Alliance and Leicester

vix2000

I am in the process of looking for another bank for myself and my family to use, as we are all sick of the Halifax rip off merchants. A & L were the favourites as 2 of them already have accounts there. After reading hundreds of threads on here I have had to re-consider, as our ultimate necessities are decent on-line banking and immediate cash transfers between each others accounts. I believe this isn't even possible between your own accounts!!!

Apart form the Halifax's cut throat attitude, their online banking is excellent. I can get a call from my daughter if shes stranded, go online, and she can withdraw the money in minutes. Also the current balance takes into consideration all transactions that haven't gone through yet. We have a minimum of 5, probably 7 current accounts between us, and related savings and isas, and its a shame A & Ls online banking isn't up to scratch, or we would move to them.

PROLIANT

vix2000 wrote: »

I am in the process of looking for another bank for myself and my family to use, as we are all sick of the Halifax rip off merchants. A & L were the favourites as 2 of them already have accounts there. After reading hundreds of threads on here I have had to re-consider, as our ultimate necessities are decent on-line banking and immediate cash transfers between each others accounts. I believe this isn't even possible between your own accounts!!!

Apart form the Halifax's cut throat attitude, their online banking is excellent. I can get a call from my daughter if shes stranded, go online, and she can withdraw the money in minutes. Also the current balance takes into consideration all transactions that haven't gone through yet. We have a minimum of 5, probably 7 current accounts between us, and related savings and isas, and its a shame A & Ls online banking isn't up to scratch, or we would move to them.

Yes I think if A&L could arrange in house payments to go in within minutes, this solve alot of the complaints on here.

tanith

vix2000 wrote: »

I am in the process of looking for another bank for myself and my family to use, as we are all sick of the Halifax rip off merchants. A & L were the favourites as 2 of them already have accounts there. After reading hundreds of threads on here I have had to re-consider, as our ultimate necessities are decent on-line banking and immediate cash transfers between each others accounts. I believe this isn't even possible between your own accounts!!!

Apart form the Halifax's cut throat attitude, their online banking is excellent. I can get a call from my daughter if shes stranded, go online, and she can withdraw the money in minutes. Also the current balance takes into consideration all transactions that haven't gone through yet. We have a minimum of 5, probably 7 current accounts between us, and related savings and isas, and its a shame A & Ls online banking isn't up to scratch, or we would move to them.

Vix I guess everyone has different requirments from their bank , the problem you have wouldn't arise in my case as my kids are all grown and have funds of their own to call on.. Instant transfers are not on my list of must haves.. but of course others have different needs...

cassey1

I have been with A&L for many years,when it was known as Giro bank,and other family members are with them.I personally have never had a problem with them. i use internet banking,but before that i used to telephone customer services and found them very poliet and helpful.I can see where people are coming from when transfers to another A&L account are not transfered straight away(that personally does not effect me but if it did i may look to change banks.)They never try to sell me anything,which is good. i have and still recomend them to people.

michaels

I have made a fortune from them with opening account incentives, quidco and intro rate products for self and wife (just need to close your account and wait 3 months and you are a new customer again). Latest sign up netted me 50 quid RAF and this years and next years cash isa at 10% fixed till June 09 , plus there is 20 quid quidco when I open my linked esaver. I find the website ok except for the 10k per day external / 25k per day internal transfer limit.

On the downside they closed my local branch a few years ago so it would be a real pain if I needed to go in to a branch but they are no longer competitive on mortgages (they had some great discounts about 4yrs ago) so that probably won't be an issue. I remember now that they did try to screw me with a huge rise in mortgage exit fee but I wrote them a letter (this was prior to Martin's campaign) and they quickly backtracked to the figure that applied at the time I signed up to the mortgage.

Another downside they charge an expensive weighting if you use their debit card for a non-sterling transaction.

Also they seem to take a while to transfer money to other banks/pay bills etc, not sure if they will be switching to next day come end of May.

YorkshireBoy

michaels wrote: »

I find the website ok except for the 10k per day external / 25k per day internal transfer limit.

But these limits can be overidden by telephone banking though can't they?

Also, on the subject of instant transfers, we're only a couple of months away from the implementation of 'faster payments', and A&L have signed up to this.

MarkyMarkD

I have banked with A&L for 11 years now and generally find them fine.

I find the staff on the phone (when I rarely phone up) always polite and friendly and they get things sorted.

The internet banking is pretty clunky; you have to reconcile (in your head) between the available balance, actual balance and statement balance which can all be different. But you can see the details of DDs a day before they leave, which is very useful to avoid them catching you out.

You can transfer money instantly between A&L accounts, even ones in others' names, if you phone up. You just can't do it instantly online. Worth knowing if you have an urgent transfer to make. If it's someone else's, you need to quote the 9 digit account number not the sort code and account number and say it's a transfer to another A&L account.

Faster payments will definitely alleviate a lot of the issues that people raise.

fisher-man_2

I am a newish customer with A&L and so far have no complaints, everything fine so far.

scarybiscuits_2

PROLIANT wrote: »

What was the problem with the loan application?

The advisor put on the hard sell when it came to PPI and Life Insurance and as I wasn't opting for either her inital friendly approach changed considerably and she started using scare tactics so I ended the call.

skyepark

Why do and how do Alliance and Leicester pick and choose as to who should get a high interest account or not, i applied for the 10% acc but got refused so did my mate but they opened a lower interest acc for him instead. how? I don't get it they are the only people that have refused me.

also why would we have to apply to transfer money in from an existing isa? doesn't that just create more work for them, money is money is it not?