Alliance & Leicester account changes - BE QUICK!

wongo

Hello,

Alliance & Leicester are changing their Prem Plus/premier accounts to "premier direct/premier accounts from this Monday 03/10/05.

The new Premier Direct will still have 5% interest on balances up to £2500, a lower monthly minimum pay in of £500 but NO free annual travel insurance.

The new Premier account will still have free annual travel insurance but low interest (1.5%)

If you want to open an old style Premier Plus account you'll need to pop down to your local branch by close of business today (saturday 01/10/05) as it will be unavailable come Monday. (you cant get the premier plus anymore online, as online application closing date was 30/09/05)

wongo

Milarky

wongo wrote:

Hello,
The new Premier account will still have free annual travel insurance but low interest (1.5%)

Does this mean that variable in-credit rates for the other 'Premier' accounts will be 1.5% also? [remember that 'Premier' - the £500 pay-in account - only ever has variable in-credit rates - unlike the 'Premier Plus']

Do we know if these new accounts still qualify for incentive opening and referral payments? [I assume they still do or the OP would have mentioned it]

adrianw

good old A & L cutomer support just managed to email me today(26th!) with details of changes and I quote:
"IMPORTANT MESSAGE(S)

I am pleased to let you know of the following changes to your account which will take effect from the 3 October 2005.

The interest rate for our overdrafts will reduce from 7.9% to 5.9% EAR* (variable). If you would like to apply for an overdraft or increase your current limit** simply call our Customer Service Centre on 08459 26 26 26.

The amount you are required to pay into your account will reduce from £1,000 to £500 per month

In addition the name of your Premier Plus Current Account will change to Premier Direct Current Account and all future correspondence will reflect this new name.

All other aspects of your account will remain unchanged." So as far as I can see the insurance still stands (although I have yet to receive the documents from opening the account originally!).

Also, I have a business account with them; and in the last 10 months they have managed to lose two cheques (or that's all I have found) paid in to them. I have had to chase lots to get them resolved on their poxy 0870 number; no one has yet apologised; I have asked for compensation for lost interest (one was lost for nine months), expenses, etcetera - no response! They also had the cheek to ask me to chase my customer for all details of the cheque (number, account, value, when drawn - oh yes, they were drawn and credited to a&l's empire straight away, where they could earn interest - etcetera) even though I had proof of paying in (time, date, branch, value) on a receipt and told them when first complained. Then asked for all this again whenever I made a chase call! Payment took over six weeks to arrive after first complaining of loss.
In my view, once I have proof of deposit and value of payment it should be credited to my account immediately as it it patently their problem and not mine. In the same way as if I withdraw cash at their branch and I lose it after receipt, it's my problem.

Customer service? A&L don't know what it means!

SuiDreams

Looking at their website anyone who opened the old Premier Plus account before 3 october 2005, it clearly states that they still recieve the free Annual Travel Insurance. I must add that I've never had a problem with A&L yet.