General Comments About Santander

UKX69

Huw01 - Agree about Barclays. Was with them years ago and the customer service was appalling.

EssexExile

Santander mostly good with the odd !!!!!! up, like most others probably.

UKX69

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914551#Comment_81914551

👍

clairec666

Only minor problem I've had with Santander is having to jump through several hoops just to close an account I don't use… and after 2 weeks they still haven't closed it.

Oh well, serves me right for opening loads of accounts I don't need just to get a topcashback bonus. :D

Other than that, no problems with them. My parents bank with Santander - they are technophobes who like to do everything in branch, and they have never had any complaints.

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914376#Comment_81914376

I have accounts with all of these options but if I had to choose I'd pick Lloyds as I prefer its app and browser based banking over Santander and Nationwide. I also prefer its branding.

clairbear_3

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914409#Comment_81914409

is this still true? Im in Spain and used my Everyday card at a Santander ATM and was charged 8.5% FX rate!!

UKX69

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914649#Comment_81914649

I know my wife closed her mothers bank account online with no problem after she past away. If she’d wanted to do it in branch she would have waited a week for an appointment.

UKX69

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914723#Comment_81914723

I’ve been with Lloyds in the distant past and found them ok. I know my brother-in-law banks with Lloyds and has encountered many problems. It would be my luck if I did open an account and they closed shop!

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914728#Comment_81914728

Santander debit card withdrawals at a Santander machine are free

You’ll find them in Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and the USA. Remember to select the local currency. Local banks may charge their own fees. There would be a charge for credit cards when using cash machines from the date of withdrawal.

https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/helping-you-when-travelling-abroad

lr1277

Some good and bad points about Santander. From memory but hopefully correct.

My parents both had accounts with Santander. Then my dad died. The bereavement team were good and setup the appointment in branch. The person who was meant to conduct the appoinment was not there but the manager stepped in and saw my mum and myself to go through the bereavement stuff.

I suppose I should add my parents had individual current accounts and savings accounts with Santander. When my dad died, Santander moved them all over to my mum. We definitely didn't need probate and I can't remember if we showed the death certificate. But they did make life easy for mum in terms of managing the money.

One day after 10am on a weekday, the branch was not open. No signs outside indicating the closure. Since the branch was glass fronted, we could see in and there as nobody there. In fact there were a number of people milling around waiting for it to open. My mum and I decided to forego that task and got onto the next thing. I suppose I should add this particular branch is slated to close in a few months.

Calling the helpdesk was easy especially for a technophobe like my mum, and also going through security was easy. The telephone customer service staff (general staff and not the bereavement team) were good. As part of security they offered voice recognition which my mum was pleased with. However in these days of AI and voices being copied it is your decision as to whether to use it or not. I can't remember even if voice recognition is used. whether Santander also use security questions.

With the aim of tidying up her accounts, my mum closed all the Santander accounts. Now the good part is that online access continued to be available so we could login and get her certificate of interest for the relevant tax year. I say this because when mum closed all her accounts with Coventry BS, they turned off her internet access so we will have to call or write to get the certificate of interest.

Are you aware some Nationwide branches on only open on certain days of the week? My local Nationwide is open on 3 weekdays and a Saturday morning. Edited to add: Out of curiosity I google my local Nationwide branch. On one of the 3 weekdays it is open, it opens at 11am and not 9am. Bah!

Hope that helps.