Santander 123 Current Account

I can honestly say i am a bit confused why people dislike the website. Maybe it doesn't look ultra modern but from my experiance its one of the quickest and easiest to use.

Frankly I don't care about fonts, font sizes etc, I want a quick and easy to use website.

As I said in a previous post from my experience its one of the quickest to use.

Ive also had quite a few dealings with banks professionally and they are all hit and miss.

I actually rate FD as poor, but that was my experience with them. Thats because I found it took a long time to actually do what I wanted via the website or when I dealt with a customer service rep, it was the unhelpfullness of the rep that caused me to switch to A&L.
 
I have banked with HSBC for 12 years now, would it be a good idea to open some accounts with other banks so they 'know' me when the time comes to find a mortgage or loans? Or is this an old way of thinking that no longer applies? :)
 
Used them for the last 5 years, never have a problem. Then again I don't think I've ever had to phone them, just use online banking or the branch, both of which have been fine.
 
Alliance and Leicester was better :p
Anyway, both the wife and I have accounts with Santander, only issue I have had was when it was still A&L. The wife however has always had a CS nightmare, fraud detection works well but the follow up for new cards and pins etc is rubbish (4 weeks? wth?). She has requested new online logins for the last 3 years and never received them, she has requested VBV password reset for the last two years and it has never been actioned (OK forgetting the pin and getting VBV locked was her fault but it should be an easy fix).
I gave them a bit of slack because integrating the IT of their various acquisitions surely isnt easy....been a while now though.
 
Moses said:
Because we were talking about whether there's any point using the feature that disco boy mentioned/if it's worth choosing an account based on those kind of offers, as a more general point.
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I realise that you two were at crossed purposes, talking about the OP/me.

But my account (the zero account as you pointed out) I basically just use as a savings account. 5% interest is better than I could get from any savings account (and yes I receive 5% because I am not a taxpayer).
 
I took out a Santander Zero credit card in 2010 so that I could use it abroad without incurring fees. In the end, I wish I'd not bothered.

The application procedure was long-winded and they had to send more than one set of documents twice because I never received them. Using the card was fine. When I came home after a holiday, I went online to set up a direct debit and pay it off. It was a vague system with no real acknowledgement of success or failure or way of checking the status. In the end, it had failed and I had incurred late payment fees. A few phone calls later and they agreed that there was a problem their end with the direct debit and the fees would be waived and I went on to pay it again. Except they'd obviously decided some of this erroneous interest was to be tacked on after I had paid it off, so I received another statement for about £25. Phone call, waived, sorted.

Then I received another statment. For £0.01. Yes. A penny. I'd have totally ignored it had it not been for the late fees I'd incur if it wasn't sorted.

So I phoned them up, went through their phone system and managed to get through to someone at MBNA.

Wait... what?

He laughed, told me they work in the same building, and told me to hang up and try again. So I did, and eventually got through to the right bank.

Needless to say the woman on the phone was sympathetic, waived the £0.01 charge (I did say however that if they wanted to come and collect them, they can have as many one-penny coins as they so desired) and was not at all surprised when I told her I'd like to just close the account.

The credit card then went on a bonfire with massive satisfaction.

If they can't maintain something as fundamental as their direct debit system or telephone system properly then I have no interest in banking with them.

I have posted this to the best of my recollection as it was a couple of years ago, but the basics are there.
 
phil675 said:
I have banked with HSBC for 12 years now, would it be a good idea to open some accounts with other banks so they 'know' me when the time comes to find a mortgage or loans? Or is this an old way of thinking that no longer applies? :)
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It wouldn't help for two reasons.

HSBC, and now all banks, report positives to CRAs - so other banks will see your account with HSBC on your credit report and see you use it sensibly.

You can only put your bills and salary through one bank, whichever bank you choose will have a better understanding of your position because they can see your account. However wherever you apply will ask for statements, so it's not a big difference.
 
I prefered them when they were alliance and leicester, but I've not really had any complaints since they changed to Santander. I've used their customer services a few times too, And had no trouble there.

Phoned to sort out my online Visa transaction password
Phoned to switch addresses

Both straight foward.

I'm not quite sure why people arent liking the website.. It's set up for easy navigation and works well. If indeed it was created in an ICT class, the student in question would get top grades as thats generally what you want in a website.
 
wannabedamned said:
I'm not quite sure why people arent liking the website.. It's set up for easy navigation and works well. If indeed it was created in an ICT class, the student in question would get top grades as thats generally what you want in a website.
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Just set up the on-line banking (for an isa) and was actually impressed with how clear and easy the site is to navigate compared to FD (though FD is well overdue an upgrade).

Q. What's santanders webmail system like with regard response time? (missed my isa payment/ transfer form deadline :p)
 
ThriceNightly said:
Just set up the on-line banking (for an isa) and was actually impressed with how clear and easy the site is to navigate compared to FD (though FD is well overdue an upgrade).

Q. What's santanders webmail system like with regard response time? (missed my isa payment/ transfer form deadline :p)
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Yes thats the view I hold, its actually the simplest of the ebanking systems I have used, particularly not having to have some silly card reader etc (how many times have you seen/heard people needing to do some anking and their card reader is at home/in a different country)

Webmail has been same day or following day for me
 
I was with Santander for 3-4years. Two issues made me leave:

i) Upon depositing a large cheque just after Christmas the teller said: "Somone's been a good boy this year!" Winked and flirted with me. I shook my head and said "No". She continued..."If I had this as a present, I'd be happier than you! Cheer up, it's Christmas!" My mother had died, and this was the cash portion of the estate. I lodged an official complaint.

ii) After this incident I attempted to leave, and remove my money. They made me go through umpteen hoops including bringing a passport into branch, then turning round and saying this was not sufficient siting counter-terrorism concerns. This went on for a week of me going in, showing my face, proving it was me, etc etc etc. Nothing seemed to be enough proof that I was who I said I was.

I eventually got through to some nice bloke on telephone banking who just wired it. It took him less than 30seconds. I have no idea why this wasn't done in the first place.

Unsurprisingly, I left after shortly after this and have been with First Direct ever since and couldn't be happier with the service I recieve.
 
Recently moved from Halifax to First Direct also

Happy with the transfer and the service, got £100 for switching and 8% reg saver

My ISA is with Santander but it just sits there and i dont access it much, will close it in April and move on

Previoulsy had current account to Santander about 2 years ago and halted it before I closed the Halifax account
The payments and time take to move money then was atrocious, even between Santander accounts it would just disappear for a few days.
Would never use them for a current or regular access account

FD android app is on the way which will make it even better
 
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..
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Ok I've decided to stay with my First Direct current account

Whilst considering opening a Santander123, I had applied for an ISA and in my case it has not gone well.

I basically never received any email confirmation that the ISA account had been opened (which would also involve a request for opening payment)

Secure messages still remain unanswered (apart from auto response to confirm they have received message).

Gave up after 10days with secure messages and phoned their call centre on Saturday who confirmed the account had been opened!. They passed my details on to the transfer department but I am yet to receive any reply.

IMO a bank really needs to be on the ball with communication with customers and in my case Santander have failed badly on this part.
 
ThriceNightly said:
Ok I've decided to stay with my First Direct current account

Whilst considering opening a Santander123, I had applied for an ISA and in my case it has not gone well.

I basically never received any email confirmation that the ISA account had been opened (which would also involve a request for opening payment)

Secure messages still remain unanswered (apart from auto response to confirm they have received message).

Gave up after 10days with secure messages and phoned their call centre on Saturday who confirmed the account had been opened!. They passed my details on to the transfer department but I am yet to receive any reply.

IMO a bank really needs to be on the ball with communication with customers and in my case Santander have failed badly on this part.
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How very par for the course!!Santander live down to their usual low standards
 
I was with Santander for years but made the move late last year - So glad I did. I was sick of Santanders online banking service, which has upgraded, but is pretty awful in comparison to others.
 
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