Banks that allow multiple references for same payee

ForumUser7

Hi, I’m looking for a current account that allows multiple references per same payee please (I.e. you can add multiple payees, all with the same name sort code and account number, but different references). NatWest doesn’t accommodate this for example. Thank you!

zagfles

First Direct do. Easy to set up as well, you just make another payment to the same payee and change the reference, and it'll store the payee with both references, and can add more, think I have 3 for some payees. 

kaMelo

ForumUser7 said:

Hi, I’m looking for a current account that allows multiple references per same payee please (I.e. you can add multiple payees, all with the same name sort code and account number, but different references). NatWest doesn’t accommodate this for example. Thank you!

Virtually all of them do with the exception of RBS/NatWest.  I filed a complaint after their 'solution' was to keep deleting and recreating a payee. Whilst the complaint response at least acknowledged that their 'solution' was not really a solution at all and thanked me for my feedback, that's all that is possible at the moment. I've been moving other payments across to Lloyds who do allow it, albeit difficult to keep track as they don't offer payee nicknames.

ForumUser7

Thanks both. I'm still a bit wary re FD tbh, as I can't go into a branch if there is a problem.

So, I suppose, in full the list of requirements to satisfy is:

• Provider that has a branch
• Provider that allows payee nicknames
• Provider that allows multiple references per same payee

Bonus points if their current account offers interest, they have good customer service, and they have a premier/private stream to the bank for when my work realises how great I am and gives me a massive promotion 

zagfles

ForumUser7 said:

Thanks both. I'm still a bit wary re FD tbh, as I can't go into a branch if there is a problem.

So, I suppose, in full the list of requirements to satisfy is:

• Provider that has a branch
• Provider that allows payee nicknames
• Provider that allows multiple references per same payee

Bonus points if their current account offers interest, they have good customer service, and they have a premier/private stream to the bank for when my work realises how great I am and gives me a massive promotion 

Why do you think going into a branch will get you better service than phoning them? FD were set up initially as a phone bank where you did everything over the phone, and they still have 24/7 phone support where you get straight through to a human (and in the UK, IME) rather than some endless menu or useless AI system which a lot of other organisations have. You can use HSBC branches for stuff like paying in cheques etc, and anything that you need a physical branch for. 

molerat

Santander do.  You have to ignore the warnings that the world will end if they cannot confirm the payee name but you can bypass that.

zagfles

kaMelo said:

ForumUser7 said:

Hi, I’m looking for a current account that allows multiple references per same payee please (I.e. you can add multiple payees, all with the same name sort code and account number, but different references). NatWest doesn’t accommodate this for example. Thank you!

Virtually all of them do with the exception of RBS/NatWest.  I filed a complaint after their 'solution' was to keep deleting and recreating a payee. Whilst the complaint response at least acknowledged that their 'solution' was not really a solution at all and thanked me for my feedback, that's all that is possible at the moment. I've been moving other payments across to Lloyds who do allow it, albeit difficult to keep track as they don't offer payee nicknames.

IIRC with Nationwide you can but you have to set up a new payee and all that 2FA hassle rather than simply paying an existing payee and changing the reference. 

ForumUser7

zagfles said:

ForumUser7 said:

Thanks both. I'm still a bit wary re FD tbh, as I can't go into a branch if there is a problem.

So, I suppose, in full the list of requirements to satisfy is:

• Provider that has a branch
• Provider that allows payee nicknames
• Provider that allows multiple references per same payee

Bonus points if their current account offers interest, they have good customer service, and they have a premier/private stream to the bank for when my work realises how great I am and gives me a massive promotion 

Why do you think going into a branch will get you better service than phoning them? FD were set up initially as a phone bank where you did everything over the phone, and they still have 24/7 phone support where you get straight through to a human (and in the UK, IME) rather than some endless menu or useless AI system which a lot of other organisations have. You can use HSBC branches for stuff like paying in cheques etc, and anything that you need a physical branch for. 

Forgot that you can use HSBC branches - thanks for reminding me. It's not that I think going into branch will get better service. Self service online, then chat, then phone, then branch is always my preferred order of contact. I just like having a branch as an option in case there is a problem and I can't get anywhere over the phone - sometimes agents just don't seem to understand things on the phone, but to be fair I've not had this issue with FD over the phone - only really with overseas call centres.

Bigwheels1111

ForumUser7 said:

Thanks both. I'm still a bit wary re FD tbh, as I can't go into a branch if there is a problem.

So, I suppose, in full the list of requirements to satisfy is:

• Provider that has a branch
• Provider that allows payee nicknames
• Provider that allows multiple references per same payee

Bonus points if their current account offers interest, they have good customer service, and they have a premier/private stream to the bank for when my work realises how great I am and gives me a massive promotion 

Not having a branch is the best part of FD.

Pay cash in via post office, open longer than any bank.

Everything is sorted over the phone by staff who know what they are doing.

Do not get me wrong, I've had issues with them and every other bank I have accounts with.

But with FD you always get a person to speak to and who will deal with your issues.

Not sure who wins of payout's and goodwill gesture, TSB or FD, both over 1k.

Most issues are dealt with there and then or at worst next say.

Rob5342

How often have you actually needed yo go to a branch? In the last 25 years I haven't needed to once and I'm now with Monzo who don't have any branches at all. 

I'm not sure that any banks let you have the same payee with different references, it's  normally one payee with a reference you can change each time and the Natwest app supports that too. 

wmb194

Rob5342 said:

I'm not sure that any banks let you have the same payee with different references, it's  normally one payee with a reference you can change each time and the Natwest app supports that too. 

They do, mentioned above e.g., Lloyds. It's so you can save the references for multiple accounts with e.g., the same building society that uses a common collection account but a unique reference number. The reference numbers can be quite long and you increase the chance of mistakes if you need to keep rekeying them. Plus having to do it is just annoying.