Why is opening an additional bank account so hard?

LoobyLou1

I've banked with Smile (online arm of the Co-op Bank) for the last 17 years. As far as I am aware, I am a good customer. On 7th August I asked for an additional bank account with them. I sent them ID which they didn't acknowledge receipt of until I chased. Two months later and despite a number of messages to their account opening team, I still don't have an answer to confirm whether they will open an account for me or not. All they do is apologise for the lack of response. The tel number they've given me to lodge a complaint is a chargeable number and the only other option open to me is to register a complaint in writing. Why is opening an additional bank account so hard these days?

Middle_of_the_Road

No idea why you're having these issues, but opening most current accounts is normally straightforward. I've never had a Co-op account but understand they're not the most efficient. I opened a TSB account yesterday, all done in a few minutes on the app. It shouldn't be a difficult process for anyone with the correct identification to open bank accounts online either.

born_again

complaints@co-operativebank.co.uk

Or via secure message.

https://www.smile.co.uk/help-and-support/contact-us/make-a-complaint/

TBH, why not open a account with any of the other banks & give yourself some protection if they have system issues

eskbanker

LoobyLou1 said:

Why is opening an additional bank account with Smile so hard these days?

Fixed that for you, no need to generalise!

boingy

The problem is with Smile. Their customer service is almost non existent. They used to answer the phone in a couple of minutes and respond to secure messages the same day. On my last attempt at contacting them it took over an hour in a phone queue and the secure message took 6 days for a reply, and that reply was not helpful - it just asked for more information. So I've dumped them and switched to a better bank, which is pretty much any of them as far as I can tell. I'm convinced they are deliberately running Smile down. It's certainly a brand that is no longer promoted.

Rob5342

If you are having trouble just go somewhere else, there are loads of banks that let you open an account in 10 minutes on the app - Monzo, Starling, Chase, TSB, Natwest to name a few.

400ixl

Time to show them loyalty is not something to take for granted and open an account elsewhere. You could open one in 10 minutes with the likes of Starling.

Having current accounts with at least two different banking groups is recommended anyway. 

LoobyLou1

Thanks everyone. I have already gone ahead and opened an account with TSB. I just cannot fathom why a bank would do its utmost to put you off opening an account with them? 

wmb194

LoobyLou1 said:

Thanks everyone. I have already gone ahead and opened an account with TSB. I just cannot fathom why a bank would do its utmost to put you off opening an account with them? 

Why TSB(!)? That's out from the frying pan and into the fire.

Rob5342

LoobyLou1 said:

I just cannot fathom why a bank would do its utmost to put you off opening an account with them? 

It beats me. I'm always amazed that banks often put so little effort into the most fundamental things.

Middle_of_the_Road

wmb194 said:

LoobyLou1 said:

Thanks everyone. I have already gone ahead and opened an account with TSB. I just cannot fathom why a bank would do its utmost to put you off opening an account with them? 

Why TSB(!)? That's out from the frying pan and into the fire.

Hardly, all banks have their detractors, and TSB seem no worse than other traditional options. I suspect the OP also prefers an established name, rather than the likes of Tandem, Chase, Kroo, Starling, Monzo and the like.