www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Santander Bank


Why is it that this bank winds me up so much

Firstly I have never opened an account with Santander, my business account used to be Abbey National, my savings account used to be with the Bradford and Bingley, now both have been taken over by Santander.

On Saturday I went to pay in some cash to an account at the Nationwide, but when I got there they were closed as they closed at dinner, so I thought I'd pay it into my high interest account with Santander as I did not want to be carrying the cash around with me. I queued up for a few minutes then was seen by a employee (the employee was very nice, so no complaints there). I only had my company debit card on me, so I handed it over and explained that I also had an high interest account with them and wanted to pay the cash in there. They could not find my other account but offered to open me a new account. I refused the new account and took the cash away until Tuesday when I paid it into the Nationwide.

I have recently been paid by two cheques that needed paying into my business bank account (normally I do this via post), but I cannot find the prepaid envelopes to post the cheques to the cheque paying in centre. I have searched the Santander website trying to find the address, but it is just not there! I have ordered some paying envelopes, but they could be 2 weeks and as I have just changed address they will probably go the wrong address. So I thought I'd pay the cheques into the local branch, I had already filled in a paying in slip and in the corner of the branch was a cheque paying in station, but there was an old lady there that was doddering about and as there was nobody in the queue for the cashiers I thought I'd see if I could pay them in there. I asked if I could pay in cheques and they said yes, then saw that it was a business account and said I had to use the cheque paying in station. So I go and stand there again, still behind the doddering old lady. When she has finished I read the instructions on the wall. FILL IN DETAILS ON ENVELOPE.

Guess what - There was no pen at the cheque paying in station, so I just walked out and will post the cheques in a few weeks when the paying in envelopes arrive.

I used to pay cheques in all the time to my first direct account and that was simple, enter your card and pin and amount then put cheques in envelope and post into machine.

Why the hell the Santander has to use a pen is well beyond my comprehension. If it wasn't such a load of hassle changing banks I would of moved ages ago

Santander have the worst customer service record in the UK, according to several review sites on the web.

The Royal Bank of Scotland have to sell off all English branches and personal customer accounts by late 2012. Guess who has agreed to buy the branches and accounts? Yes, Santander.
We have two current accounts, a savings account and an ISA with RBS, so we are moving them all to another bank before 'late 2012'.

Needed to change to a bank with a local branch in Garstang as I occasionally like to speak face to face with someone and not have to p1ss about on the internet or phone when something goes wrong.

Was going to go to HSBC but may switch to Nat. West which is owned by RBS and will remain so but does not have to get rid of branches or customers in England, only in Scotland. As RBS own NatWest there should be less trouble changing the accounts to them and any problems should be easy to sort out as it is not a different banking company 'pinching' their customers.

Will be seeing the local branch when we get back from our foreign travels in a week or so.

dave

counter services are shocking, there can be 2 people in the queue and it will always take an hour

i also hate them, when ever you go to pay in or draw out there's a feccin big queue, and when you get to the teller, he/she always trys to sell you another service, insurance/pension/higher interest account, no wonder the queues build up, but there's no alternative, all the banks are the same now, they want us all banking on line, so they can close the high street banks

I have to say I have two accounts with Santander and I have never had any problems, I have had a business account with LTSB and they were a big fat pain in the butt.

Think there will be good and bad with all banks.

They are all a bunch of souless money grabbers.

upagumtree wrote:
They are all a bunch of souless money grabbers.

agreed,im with Natwest what boils my p'ss is the way they come over all really interested in your life asking open questions to get reation,all they are after is worming there way into your private life to see how they can sell in products
typical example
hi mr Canny how can we help,
me - nothing thanks im just paying in
NW - are you going away this yesr,(looking to sell insurance or loan)
me - not sure yet
NW - how did you hurt your hand
me - i was putting up shelves
NW - so your improving your home then (another sell tatic for loans)
me - No just putting up a shelf
NW - the traffics busy this morning isnt it
Me - Sure is
NW . i have a Polo what do you drive ( more intel gathering to sell insurance )
then its i see you havnt been in for a finance health check,can you spare 10 minutes for one of our team to speak to you

Me - no sorry i have an appointment in 20 minutes
NW well it will only take 10 minutes
in other words NW are not interested in you only what they can sell you

sorry for going on folks but it's one of my paet hates

grrr santander, advertising up to £300 cashback for switching to santander if you have savings and a mortgage to switch as well... i got a current account savings and a mortgage with them already and what do they offer me??? a crap rate on my mortgage which i am tied into, a rubbish interest savings account and poor counter service... why cant they reward long term customers as well??

Dave,
It's just the same with Sky and all these ISPs, (and Insurance companies), "feck the long standing customers, let's bribe some more suckers onboard to fleece them in twelve months time when they come up for renewal"
dave

i know it means the only way to get a decent reward is by switching everything to different suppliers/providers every 12 months

They are called lost leaders, and quite normal in most businesses.

From my experience Santander has a pretty robust security system. I've twice been subject to a 'security call-back' procedure to ensure I am not an imposter. They usually say their security team will call you within 6 hours on the phone number used when the account was opened - pretty difficult for an imposter to hang around for so long. I've had the usual DOB and postcode questions, mother's maiden name, etc. They have also asked me to name three streets in the vicinity of my house and another clever question begins with the caller warning you that he will require an immediate response to his next question what is your star sign? I guess that is something we all know......or is it? An imposter would be aware of your DOB but would probably struggle to respond quickly with the appropriate star sign.

I hope you carried out a check to be sure it was Santander calling you and not an impostor out to get your mother's maiden name etc.

Stoday wrote:I hope you carried out a check to be sure it was Santander calling you and not an impostor out to get your mother's maiden name etc.

Good point - and no I didn't think to check I knew they were phoning me at some point so was ready for the call. Will try to remember that for next time and run my own security check on them!

Ask them to tell you something about your account that only you should know, e.g. balance at the end of last month. They can't, of course. Nor can they give you their name and location so you can ring them back, so you tell them you think they are trying to con you. Winds 'em up.

Actually it is a serious point and I haven't solved it. How can you verify that it really is the bank calling you? You need to be sure before giving them your secret information, so they can't be certain they are communicating with you for a start...

Stods,

I had this with MBNA when I paid for a software licence over the internet in $s. They were on the phone within 5 minutes but the 'Paki' lady kept trying to ask me security questions and would not accept that I wasn't going to tell her anything until she answered some questions from me. She wouldn't so I told them to write to me with a contact phone number and I would ring them.

It turned out that they picked up straight away on this $ transaction, which made me feel good and secure, BUT they then blocked my card when I wouldn't give the 'foreign' lady any security details. They wouldn't explain anything over the phone until they knew it was me BUT they had dialled MY bloody phone number so it was a good chance that it really was ME who they were speaking to.

Talk about a 'catch 22' situation.
"Tell me this and I will tell you that"
"No! You tell me that and I will tell you this."

dave