Is this normal? (Conister Bank savings account)

Emily_Joy

jnm21 said:

IF ANYONE FROM MSE READS THIS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS ORGANISATION IS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSION IN YOUR BEST BUY TABLES (the application is certainly not online - 'hybrid online & postal').  I would not use them again unless significantly higher in rate & would never recommend them to anyone else. 

I am a bit puzzled by the rant. Is there any particular reason you expect them to reply sooner? Do their terms and conditions or any other documents say that they will reply within certain time frame?

jnm21

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

masonic

MSE lists products based on rate not customer service.

Conister bank is not listed because the current rates on offer are too low, see https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/savings-accounts-best-interest/

Nor was it listed on the day you first raised your issue or at any time thereafter.

If you are not satisfied with the level of customer service you have received, then vote with your feet. You seem to be continuing to try to open this account, which is at odds with you warning others off.

This is not the place for anyone to launch a campaign against MSE, a boycott of Conister or action against any other organisation.

After two weeks where this thread has been periodically bumped, not a single other forumite has come forward with similar issues, so this doesn't appear to be an issue facing other forumites.

If you genuinely need help with this product, try posting to a forum for ex-pats, as this is a product best suited for people resident outside of the UK who may struggle to get a UK bank account. There isn't much to attract a UK resident saver. Or you can follow their complaints process here: https://conisterbank.co.uk/complaints-policy/ but perhaps phoning them using the number on their contact page might be a better next step if you still want to send them your money https://conisterbank.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/

wmb194

jnm21 said:

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

TIN = National Insurance number.

jnm21

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

TIN = National Insurance number.

I am certain somewhere said it is the UTR that HMRC only allocate to those required to fill in a self assessment or who (don't quote me on this one - it was 2 weeks ago I looked it up) request to set up a limited company.  The average Joe can't request one.

I believe we did enter the NINo in the UTR field, only after the blinking application timed out while I researched UTR!  Surely a competent organisation operating in the UK should clarify this? 

https://www.gov.uk/find-utr-number

It would seem that you are correct (can't find the other source) https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-exchange-of-information/ieim402040

wmb194

jnm21 said:

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

TIN = National Insurance number.

I am certain somewhere said it is the UTR that HMRC only allocate to those required to fill in a self assessment or who (don't quote me on this one - it was 2 weeks ago I looked it up) request to set up a limited company.  The average Joe can't request one.

I believe we did enter the NINo in the UTR field, only after the blinking application timed out while I researched UTR!  Surely a competent organisation operating in the UK should clarify this? 

https://www.gov.uk/find-utr-number

It would seem that you are correct (can't find the other source) https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-exchange-of-information/ieim402040

You're given a UTR if you need to complete self assessment so lots of people have them. I have a UTR but I always use my NI number when asked for a TIN (Tax Identification Number) because it's simpler and I can remember it. 

TIN is a term commonly used in international banking and as Masonic points out this is an offshore bank - it's an Isle of Man bank so isn't a UK bank - so it's probably just the terminology it uses out of habit. 

It sounds like you've gone back in time 15+ years to accounts taking weeks to open with lots of paper flying around but once it's open it'll probably be okay. It's fair for you to point out that its processes are slow, though.

IanManc

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

TIN = National Insurance number.

I am certain somewhere said it is the UTR that HMRC only allocate to those required to fill in a self assessment or who (don't quote me on this one - it was 2 weeks ago I looked it up) request to set up a limited company.  The average Joe can't request one.

I believe we did enter the NINo in the UTR field, only after the blinking application timed out while I researched UTR!  Surely a competent organisation operating in the UK should clarify this? 

https://www.gov.uk/find-utr-number

It would seem that you are correct (can't find the other source) https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-exchange-of-information/ieim402040

You're given a UTR if you need to complete self assessment so lots of people have them. I have a UTR but I always use my NI number when asked for a TIN (Tax Identification Number) because it's simpler and I can remember it. 

TIN is a term commonly used in international banking and as Masonic points out this is an offshore bank - it's an Isle of Man bank so isn't a UK bank - so it's probably just the terminology it uses out of habit. 

It sounds like you've gone back in time 15+ years to accounts taking weeks to open with lots of paper flying around but once it's open it'll probably be okay. It's fair for you to point out that its processes are slow, though.

The Isle of Man issues and uses National Insurance Numbers identically to the UK. If you move there from the UK your UK NINo is still used, and if you move to the UK from the IOM then your Manx-issued NINo is used here.

https://www.gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/income-tax-and-national-insurance/national-insurance-contributions/apply-for-a-national-insurance-number/

jnm21

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

wmb194 said:

jnm21 said:

So in your opinion, a bank (who MSE advertise as having an online application process) who:

1) Ask for information the majority of UK residents can't get (UTR/TIN), 

2) Fail to provide the information to fund the new account (now well over 2 weeks - I suspect they have not actually opened it yet),

3) possibly rely on the postal service as a key part of their 'online application process' & 

4) take over 3 working days to reply to messages (with the only factual/helpful information being confirming that they cannot cope with the amount of applications - all promises of any actual help do not materialise)

Is providing the level of customer service you would like to see other MSE users exposed to?  If so, please feel free to ignore my calm & reasoned posts (if the above passes for a rant, you have led a sheltered life) - I am equally puzzled how you are puzzled.  In trying to have MSE exclude them, I think I am doing their staff as big of a favour as other MSE users. 

For anyone else interested in the facts, now over 2 weeks since account opening & first message requesting the details of where to send the money, still no further on - it may be we are waiting for a letter, it may be they simply have not got around to setting up the account.  Decide for yourself if this is a bank you wish to work with.  Personally I expect the details of where to send funds ideally during the sign up, certainly not more than 24 hours (non working days excluded) after.  It feels abnormal that once we get the funds to them, they then require up to 3 working days to move them into the new account.

Has anyone opened an account in the last few months & can confirm what to expect next? 

TIN = National Insurance number.

I am certain somewhere said it is the UTR that HMRC only allocate to those required to fill in a self assessment or who (don't quote me on this one - it was 2 weeks ago I looked it up) request to set up a limited company.  The average Joe can't request one.

I believe we did enter the NINo in the UTR field, only after the blinking application timed out while I researched UTR!  Surely a competent organisation operating in the UK should clarify this? 

https://www.gov.uk/find-utr-number

It would seem that you are correct (can't find the other source) https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-exchange-of-information/ieim402040

You're given a UTR if you need to complete self assessment so lots of people have them. I have a UTR but I always use my NI number when asked for a TIN (Tax Identification Number) because it's simpler and I can remember it. 

TIN is a term commonly used in international banking and as Masonic points out this is an offshore bank - it's an Isle of Man bank so isn't a UK bank - so it's probably just the terminology it uses out of habit. 

It sounds like you've gone back in time 15+ years to accounts taking weeks to open with lots of paper flying around but once it's open it'll probably be okay. It's fair for you to point out that its processes are slow, though.

It is actually now a UK bank (I don't think it would feature on MSE if not - I believe FSCS is a requirement).  Interestingly it IS now eligible to use the FOS (I am sure I read on here, from a quick scan it was not in this thread, that they were not - something that may have been true at the time of the post).  Probably the only compliment I have for Conister is that their complaints page https://www.conisterbank.co.uk/complaints-policy/ is fairly clear, though I am left wondering if, horrible outdated, like their  application process, they mean that complaints must be submitted by post - surely not - I think it has been accepted precedent for years, probably 20 plus years, that email is treated as 'in writing'.

Thank you for supporting the fact I am taking my time to detail my experience here, for the benefit of any other MSE user who may consider using Conister in the future - I firmly believe that is the right thing to do & will do so, regardless of however many opinions may be stated to the contrary - I don't post here for badges, post counts or similar - I do what I feel is right.

Which leads nicely on to my latest update:

Less than 24 hours short of 3 weeks after application & subsequent message requesting the details required to fund the account, we have not got those details!  The last reply was around the 21st, promising to try to have them with us shortly, nothing further, despite follow up, sent late on 30th.

It may be that the SLA of Conister does not promise better than this, but to contrast experiences, I was recently delighted to apply for an equivalent product with Hampshire Trust Bank & be provided with these details during the sign up process.  I personally expect closer to the zero hour wait in the latter instance, maybe a few working hours at most, unless issues arise with the application.  I do ask myself, if an organisation is so slow to deal with a new customer wishing to deposit money, how slow might they be to deal with an existing customer wishing to withdraw it?