Disappointed with Smile.

pthompson

Without warning Smile Bank today billed me £8 to cancel and replace a cheque book that failed to arrive (i.e. apparently lost in the post).

Have been a model customer for 5 years with >£20K in a variety of current/savings/ISA accounts. I haven't had much involvement with their customer services during that time, but always been quite happy with them until now.

I'd be interested to hear of other customers' experiences. Are they as bad as the High Street banks?

Time to try Alliance & Leicester's current account?

jimclark1967

Can't see that in their published list of charges. Have you tried querying it? Would be a bit OTT to charge you for something that didn't arrive anyway

JC

realaledrinker

Give them a ring & clarify the situation & offer them the chance to live up to all their awards for customer service.

Based on comments on here & personal experience, if you are looking not to be ripped off, I would giv A&L a wide berth.

Ember999

pthompson wrote:

Without warning Smile Bank today billed me £8 to cancel and replace a cheque book that failed to arrive (i.e. apparently lost in the post).

Have been a model customer for 5 years with >£20K in a variety of current/savings/ISA accounts. I haven't had much involvement with their customer services during that time, but always been quite happy with them until now.

I'd be interested to hear of other customers' experiences. Are they as bad as the High Street banks?

Time to try Alliance & Leicester's current account?

I would think this has been a genuine mistake! I have been with Smile for 4 1/2 years and I am sure they would not charge you for a cheque book being lost in the post. They have superb customer service agents who are always willing to help and resolve any issue to the customers satisfaction as best they can. I have called them a couple of times and they have always sorted things out to make me happy.

Gvie them a ring and give them a chance before you defect to a rubbish account like Alliance & Leicester who have a poor reputation with many here on MSE.

Ember

Rafter

Their computer has messed up and generated an automatic charge.

Call them and they will waive it!

The computer doesn't know what a good customer you are.

Tell me one company or bank or person who never makes a mistake in 5 years, and at least give them a chance to put things right and apologise before rubbishing them.

R.

zzzLazyDaisy

I am with COOP bank (Smile is part of COOP).

I stupidly put my check book 'somewhere safe'.... you can guess the rest....

They replaced it without charge, no problem.

Phone them, I am sure they will sort it out.

pennies2pounds_3

I agree with everyone else - its a mistake . Been with them forever ! . Never had any problems atall with them . Smile is one of the best

CopperPlate_2

Phone them or send them a secure message - I've been with Smile for a couple of years and there is no way I would move from them (pending any great admin disasters). They do what you want, when you want, and you get a coherent and sensible response when you contact them unlike some other large "great" financial institutions. Never had experience of A&L other than my online saver (how can that go wrong?!) but let Smile get a chance to sort it out before jumping ship. You really would regret it.

CP

M_Thomson

pthompson wrote:

Without warning Smile Bank today billed me £8 to cancel and replace a cheque book that failed to arrive (i.e. apparently lost in the post).

Have been a model customer for 5 years with >£20K in a variety of current/savings/ISA accounts. I haven't had much involvement with their customer services during that time, but always been quite happy with them until now.

I'd be interested to hear of other customers' experiences. Are they as bad as the High Street banks?

Time to try Alliance & Leicester's current account?

So Pthompson,
Have you had any explination from Smile for what this charge was for?

Ember999

I have just phoned SMILE as this thread is going on and on with no solution being found by the original poster.

I asked if I would be charged any fee if I had not received my cheque book in the post due to it being lost. They said NO! I then said I was asking for a friend who was concerned that they would be charged £8 as they had heard this was the norm with SMILE. They replied 'If you ask your friend to call in with their account details, I am sure we can explain that there would be no charge if a cheque book was lost in the post' etc....

Will the original poster please phone SMILE???

It will be sorted in minutes!!

M_Thomson

Ember999 wrote:

I have just phoned SMILE as this thread is going on and on with no solution being found by the original poster.

I asked if I would be charged any fee if I had not received my cheque book in the post due to it being lost. They said NO! I then said I was asking for a friend who was concerned that they would be charged £8 as they had heard this was the norm with SMILE. They replied 'If you ask your friend to call in with their account details, I am sure we can explain that there would be no charge if a cheque book was lost in the post' etc....

Will the original poster please phone SMILE???

It will be sorted in minutes!!

You should have saved yourself the cost of a phonecall!! Its obvious either the poster has misunderstood a charge or Smile have made a mistake in billing the person.