, others don't! The main gripe was about the poor service with the DD's, not primarily the need to use the app to logon with a PC, that was just a personal preference, along with preferring big monitors and real keyboards ... which I can't blame Virgin for ....that's just me!

However, after your interesting comment (emboldened above) .. I browsed around the online pages and couldn't see how to turn off the need to "confirm" via the app. Would you be kind enough to point me to the relevant section?

Given that you have probably already seen that you can do the above (?) .... is there an option to use other security questions or get an OTP via landline to use a PC for VM banking?

colsten

Bobblehat said:

Horses for courses! Some like VM app, others don't! 

I am not one of them.....but then, I like their online banking even less, so I only use it to do things the app can't do 🤣

Bobblehat said:

 I browsed around the online pages and couldn't see how to turn off the need to "confirm" via the app. Would you be kind enough to point me to the relevant section?

This was discussed here just the other day. You go to More.... - Mobile app access, then delete your device(s). If for any reason you are unable to do this, call Virgin CS and ask them to do it for you.

Bobblehat said:

... is there an option to use other security questions or get an OTP via landline to use a PC for VM banking?

I don't think there is

Bobblehat

colsten said:

Bobblehat said:

 I browsed around the online pages and couldn't see how to turn off the need to "confirm" via the app. Would you be kind enough to point me to the relevant section?

This was discussed here just the other day. You go to More.... - Mobile app access, then delete your device(s). If for any reason you are unable to do this, call Virgin CS and ask them to do it for you.

Thanks Colsten ... missed that hint .... although I did see earlier mentions of deleting the app on the smartphone.  I'll have a go with the above and report back if there is anything of general interest to the thread readers. 

colsten

Bobblehat said:

colsten said:

Bobblehat said:

 I browsed around the online pages and couldn't see how to turn off the need to "confirm" via the app. Would you be kind enough to point me to the relevant section?

This was discussed here just the other day. You go to More.... - Mobile app access, then delete your device(s). If for any reason you are unable to do this, call Virgin CS and ask them to do it for you.

Thanks Colsten ... missed that hint .... although I did see earlier mentions of deleting the app on the smartphone.  I'll have a go with the above and report back if there is anything of general interest to the thread readers. 

Deleting the app from the phone doesn't update your account settings

hopperdennis

To open this and qualify for one of the sign up offers, do you need to switch 2 DD’s, or can you simply set up 2 DD’s upon opening, and on an off topic note, do you need to do anything to activate a newly set up DD w/PayPal, not sure if a purchase qualifies.

Bobblehat

colsten said:

Deleting the app from the phone doesn't update your account settings

I went on VM's chat today to check if there were any pitfalls on de-linking the app from the online logon (using colsten's hint above). According to the CS guy, if you de-link the app using the online facility, he said you would have no access to the app at all  Anyone know how this works .... the app would presumably still be on your phone ...maybe it just wouldn't function? If you wanted to use the app in the future he said you would need to install it again and reregister it. OK, not a problem for me, but others might think it's not worth the effort.

However, if you are prepared to ditch the app, you can request a "Token" device from them (0800 345 7365 or via a branch) that allows an extra level of security when using online banking, looks like the credit card size keypad similar to what other banks issue. You can even have a landline OTP as an option for the extra security if you wish and the CS guy changed my setting to landline, rather than mobile, for me during the chat.

I hope this info is useful to forumites, and would be interested in any comments of experience that contradict what the CS guy said!

colsten

As soon as you use the app, the link will be re-established. 

You have to decide - either you want to use the app or you don't want to use it.