Santander 123 Current Account

ThriceNightly · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:35

Has anyone had recent experience of opening/ switching to a Santander 123 current account.

I'm currently with First Direct but really am seeking a current account which pays interest.

I have considered a move to Santander in the past but was put off by comments of poor quality of service. Has this improved at all over the last 2 years?

Really interested in hearing from people with recent experience.

BTW will still be keeping FD account running for regular saver etc

thanks

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:36

Awful, awful bank. Stay away.

Marmot · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:37

Dont bank with Santander.

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:42

Moses said:
I've banked with them for about a year - they've been really good. I especially like their online banking.

Their online banking system looks like it was designed and developed by a 4 year old child. They are the most god awful organisation I have ever dealt with.

MaxP779 · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:44

If you have no issues theres no issue... heh, as soon as you have a problem though it may well be a nightmare to solve.

I worked in their customer service department and it was an absolute shambles. I remember a woman who closed her account with around 150k in it, she was sent a cheque for 12k with someone elses name on it. Seems this other person closed their account on the same day with 12k and it can only be assumed he was sent the 150k cheque from the ladys account.

No manager was interested and theres no other procedure to deal with stuff like this, absolute mess.

[TW]Fox · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:45

I bank with Santander and currently have a 123 current account.

I have never had an issue with them, find the online banking to be good to use and the interest rates they offer are as close to market leading as you can ever expect to find given the level of flexibility most of the accounts offer.

I'm not one of these people who needs to phone my bank every 37 seconds to complain about charges I've incurred through not reading the T&C's associated with my account so in over 2 years I've only ever had to call customer services once, where they dealt with the problem swiftly.

I am nothing but satisfied with the level of service I get.

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:46

MaxP779 said:
If you have no issues theres no issue... heh, as soon as you have a problem though it may well be a nightmare to solve.

I worked in their customer service department and it was an absolute shambles. I remember a woman who closed her account with around 150k in it, she was sent a cheque for 12k with someone elses name on it. Seems this other person closed their account on the same day with 12k and it can only be assumed he was sent the 150k cheque from the ladys account.

No manager was interested and theres no other procedure to deal with stuff like this, absolute mess.

Yes this is absolutely true. I had an ISA with them and it was a shambles. They sent me duplicates of every pin/password i needed for online and telephone banking. I phoned them and they proceeded to send me more duplicates of the same.

marmalade · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:48

Have had experience of this bank. The best thing about it is the advertising and perhaps some of the advantages offered. However, there is absolutely no management behind. I was fortunate they settled out of court. The first indication the top management would be aware of would be when one sent in the bailiffs and they saw on their home TV sets. Go with the Nationwide they react

[TW]Fox · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:49

SoSolid said:
I had an ISA with them and it was a shambles. They sent me duplicates of every pin/password i needed for online and telephone banking. I phoned them and they proceeded to send me more duplicates of the same.

But really, so what? None of that stuff is fundamental. It's an ISA. It sits there. You put money into it. They pay you interest. What further interaction do you want with an ISA account? I'd rather they spent money increasing interest rates than making customer service for accounts that require virtually no service super-duper.

The perception seems to be that customer service is the most important thing ever in the universe with banking. It really isn't. Do you guys really need to phone your bank THAT often that you are so bothered about service you'll move or avoid as a result of it?

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:51

[TW]Fox;22296014 said:
But really, so what? None of that stuff is fundamental. It's an ISA. It sits there. You put money into it. They pay you interest. What further interaction do you want with an ISA account? I'd rather they spent money increasing interest rates than making customer service for accounts that require virtually no service super-duper.

I would like the ability to further interact with my money by having the ability to access my account online. This is a basic service offered in 21st century banking. Withdrawing said monies was also not an easy task. Shambles of a bank.

Stumble Bum · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:55

Banked with them for years, never had a problem... still my main account is with Nationwide as they're perfect

building societies > banks

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:56

Moses said:
What's the big issue with them sending duplicates of the pins? I mean, that doesn't stop you gaining access, does it?

Incidentally, just over a week ago, I rang up because a bond was maturing - it took a few minutes to sort it out so it'd transfer to my current account, on maturity. No hassle, flawless service :shrug:.

Yes I could not access any services. None of them worked.

[TW]Fox · 7 Jul 2012 at 15:58

SoSolid said:
I would like the ability to further interact with my money by having the ability to access my account online. This is a basic service offered in 21st century banking. Withdrawing said monies was also not an easy task. Shambles of a bank.

I can access my ISA right now online and instantly transfer money into or out of it to/from any other account on my online banking with no interest penalty. If I put my current account debit card into any Santander cash machine, it instantly offers me the choice of withdrawing money from my ISA.

I cannot think of a single way they could improve that part of the system for me? It just.. works?

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:09

[TW]Fox;22296071 said:
I can access my ISA right now online and instantly transfer money into or out of it to/from any other account on my online banking with no interest penalty. If I put my current account debit card into any Santander cash machine, it instantly offers me the choice of withdrawing money from my ISA.

I cannot think of a single way they could improve that part of the system for me? It just.. works?

The system did not work for me. Please refrain from your petty arguments.

[TW]Fox · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:12

SoSolid said:
Please refrain from your petty arguments.

Yes, because your claim the online banking looked like it was designed by a 4 year old child wasn't petty at all.

SoSolid · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:14

[TW]Fox;22296150 said:
Yes, because your claim the online banking looked like it was designed by a 4 year old child wasn't petty at all.

It is like you have personally been insulted by that comment. That is my opinion, I am not the only one who have found them to be an awful bank. OP is welcome to bank with whomever he wishes to.

neodude · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:25

Been with Santander since they were Alliance & Leicester. Never had any problems.

Nerusy · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:26

Opened the 123 current account in march I believe, they auto transferred direct debit payments from my Lloyd account automatically. Never had problems with them but then again I do not ask for much and my local branch has very nice and helpful employees.

Some notes on the 123 current account:
you will have to pay £2 monthly fee and have to fund the account with £500 a month and need at least 2 direct debits. If any of this criteria is not met you will not get interest nor cashback.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:27

[TW]Fox;22296071 said:
I can access my ISA right now online and instantly transfer money into or out of it to/from any other account on my online banking with no interest penalty. If I put my current account debit card into any Santander cash machine, it instantly offers me the choice of withdrawing money from my ISA.

I cannot think of a single way they could improve that part of the system for me? It just.. works?

Same for me TBH

Not had any issues with Santander at all.

Most of the time I see people complaining about the ISAs and getting their money is because they havn't read the T&Cs about withdrawing it. Its easy if they are your main bank, not so if they are not as they do not for example offer an electronic transfer out.

Incidentally I rated Halifax very highly until I needed to close my ISA there, wasn't quick and they again sent a cheque, looking back the initial literature said they would do that so I then went oh well no worries.

From what I see people love to bash Santander, seems a sport for some, they had a rep for bad service so people just jump on that.

Ive actually banked with most banks and used most banks during jobs I have had and I can seriously say I cannot really see any difference between them all. Most have issues, most are a pain for certain things.

I remember needed some copies of cheques to prove a fraud, Natwest said "sorry we cannot find them" and that was it as far as they were concerned.

BDEE · 7 Jul 2012 at 16:47

The staff are flooding out of the place - They cant stand it either.

What did make me chuckle was the fact that when their systems have problems, all the error messages are in Spanish so no one has an idea what they mean.

They have been trying to get me to work for them for the last 5 years by offering stupidly high salary......says something when they have to pay over the odds to attract staff.