If I could give them zero stars I would! Do not get your mortgage with them. I can't stress enough how bad they are, they've caused me to lose my buyer and seller due to sending me an offer and then withdrawing just b4 exchange with no explanation. Dreadful customer service, it's been 3 months now and they are still asking for further info in order to reinstate offer. I'm so stressed out, they have made me ill!!!!

Posted by s davis on the 10th February 2010

Stay away!!!!! They won't let me give no star rating. Abbey have caused me so much stress, they sent me my mortgage offer within 3 weeks which wasn't too bad but then the week we were supposed to exchange contracts they withdrew their offer with no explanation and won't return my brokers calls and won't tell me why because I went through a broker!! I've lost the house I was buying and I'm going to have to let my buyers down as I can't sell if I can't move!!! Absolutely disgusting service, stay well clear of them. I can't stress enough how much they have messed us about and the money they have cost us in conveyancing fees.

Posted by s davis on the 9th February 2010

I joined Abbey for a really good deal on a mortgage which is great but their online banking is atrocious. We had to go into a branch twice to authorise the accounts then had to wait for 2 passwords and took half an hour to go through the complex registration process. Which then seemed to fail. Now I can't even log on. My girlfriend utterly failed to log on too. We are both totally computer literate. It is shockingly bad and the customer support is as bad.

Posted by Nathanael Inkson on the 2nd February 2010

I rang the 0845 number and asked to speak to my local branch as I am not able to make the journey there and they said local branches do not speak to customers!! What a joke. What kind of business are they running when they cannot speak to their customers. The 0845 number was unable to help me as I wanted a form posted out to me so I could fill in my details and they said I needed 2 forms of ID to have a form sent out to me! BIG JOKE - DO NOT USE ABBEY

Posted by sarah on the 2nd February 2010

Customer Service - Abbey don't know the meaning of the phrase. Their mortgage centre staff are rude and extremely unhelpful. I don't find blaming another area of their business very good service especially when there is no offer of any assistance to resolve the problem. Apparently it is too much to expect the mortgage and banking divisions to talk to each other and share information. An absolute shambles - no wonder banking in this country is in such a state. Santander need to get hold of Abbey quickly and give them a good kick up the behind!

Posted by Natalie on the 29th January 2010

Abbey is one of the worst banks I have ever had the misfortune to come into communication with. I've had my card cloned, I've had sticky blocks put onto my card (7 in the last 2 months), I've had my card declined for no reason, I've had the company call me to say they demanded my payment on an overdraft with out actually checking I make a monthly payment towards this first consequently, I have had my card frozen and I can't even take an of my money out over the counter now. Humiliating, distressing and appalling customer service. And for those people who say change banks, have no fear that is what's happened, it is always nice to give the benefit of the doubt however I shall not bank with abbey ever again.

Posted by rebecca on the 21st January 2010

Frustrating mortgage service. Any issues with your mortgage application means you have to phone the mortgage centre. You are not allocated a case handler so each time you ring you have to start from the beginning. They contact the Admin team - you're not allowed to speak to them. They then in turn deal with a company called Eserve. You're really not allowed to speak to them. They then in turn deal with their surveyors - you're really really not allowed to speak to them. My surveyor charged £500 and left the company so I'm relying on someone who hasn't even seen the house. Each step of the way you will be quoted either a 24hour (this was to scan a document onto my file), three day or five day turn around. They won't chase until their 'agreed service time-frames'. They won't call you back. Nothing happens on a Monday or a Friday and Eserve don't do weekends. You won't get continuity, professionalism, personal service or a decision any time soon. People Orientated advertising is an astonishing boast - your application is JUST another pile of papers. Good luck !!

Posted by Richard Kent on the 17th January 2010

Do not join Abbey unless you want unexpected stress.

Biggest mistake of my life was joining this stupid bank. I lost my card and i phoned up to ask for a new one and to block the other one. A person tells me that my card is going under investigation and that they will contact me as soon as they hear anything. This is in December 2009 btw.
Weeks later onto the new year of 2010 15th I get a bunch of letters from Abbey saying I have an overdraft and I have unpaid direct debits, which I do not recognise because I have lost my card!!!
And now I have letters saying I'm overdrawn. Now let's recap this. I phoned up after I found out my card had been lost/stolen. The person on the phone told me they would contact me, which they didn't, they failed. And whilst this investigation was going on, the person who had my card was still making transactions. Seriously how could they let this happen? Some bank. Anyway I'm trying to get to the fraud department at this moment and guess what,
they don't open till Monday. How useless is that.
They most probably bought a house with my card by now and I wouldn't have known because Abbey didn't contact me.

Posted by Stupid to join abbey on the 17th January 2010

Without doubt Santander is the worst, least customer focused bank I have ever come across. Every decision they make is based on what makes their processes easier and produces the most profit. They have no concept of service what so ever. I am voting with my feet and leaving.

Posted by mm on the 16th January 2010

I've banked with Abbey / Sandander for about 20 years and have seen customer service go from good to absolutely appalling. I mean have you ever tried talking to someone about bank charges. When your call finally get answered you'll be greeted by someone who hardly speaks English and really can't get the gist of what you're trying to achieve. I know this because I have a bank account which has had a zero balance for about a year but I've still been charged £75 for no reason. Trying to get these charges taken off has been an absolute nightmare and really stressful. I am now going to shut the account as I've finally had enough of this company who have just gone down the pan.

Posted by DAREN on the 16th January 2010

One of the worst banks in the country! They gave me all the details of my account just from a postcode and name. Didn't need to give them any ID at all. Talk about a breach of security! The service is slow as well, expect to spend the best part of 45 mins waiting to speak to someone, then another half hour before they can answer your question!

Posted by Ashley on the 13th January 2010

Just a quick note to James D, who works for Abbey/Santander. I by the way have worked for large high street banks in the past within the senior management team - and I am sorry to say we the public jokes are now all just on the production line and the banks would like to add new sparkling appendages like credit cards, loans etc. etc. to boost their sales and profits, James if he is being honest will tell you that all bank teams are told to get customers and sit them down to talk to the advisors (these account managers have sales targets to hit you know you know) sorry I digress, my original point is to James. Your attitude is very poor in regards to to these peoples comments, surely it would be better to take these comments on board instead of your appalling if you don't like it - it makes me think that if you paid good money to a top restaurant and got absolute rubbish service, terrible food and poor wine and you complained, you would totally understand the restaurant telling you if you don't like it - then go to MacDonalds.
James you are I am guessing just a lowly account manager or even working as a cashier - I am guessing this by your poor and ill thought comments (I am sure Abbey would not agree with you publicly) and also the fact that you cannot spell license - so please be quiet adults are talking.

Posted by fatf1ng3rs on the 13th January 2010

I have worked at Abbey for two years, I was working as a systems tester, and believe me, this is the worst place I have worked. Most of the people are incompetent and the quality of the systems is the worst I have ever seen. My advice which I follow never do any business with them, simple.

Posted by ryan on the 11th January 2010

It is admirable that James defends his bank, he is indeed quite correct about the success of this enormous bank. However, the interpersonal skills and professionalism of the staff that I meet is juxtaposed with the professional advertising and the rare courteousness James professes to have.
The banking language has slipped into colloquialism over use (street talk). Just this morning, I overheard the tiller repeatedly use 'y'know man' and 'yeah' in his sentences. He also behaved in a defensive aggressive manner, when corrected for providing wrong advice.
Recently, at a North London branch, I was greeted by a manager, whose mouth was so full of food that he could not introduce himself. Ten minutes prior to that I was greeted by a young lady with perfect nails, hair and make up, who did not know how to say 'Good morning, apologies for the half hour delay, how might I help' instead I got 'do you want to make a transfer?' nothing more than that .
My main concern here is not the question of Abbey's success, and obvious systems failures as outlined by previous comments, but the lack of training offered to the young staff in banking etiquette, basic manners and the importance of interpersonal skills; the absence of these fundamental qualities have driven me from the Abbey after 28 years. When applied, these mature interactions, lead to a confidence in the bank and its ability to deliver a good service.
I am about to move to Virgin One, where the staff are always courteous, use standard English and are clearly well trained in customer service. My husband and sister have all moved their accounts following advice such as James's '....shut your accounts and move banks'. James merely repeats exactly what has been said to us when we have expressed concern over the management of our accounts.
Santander many well have a large customer base and one would hope that their success continues, but in partnership with continued growth, they have to regain control in staff training, introducing regular, rigorous, performance management reviews and guidance for the workforce of the future.
Sadly, the ill prepared few are degrading the overall quality and driving away once loyal customers.
Complaints are empty without solutions.

Posted by Elizabeth on the 9th January 2010

Abbey is the worst bank I have ever had to deal with, STAFF rude! ILL-mannered! Incompetent! We submitted a mortgage to Abbey, 1 and a half months later still no response. When asked where the mortgage was up to, they said WE HAVE NO RECORD OF YOU OR YOUR ADDRESS. And this was after a number of calls and being sent around the house. My advise to anyone wanting to get a mortgage, NEVER USE ABBEY!!!

Posted by Dave on the 5th January 2010

I have to endorse the comments made by Cathy below. My elderly housebound mother's account was blocked by them, which has involved, among other things, my having to get Power of Attorney to release the money. I'm hoping my mother is still alive by the time she gets her money, as so far this has taken six months, and we haven't got it yet. This will be subject to a longer post later, and a complaint to the ombudsman. The latest of their mistakes, was not to copy the full PoA document (25 pages) which I presented in person at their Clumber St Nottingham branch last month. I do not live in the UK, as they know. I have just been told that they need a copy of every page. Please be aware, anyone entering this process, that you will get conflicting advice and information from different people and at no time will you be given access to speak to anyone in authority. I cannot begin to explain just now the contempt I feel for this organisation which has effectively robbed my mother of her money since July last year. But I will do later!. I also had a local active magistrate visit their office with her passport, but this wasn't good enough either.

It is around 7 months since we have been trying to release her account money for her. After 2 visits to the local branch with the PoA document, I have just had a call from the branch to say that they require (i.e. their unreachable and seemingly unaccountable head office) a copy of every page of this document. Since the document (around 25 pages) cannot be stamped or registered unless the full document is present as a legal instrument, why do they require this? Why wasn't this requirement made clear to the local branch staff? It was clear I was resident out of UK and made a special trip. Is it a legal requirement? Certainly not logical but logic goes out of the window when you are dealing with this organisation (sic).

They have a copy of the first page of the document, which they copied and which is stamped. It was also examined by their staff. I also had to fill and sign another large document of theirs which included an agreement by me to assent to a credit check ON ME!
I strongly objected to this but it was clear that the attempt to recover my mother's money from these robbers would not be processed unless I signed it. I also produced my passport and driving licence as I was told I had to, but specifically not a utility bill, which I took anyway and was then asked for:
par for the course in all the dealings I have had with them and their self-conflicting misinformation from the hours I have spent on the phone to them.

Now I have a further delay. I'm hoping my mother is still alive by the time that these incompetents release her money.

Here's a message: don't get OLD, and don't get involved with Abbey.

I can't begin to register the utter contempt I have for Abbey National.

Posted by Ian on the 2nd January 2010

As an Abbey customer since 1994 I have seen a rapid decline in customer service. I have experienced many of the problems detailed on this site, such as rude staff, staff who are unable to communicate properly, my account has been frozen albeit there has been a continuous substantial balance - supposedly for suspected fraud activity... Security checks done on a telephone keypad have to be done verbally when contact is eventually made with a person, a person whose first language is not English and.... more communication problems. After making a formal complaint I received a very confusing letter about resolution and decisions - none of which were detailed in the letter! Time to change.

Posted by Mrs LH (Fareham, Hampshire) on the 26th December 2009

I'm really fed up with Abbey's service. 4 days ago I requested to draw a few thousand, and a special request for 50 pound notes. They annoyed me when they gave me all 20 pound notes and only 10, 50 pound notes. I requested them not only once but reminded them 3-4 times. In 4 days they the building society could collect only 10, 50 pound notes. 3-4 months ago there was a fraud of £40, on complaining they returned the money but after couple of months they took it back. I complained many times, but they didn't want to bother. Now I made up my mind to switch my account as soon as possible. ABBEY IS USELESS!!!

Posted by Mr J Jandaur on the 24th December 2009

And another thing. How often do you see Abbey in the news. I'll tell you - never. Apart from a minor anomaly tonight, 23rd Dec - which Abbey corrected immediately. Good old Abbey. They're the best!!!

Posted by Dave Spart on the 23rd December 2009

I have other credit cards and never had such trouble as Abbey! DO NOT GET A ABBEY CREDIT CARD!!! Unless you want to spend every month on the phone to them. They can not set up a direct debit correctly. 6 months later they are still taking full payment instead of minimum! Lots of charges by my bank and by them. They have refunded late charges but I have not been refunded by my own bank by Abbey. Every month they have said yes it is definitely set up correctly and then every month I receive a late payment letter plus charge because they keep taking full and I have said minimum. How can you phone every month for six months and still not sort it. No complaints department either on the phone you have to write a letter!

Posted by B on the 22nd December 2009

Thought I might be charged horrific interest charges on my current account. I'd gone £20 overdrawn. Rung Abbey/Santander and spoke to a very helpful girl who informed me that as I had rung promptly no charges would be incurred. I was not surprised as Abbey/Santander are one of the very few 'good' banks out there. Yes - like other large institutions they have their hiccups but, by and large - and as far as I am concerned - I've been treated well. Bank with Abbey/Santander -in your heart of hearts you KNOW it makes sense!!

Posted by C.F.I. Kerr on the 19th December 2009

I have never had to deal with any company as incompetent as Abbey. Here is a list of stupid things that they have done.

1. After I married, I notified Abbey that I changed my surname. Months went by without them changing my name on correspondence or them issuing me a new debit card. Fine, I still received my mail and my debit card still worked, so I didn’t think I needed to bother. But then I received a cheque made out to me in my maiden name. Abbey refused to honour the cheque because it didn’t match the name on my account – married name. Even though I showed the person at the bank my marriage certificate, which shows that I have the legal right to identify myself by either my maiden or my married name, and even though the name on the cheque matched the name (maiden name) which was on my debit card and the address on all my bank statements from Abbey. The cheque, by the way, was from the US government, so they didn’t have to worry about the cheque not clearing.

2. My husband has a business account with Abbey. He was accidentally overdrawn by £5. Instead of notifying him that he was overdrawn, so that he could move more money into the account – he had money in our joint account with Abbey as well as with another bank – they charged him a £60 overdraft fee. Then they tried to make the transaction that caused him to be overdrawn two more times, charging him £60 each time, so that he ended up owing £180. He didn’t anything about this until the fee had reached £180 (this was all in a very short period of time – he does check his balance frequently). When he called Abbey to complain, they refunded him £20, so he was out £155 (£160 less the £5 he owed originally).

He has since moved his business account to another bank due to this and other issues, such as the ridiculously long time it takes for foreign cheques to clear and the inability to get service for business banking at the window at the branch.

3. Husband received a letter from Abbey saying that there was a problem with his debit card on our joint account and that they should call him. Debit card had been in has wallet at all times. There was no activity on the account that we couldn’t account for. He called Abbey, spoke to two people who couldn’t help him. Finally passed to a third person. This person made him review all of his transactions over the past month or so. Husband confirmed that his card had not been lost or stolen, and that all the transactions were legitimate. The person then told him that they had deactivated his card anyway and he had to wait 14 days to get a new one.

4. Abbey credit card – Online banking has never worked for me. Have to pay any bills by cheque or going into the branch. I avoid using it because I can’t be bothered.

5. The latest For a couple of days, when I tried to access my current account online, I received a message saying “This service is not available.” – Not that there is anything wrong with my account specifically, just that the online banking system isn’t working.
After two days, I called to check if the problem was, in fact, with my account and not with online banking in general. It was my account. The person I spoke to did something over the phone, and it turned out that I could access an account – sort of. Apparently, because I have different customer numbers for my current account and my savings account, they mixed up the two accounts, so now when I type in my debit card and security information for my current account, my savings account info comes up. Which doesn’t help me because the money in my savings account just sits there, while I can’t see what money is coming in and going out of my current account. (Not good with a bank that charges £180 for an accidental £5 overdraft – see above.) I also can’t transfer money from my Abbey account to any other bank accounts if I need to.
The person I spoke to said she had to send an email to get it fixed, and it would take 11 business days.
After 5 business days, I called to check up on it, to see if the email had ever been sent. I was transferred to the ecommerce team. The person I spoke to said that a simple merge needed to be done, that he was doing it right away. This was a Saturday. He said that the system would update overnight and it would be all fixed on Monday. Great! (or so I thought)
Needless to say, it wasn’t fixed. So I called Abbey again who said it would take another 7 to 10 business days – from then – and if it wasn’t fixed by then, I should go speak to someone at the branch!
So after that I called the Complaints Department. I was immediately transferred to the Security Department, because when I entered my security information, I never entered a “telephone banking number”, which I didn’t enter because I was never asked to enter one. Before anyone could respond to my complaint – despite the fact that I repeatedly said that my complaint was about online banking and I wasn’t interested in doing any telephone banking – I had to go through the automated process of selecting a telephone banking number.
Finally, I was transferred to someone who was supposed to deal with my complaint. With this person, every time I read her the number on my debit card, she got it wrong, and kept insisting that my account didn’t exist! Finally, she was able to access my account (I guess the number I gave her was right after all) and once again told me it would take 2 weeks to fix.
At this point, I am so disgusted with Abbey that I am ready to leave them.

Posted by Lucy on the 15th December 2009

I don't see why if you people who are complaining about Abbey/Santander don't simply shut your accounts and move banks, it's not hard, you go into a branch, take your account ownership (debit card/cheque book) and ID for yourself (Driving Liscence, Passport) and close it. Or simply go to another bank and open one there and get them to switch it. It's not difficult. Out of all the banks santander cant be doing that bad, they have just won the best Bank award at the banking awards ceremony, haven't borrowed any money from the government, are not owned by the taxpayer, and are the largest provider of mortgages and savings in the UK. As you may be able to guess I am a member of staff and I work within central London, one of the busiest cities in the country, I deal with customers day in day out, and not once have I come across a member of staff who has not tried to help a customer. As for the person who posted below about card details being leaked by the call centres, you are indeed a very sad individual, either pretending to work for abbey, or actually working for abbey and just being a poor employee, at the end of the day abbey/santander are a bank, banking is what they do, 99% of my customers are satisfied and leave the branch with a smile on their face, the 1% are usually the ones who don't have correct ID, Abbey staff will try and help, but we like all other banks have audit requirements to follow and they are put in place to protect our customers data. So to all those who sit here slating abbey, take a look at some other banks and then come back and complain.

Posted by James D on the 9th December 2009

PLEASE DO NOT BANK WITH ABBEY!!! I have been an employee of abbey for quite a few years now, there is a high risk of your details being stolen when you speak to the call centre staff in India, the call centre staff then pass the details on to people they know in England and the end result is cards being stopped internet accounts being stopped and new cards etc being sent out to customers, since July last year all employees at abbey have been emailed to make us aware of any small infractions in peoples accounts to close them due to the high level of fraud on internet transactions due to details being taken by Indian call centre staff. Abbey way of dealing with it is just hope it goes away and it has resulted in a 62% increase in fraud on abbey accounts alone, as an employee I do not use them for banking. So my recommendations is please do not use them.

Posted by Marcus on the 7th December 2009

I have recently received appalling service from Abbey (now Santander). I have had a bank account with Abbey for 20 years of more now and in addition to this I have an ISA saving account and in the past I held a mortgage them. I recently went into my local Abbey Bank to deposit some money in my ISA account and was advised by the customer service advisor that I did not have an account with Abbey Bank and had never had an account with Abbey! (I had left my ISA account number at home). When I insisted that I had, held an account with the Abbey for quite a long time the advisor questioned this by saying I have never seen you before!! I asked that she check my details with my DOB and postcode which she did and she still insisted no account had ever been held with Abbey in my name! I followed this up by ringing the branch when I got home and giving my account number to be told that they did have all my details (by the same person) but that my surname was spelt slightly differently on their records! I queried this as over the years I have received a lot of correspondence and my name has never been spelt incorrectly! When I queried the fact she had searched under my address and DOB she just replied your surname is spelt incorrectly on the system so I could not find your records. I find this concerning as I was depositing money and not taking money out and I was not asking for any bank details so don't understand why my details would not have come up under a DOB and postcode check!!! Is it that the information system Abbey has is so poor or is it the customer service advisors attitude to perhaps looking outside of the box when a customer informs them they have held an account with the bank for years yet the advisor is insistent on if we can't find you on the system you must never have had an account with us!! This caused me some distress as you can imagine being told all your savings have just disappeared down a blackhole as your not on our system!!!

Posted by Maureen Redmond on the 6th December 2009

It's funny. I never have any problem with Abbey/Santander. I've swapped accounts - changed accounts - opened accounts - no problem. And no I don't work for Abbey/Santander. Wish I did - they seem to be on the ball.

Posted by Ron Dayvoo on the 4th December 2009

Utterly appalling service to me and my family. Abbey made countless errors over and over again on my current account, unable to get transactions correct over the counter, staff at times, downright rude. Calling the manager to complain did nothing to help. Refused point blank to carry out services essential to the account at times too, utter farce. The straw that broke the back was a family member who sadly lost her husband, Abbey couldn't close the joint account correctly, and 6 months later wrote to the late relative, not her, asking him to do various items. Caused enormous upset. I could list 50 things more they have done to my and my family's accounts, but it's not worth it. Instead we all voted with our feet, closing our personal, business and all family accounts with them. We would never, under any circumstances recommend, nor bank with them again. They are without doubt the worst high street banking organisation in the country, if not further afield! We have accounts with numerous other companies, and have never been treated in such a manner.

Posted by John Browning on the 2nd December 2009

5 months ago I tried to make a purchase over the telephone using my abbey debit card (deposit for my daughters wedding dress) the transaction was refused and I had to go into the store to chip and pin the payment which was accepted no problem at all. 2 days later I tried to pay for insurance on my car on the internet and my card was declined, this happened for 2 days and 4 telephone calls to the abbey followed before it was identified that a stop had been put on my cards due to the attempt to use my card when I was not present in a store - I can go along with the anti fraud element and the abbey putting their system into place I can not go along with the fact no one else other than the faceless fraud department knew why my cards had been stopped and I certainly didn't. My account has now been put as a high risk account my wages cheque which has been paid into the abbey account for the same amount from the same company for 4 years is subject to EXTENDED CLEARANCE. I have spoken to the abbey and I am now at the stage of a formal complaint as no one in any department or branch can tell me when I pay a cheque in the branch how long it will take to clear, all I get is it may be 5 days, it could be anytime up to 14 days but not sure. I was also told total lies around the fact if it is a regular payment it will be cleared, I have spoken both on the telephone and at branch level and been given no help whatsoever as to how I can change this, the abbey offered me an overdraft facility so my mortgage (to the abbey) would be cleared 10 days after my wages cheque is not cleared. This is just not acceptable the fact they will not try and give any answers or try to help it to be sorted in any way at all, oh and the money leaves the company account in the normal time, the abbey just holds on to it for 2 weeks!!! I am at the end of my tether now and feel my only option is to close my 3 accounts with the abbey, change my mortgage, house, life and contents insurance all with the abbey. The abbey have been told all this and are not one bit interested all I was told in the branch today was the number of customers we have and how big they are - too big for their boots I say - any suggestions of what I can do would be helpful! I tried the fax system of showing my wages slips and getting it cleared and they have said point blank no no no, I am sick to death of their lies now.

Posted by debbie carney on the 29th November 2009

The culmination of a litany of problems with Abbey was when I got so fed up with their total incompetence that I transferred my ISA to another provider. Abbey then told the new provider that I had already contributed to an ISA this year. Which I hadn't. I eventually had to get the Financial Services Ombudsman to sort it out, because Abbey Complaints couldn't care less. I have had to give them a one-star rating because this site won't let me give them a zero.

Posted by marylynn1949 on the 29th November 2009

I stumbled on this site because I was looking to see if Abbey have big issues generally or it was just me. I'm glad it's not just me. In the last 5 months I have had my internet account frozen twice and my debit/credit card frozen 3 times and cancelled twice. Each time was for no reason other than my normal spending. In July they closed my account and it took 5 weeks for me to gain access to it - they sent out new registration and passcode details 3 times over that period but always managed to screw it up.(one and not other etc). This week my card has been frozen again - the first I knew about it was when I tried to withdraw cash. When I rang them they said that the card has been cancelled and a new one is on its way. Why? Because I tried to deposit some money into Betfair (yes an internet betting site that I have used regulary for over 5 years from this account). I believe that I am allowed the odd flutter with MY money. I have banked with Abbey for over 10 years and never had any problem with them until this year. I have never been overdrawn and have a reasonably significant amount of money at any one time in the account. All I can think is that they have a recent and massive issue with Internet Fraud which they are unable to control. They have reacted by putting their security triggers on ultra sensitive - better safe than sorry policy. Which is resulting with all these cards being stopped or accounts frozen. So if you do anything out of the ordinary - or even ordinary like buying on the internet -or heaven forbid betting - bang go the gates on your account. Tomorrow I go about the painful journey of changing my account - funnily enough I have a Cahoot one (same group) that doesn't have the same issues but then I don't use it much. I will probably close that one too as it's the same group. I will watch these pages with interest as we approach Xmas and see whether people are experiencing worse problems as I suspect they will. The question is which bank has got fraud under control enough so that they can let us bank in confidence?

Posted by James on the 27th November 2009

Abbey is the worst bank! My husband and I will close our accounts once our accounts are unlocked by them. They blocked both of our accounts without notice and saying they were protecting us! When We checked at their branch, a staff said there was a letter written to me on Friday while they blocked my accounts on Monday evening whilst the letter was posted on 23rd Monday and we received Tuesday evening. I ended up having no money in Leeds and can't buy ticket back Sheffield. We could withdraw cash or purchase by cards so far!

The letter said as a process of opening an account, we need to verify our address and without receiving our reply our accounts will be blocked and will be closed if they can't receive reply within 3 weeks . (JOKING, we opened the account at a branch by their staff three month ago! T)

They didn't give any explanation and no apologise! BUT our money all in the accounts! Neither I nor my husband can live without access to the accounts! What about our direct debit default? Do you accept our salary into out account? When I complained to a branch member she said they were a national bank, so it took longer (3months?) to process an account opening, and she said they are protecting us by blocking our accounts without letting us know!!! Why can't you ring us ? Because we don't ring customers (to reduce cost?) Why didn't write a letter to us before block an account? Because fraud may happen ( are you suggesting we are criminal by using our own money?) You don't see the logic, they simply just don't care about US, their customers!!! I suppose we deserve it because we trust them too easily when we opened the accounts. For all the trouble they brought us this week, so far we still can't use the accounts I HATE ABBEY!

Posted by Cathy on the 26th November 2009

My mother died last week and as I was made redundant (and being with Abbey) for over 20 years I asked for a temp. overdraft to cover the funeral expenses and also as I am the executor of Mum's will expenses to cover me (Mum was at Lloyds/TSB and they want a grant of probate before releasing funds). I asked for £2,000 - not a big amount of money considering both myself and my son will be depositing around 100K each respectively and this money is NOT dependent on the house being sold - probate would only take 3 months - but the answer was NO (the computer says NO). I myself was made redundant a year ago and am finding it hard to find a new job and as the executor of the will and recipient it is all much harder for me! I showed them the copy of the will - the deeds to the house - how much mum has in her bank in cash! BUT NO!! So, once the house is sold and both my and my sons share is deposited into Abbey - we are both then going to withdraw - with a very, very nasty letter to them about their attitude! Been with them for over 20 years - if they cannot trust me with a 2k overdraft - then how can I trust them with around 80k of MY money! And as for their Indian call centres !!!!!! DO NOT ASK - gonna get out as soon as I can!

Posted by Stephanie Tate on the 24th November 2009

I am delighted to have found a site which vindicates what I have been feeling for some considerable time and which makes me realise that I am not alone. Otherwise known as Santander, Abbey is the bank of 'Sand', which is what your money becomes in its hands, and 'Air' - mostly hot - which is what issues from their telephone consultants whenever you try to resolve an issue. I have had my debit card stopped and subsequently cancelled by the bank of Sand and Air no fewer than 4 times. My wife's card has also been cancelled... no doubt for the sake of equity and fairness. Have tried to elicit answers from them as to why. Instead I get mostly polite 'sorry' or 'please accept our apologies' but never any answers. As I spend most of my time abroad, being without access to cash or to internet banking - they cut that off as well - life is hard. Does the bank of Sand and Air care? Sorry they say, so sorry.
Not as sorry as I am that I decided to bank with them.

Posted by ALAN WALTERS on the 24th November 2009

I'm ready to shut my accounts with Abbey and jump ship. Constant phone calls more or less having to beg for a new cheque book. Over two months later... still no cheque book! I have two accounts with Abbey and asked them to send me a new debit card as my old card had expired for one of my accounts and they cancelled my pin number for my other account the one with the current in date debit card!! I only found this out when I had filled my car up with fuel and couldn't pay for it because the pin I was putting in to the card machine was wrong except it wasn't wrong...it had been cancelled by Abbey!! I had no means of payment and my partner had to drive 30 miles to pay for the petrol. I had requested a telephone banking pin be sent to me also.... I never got it, so when I tried to ring Abbey from the petrol station I couldn't get through because I didn't have a telephone pin number, and it wouldn't accept /recognise me through my card number or date of birth either - I was stranded!! They now tell me a cheque book was sent out to me but was returned to Abbey and a block put on my address....what a load of rubbish!! I have now received three pin numbers for my new debit card I asked for over a month ago if or when it turns up!! Their staff have been worse than useless! Abbey gets a major thumbs down from me.

Posted by Jo on the 21st November 2009

Today was the last straw. My wife and I have had both our debit cards suspended due to the card numbers appearing on some VISA database somewhere. This had the effect of suspending both of our internet banking facilities. The call centre operative failed to mention this when advising us by telephone that they were suspending the cards. Today we stood in a queue for 20mins to pay in £18k cheque in the Gerrards Cross branch. Only to be told they have a new policy and don't accept cheques if the written amount and signatures are in different inks!!!! I was paying in a cheque for goodness sake! I have been paying in cheques drawn exactly the same way for 10 years and the staff know us. I'm afraid that's it and we are closing the six accounts we hold with them. The bank now has incompetence oozing from every orifice.

Posted by Adrian Jones on the 21st November 2009

I checked my current account on line and saw that I'd gone £20 over my overdrawn limit - that morning incidentally. Well I rang Abbey and got through to someone reasonably quickly who informed me that as I'd rung promptly no charges would be incurred - this could have been £35 fee plus a £25 transaction fee - total £60!! This has happened a couple of times now and both times I've not been charged. I love Abbey - they're the greatest. Plus they pay me pretty good interest on the e saver issue 2 - all things considered.

Posted by Astor on the 21st November 2009

I agree with all the negative reviews I have read below. Something has clearly gone very wrong with the Abbey. I've experienced all the couldn't-care-less attitudes, the being passed from one department to another, having the phone put down on me by aggressive and unhelpful operators, the inexplicable block put on my account and so on. My next stop will probably be the ombudsman, but doubt whether I will get any joy there. Negative stars called for.

Posted by Beryl on the 20th November 2009

I am a mortgage broker, and have so far this month registered 5 official complaints against this bank. They currently have the worst service ever! One customer for example, applied in July, provided more and more proof of income, proof of id, proof of res for 3 years, the list is endless.... 4 months later it finally gets sent to an underwriter, who declines it on low credit score. This is something that should have been done at the outset, not drag on for 4 months. Reapplied to Halifax for the customer, approved and loan offer in 5 days! I'm not saying Halifax are great by any means, but if you want quick service, don't bother with Abbey. They have a faceless service... no manager or supervisor will speak to either their own customers or us brokers. Our complaints received the usual we are dealing with your complaint and will get back to you letter... all we want is someone to take ownership of a customers problem and deal with it, not pass the buck to a faceless complaints department. They just don't care about anyone..... banks are evil!!! If I could turn back the clock I never ever would have got into this business. Oh and this thing says enter a rating.... it doesn't give the option of no stars... I give Abbey NO stars!

Posted by Bran on the 17th November 2009

Abbey advised me to open another account to take my bills out of which they knew would incur me bank charges, then sent me letters saying I owed them 315 quid and if not payed immediately would rise to £800 plus interest which has happened since, I'm going to pay money to them, close my accounts and take my mortgage elsewhere. Don't let abbey do the same to you, GO ELSEWHERE OR YOU WILL PAY THEM YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. I'm very angry and feel ripped off.

Posted by ian on the 15th November 2009

What is going on inside the world of Abbey? A month ago I became overdrawn by £200. I went to my bank and immediately repaid the whole amount. Since then I have received a series of ridiculous demands of over £1000 in charges. I am not going to pay this ever and would go to prison over this. I cannot afford it and even if I could I would never give in to this kind of demand. I tried several times to speak to someone. One Indian call centre guy asked me what sort of day I was having!!!! How can they do this? They must be desperate. He was a nice guy but what is going on. I have still not got an explanation of any kind, just a series of robotic answers. I knew I went overdrawn and was prepared to be charged for something but this is insane. Abbey must be the worst bank in the Country. I have been with them for 26 years but it makes absolutely no difference when it comes to Customer Care. It's a joke and I would also say DON'T EVER DEAL WITH ABBEY!

Posted by diane short on the 12th November 2009

I have had a litany of administrative mess ups with this excuse for a bank over the past two years, AND the customer service is appalling, from some of the call centres to the branch staff and management. Avoid this bank, they are appalling, incompetent, rude, and ultimately (crucially?) EXTREMELY expensive. They have over the past six years helped themselves to hundreds of pounds from my account in various charges, mostly when I had just moved to the UK, after college, and was in a very low paid job (thankfully I'm doing a great deal better now), so basically crippling me when I was at my most financially vulnerable. AVOID!!!

Posted by Ronan on the 9th November 2009

I have had a problem with obtaining my online statements. 3 months later I still have this problem. The problem has been confirmed to be a bug in Abbey’s software and in particular the way it can’t handle an apostrophe (XML Character ie (')) in the text on one of my standing orders. This standing order has been in place for over three years, so when they migrated to “a new system” the problem appeared. The customer service has been appalling. Initially I was told “there is a block on your card”, followed by the old “wait 24 hours for it to take effect”, followed by the clear your browser cache, followed by the next incorrect reason etc etc. Finally I was told to wait for the offending “statement entry” to pop off the end of my statement list, i.e. 6 transactions to go they said. After that it was wait another 36 transactions. Finally someone told me that the problem was being looked at by their “Spanish Systems” but as that team would not give a time frame, the customer department have told me that they cannot tell me when the problem will be fixed. In the mean time, I still can’t obtain my statements online. Finally, I would like to say that I believe the on-hold music they that play over and over again is a form a mental torture. I would never, ever recommend Abbey to anyone.

Posted by Aaron Graham on the 9th November 2009

Rubbish, untruthful and arrogant Cashiers!
Placed £1500 cash in used notes on counter (over half a year of hard savings) on Counter to deposit in my ISA account, handed card over, I was told all done, given a paper receipt with a 'Mrs X' name on it!... Anyone know Mrs X????? because for a limited time in my life she had my £1500 in her account before the cashier reopened her account (without her permission) and took back the cash to deposit it into my account!!!! Then the cashier denied she had done this!!!! The Manager at the Branch then denied any Security Breach had occurred! Is it lawful for a bank to access your account without permission, deposit cash into your account then withdrawn the money... all without your knowledge???? So Mrs X... do you know someone has been into your account??? The manager eventually told me it was human error, but said it was just a simple admin error. The BIG FEAR is that should I have walked out of the Branch without looking at the slip I would have had NO WAY of proving I had ever deposited the cash in the first place! being an ISA the last time I did a transaction was 7 months ago, imagine revisiting your account 7 months later (sometime in mid 2010) and not seeing the cash, then having to go into a Branch and saying some time ago I put £1500 cash on a counter to pay into my account and it's not there now! When Sir..? errr?.... 6-7 months ago! Oh how can you prove this? Well they gave me a slip of paper and the name on the paper (should I still have it 7 months on... Mrs X!!!! I did not have to put my card into any device and pin in a code or sign a deposit slip.. nothing... cash on desk, card handed over counter, receipt handed back... What was there to prove that I had even been in the Branch let alone placed cash into my account.. as for the receipt... Well I could have sat in the store overhearing deposits and have obtained Mrs X receipt after she had deposited it in the store waste basket or picked it up elsewhere!!! Could you recall accurately dates and people 7 months on!!!!! And the Manager then reassured me that should this have happened your money would have been re-credited to you! HOW???? This was followed with the fact that this was a Branch matter and there was no further route I could follow!!!!... I'm now waiting for a return call from Abbey Complaints Dept .... !!!!!

Posted by Bernie on the 8th November 2009

I don't have any problem with Abbey/Santander. You people with problems, you know what you do? You change banks.

Posted by Oscar on the 6th November 2009

ABBEY are a real pain! Their customer service staff never listen! I wanted to complain that mail to a previous resident at my address was being sent six years after he had left, I was told I could not complain as it was not my account and because of the Data Protection Act!!

Posted by Howerd on the 5th November 2009

DON'T EVER DEAL WITH ABBEY! Simple - just don't do it. They spent 6 weeks on my mortgage application before it came back declined. This is because THEY had made a mistake in not being able to find me on the voters register. I proved I was within 24 hours, but they were just not interested. They didn't return calls and I was unable to get past their call centre hiding behind procedure. In the 3 weeks since then I have got an offer from the Alliance and Leicester and still no contact from Abbey despite their procedure stating they have 5 days to call me. They are a joke!!! Please, for your own sanity, DO NOT APPLY FOR A MORTGAGE WITH THE ABBEY. You will regret it.

Posted by Nigel on the 4th November 2009

Had some fraud on my account (over the phone - the telephone banking security is very poor). They were supposed to open a new account, transfer everything over and close the old account, but it took over 12 weeks, tens of phone calls and visits to branch to sort it out. I didn't have normal access to my money for that entire time.
The telephone service is appalling - I don't usually use it, but had to because of the fraud. Too many departments, no one knows what's going on or who you need to talk to. They ignored my complaints until I threatened to report them to the ombudsman. The internet banking service is also clunky and seems out-dated. I am shutting all accounts I hold with them to move to a more secure and organised bank. I would definitely not recommend to others.

Posted by Guest on the 1st November 2009

I've been battling to be treated as a human being by this disgraceful excuse for a bank since June 2009, when it came to my attention that they had 'mislaid' a £3,500 ISA I'd been stupid enough to transfer-in in April 2008. To this day (in so far as I can get any response from them at all), they maintain that they never received the transfer – even though the building society which sent it to them has provided me with a copy of their cheque, made out to “Abbey National plc Re: [My Name]”, which was cashed in June 2008. I've been through the usual channels – the useless “Customer Service” department, the obstructive Complaints department and the Ombudsman. More than four months after bringing the matter to Abbey's attention, I'm no further forward, and still £3,500 down. Basically, Abbey don't give a stuff. Your money would be safer under the doormat. I wanted to give them zero stars, but this website insists on at least one. So they've got one. Under extreme protest.

Posted by Abbey Victim on the 25th October 2009

Did you know that Abbey can take money out of any account you have with them if you are in money trouble with them? They just 'legally stole' £100 of my sickness benefit to cover my unpaid unsecured loan account. They did the same for the mortgage. Ask for the £700 charges to be dropped to bring you back within your overdraft and they fob you off with the court case that has been pending for a couple for years. Does a Spanish owned bank really care about it's English customers the way the REAL Abbey used to?

Posted by Mark on the 24th October 2009

Abbey are the worst bank I've ever dealt with in over 50 years of dealing with banks! Most recently I wanted to make a transfer from Abbey to the Alliance and Leicester. I completed an online mandate and 'sent' the money. Next evening an automated call from 'security' wanted to verify my intentions and still 4 working days to wait! Two days later I was locked out of my online accounts as the transfer had been cancelled by Abbey but I was told after the call to get back online that everything would be okay and to go ahead and make another transfer request! That was yesterday, today the money was received at A&L and immediately requested back by Abbey. Despite nearly 40 minutes on the phone to India and even though they 'admit' something has gone wrong I cannot make a third transfer request until the money is credited back to my Abbey account, probably tomorrow! I'll be clearing all my accounts out of Abbey as they are unbelievably poor for customer service.

Posted by Roy Dobson on the 20th October 2009

I wish I had checked Abbey's reputation before I done any business with them. I was introduced to them through a financial broker. I needed to take a loan on two of my properties which are both mortgage free. Abbey were more than happy to help, they gave me a mortgage offer taking both my properties a security ltv was very low however, I thought due to the credit crunch banks are being extra careful. I had the valuations done and tried to get things moving as quickly as possible as I had seen an ideal property and price had been agreed. However, Abbey was not going to let this happen. They said that I would have to pay their solicitors cost which were £2,000 before the case can go any further so I done this, their solicitors were Barnett Solicitors who were just as useless as Abbey. My solicitors was continuously chasing them up for documents etc. When I would get in touch with Abbey they would blame the delay on my solicitors or say they sent things out which were never received. Finally because their solicitor was taking so long we asked for an extension on the mortgage offer which they sent to their risk department and they allowed us till the end of September. They then brought up an issue that someone was staying at the flat above the shop. They had a copy of the lease which confirmed that the leaseholders are allowed to sublet with my consent. However we confirmed that no one was at the property. They wanted a undertaking from my solicitors which they got confirming the property was not sublet but they said now the valuation has run out as they only keep valuations for 3 months so could I as the surveyor if he could extend the time and say he is happy to confirm that his valuation is still acceptable. The surveyor very kindly done this.

Posted by Mrs T Mughal on the 16th October 2009

It's odd. I never have any problem with Abbey. In fact - they're the greatest. Treat them right - they'll treat you right.

Posted by Denzil on the 15th October 2009

So ok I've read most if not all your comments, Abbey in my eyes are most definitely the worst choice I have ever made for a mortgage. Around April 2009 myself and my partner made an appointment for a mortgage, we came out of the branch all smiles and happy, we had been excepted for wot at the time was a great deal, no set up fee payment for solicitor bills etc, great we thought. Anyway, that particular property fell through for one reason or other (nothing to do with us), so we picked ourselves back up and went house hunting again, found this property and fell in love with it etc. (you know the game), went back too the Abbey, yes your mortgage is still valid, sorted we thought. Would it be possible for you to come into the branch and sign the paper work again as after printing out details name had changed, no worries went in to branch, did all this, back on track mortgage still valid. Instructed solicitors, and everything moving along swimmingly, a few weeks past paper work from solicitors started too arrive, great we'd even arrange with vendor a in principle date, wow we are so happy... Then estate agent phoned and said would it be possible to chase Abbey up as house not been valued/surveyed as yet, so we did as instructed, not a problem sir and numerous phone calls later same not a problem sir well weeks went by???? Still nothing so I mean a lot of phone calls later, a valuer contacted estate agent and arranged too value the property, fantastic we thought, but before the date he/she had arranged they cancelled due to personal problems. Well by this time vendor, estate agent and obviously us, getting irritated, so more phone calls too Abbey, ok sir leave it with us we'll instruct another firm, fine this firm contacted estate agent and arranged an appointment, well knowing what we know now as it comes too light (this was a random internet picking) and yes you got it he never turned up, vendor so angry at taking time off to meet with valuer has a go, more phone calls, and various visits too the branches later, an appointment with who it now seems to be the original person was arranged, and to all our amazement was kept and valuation complete. Smile beginning too appear again. Well after a week we hadn't heard anything, estate agent on our backs again and again and again, solicitors even, phone calls too Abbey mounting up, yes sir we will mark this as URGENT waited and waited, more phone calls sir we'll get these sent via courier, nothing arrived everybody getting very impatient at this time, the so called date we'd agreed too move in passed, our mortgage offer had even run out, so went into branch and yes sir proportion of blame ours so we will extend the offer then one afternoon solicitor phoned us stating she's been asked via estate agents to contact Abbey to see where this valuation had gone to, and was informed Mr and Mrs Who, well that blew us totally away, both at work unable too do anything, so we took time off work and decided too find out what was going on. So anyway if I say 50 I mean 500 phones calls later mortgage centre, branch, solicitor, estate agent, we were getting same response Mr and Mrs Who, yes they could tell us been in branch agreed etc but no mortgage appeared under Mr and Mrs Who, Computer said No, so our argument is valuation done, mortgage expired, where or what happened, still at a loss. So as I type, gathering information together and going to the top with this, time scale of all this don't know really 12 - 14 weeks messing about, not really sure 8 of those weeks, so you see when I say ABBEY really is the worst I mean it....

Posted by Barle on the 12th October 2009

I total agree - worst bank in the world. They currently have an IT problem that is preventing interest being calculated on ex Bradford and Bingley accounts and they are withholding payment on matured bonds. Despite several phone calls with customer service and the local branch no one can tell me when I will get my money. The branch even tried to close the account without the interest hoping I would not notice. I have closed a few accounts over the last 12 months and have had some sort of problem every time.

Posted by Andy on the 9th October 2009

Actually my dealing with Abbey over the phone this morning was good. My account had gone overdrawn by £11, therefore possibly inducing a £25 overdraft fee and transaction charges. I got through to a real person pretty quickly and he waived the charges as long as I could transfer moneys into the account by that working day - which I did. So I did with e banking and problem solved. And this guy spoke English which is always good.

Posted by basil on the 8th October 2009

Abbey is the worst bank I have ever used. They sucked me in with a high interest rate that was reduced within a couple of months. I tried to withdraw my cash but entered a Kafkaesque world where very friendly customer service personnel repeatedly assured me the money was in the post, but it never arrived. After 7 weeks I finally (and after many expensive phone calls) received a cheque. I put this in the bank only for it to bounce. Flabbergasted I called Abbey, waited in the long telephone queue charged at premium rates, and without apology was promised the money would be transferred electronically. Sadly, that didn't happen either. I am still waiting for my money and lodging a complaint. I would never touch this bank again and strongly advise anyone thinking about it not to bother. i see others on this site have experienced similar difficulties getting their own money back. I would hate to be in a position where I was overdrawn or needing financial help.

Posted by npoole on the 30th September 2009

Well!! I have just read through a huge number of reviews on Abbey National and almost every one is highly critical. As I am experiencing the abysmal service described by nearly all the correspondents I am giving up hope of ever receiving any satisfaction in respect of my own problems with them. Certainly I think it a good idea that some form of combined complaint, say to the TV programme WATCHDOG on another website I have just read that the Abbey were fined £800,000 by the FSA in 2005, and in 2003 they were fined £2m plus a further £320,000 for breaches relating to the company's systems and control arrangements. Unfortunately our accounts have been transferred to this awful company by Bradford and Bingley and the sooner we can escape the better.

Posted by Sylvia Rowland on the 25th September 2009

We applied for a small mortgage from Abbey on 15th July 2009 through one of their brokers. The house we are buying is vacant and we are not in a chain, so we guessed what? 6 weeks? YOU'RE JOKING! After sending every kind of personal id document possible we WAITED and WAITED. 5 weeks on (after allegedly losing faxes and not receiving these docs in the post (that's a bit worrying, who has them?) they announce they need more pay slips and ACTUAL letters proving that I am in receipt of child tax credit and child benefit (I'd already send an actual bank statement showing 3 months recepits worth of these). My broker whom I have started to ring at inconvenient times to get on his case has stated that the ABBEY office is moving to Birmingham and morale is low hence the delays and backlogs. What about our morale? 3 weeks on now (so that's now 8 weeks) the Abbey have sent an email to my broker asking him to stop pestering them! The sellers have been onto us asking what the heck is going on and yes we are worried. The garden at the home we are buying is now like a jungle and my daughters trampoline I promised to put up in the new garden is still in its box never to see the light of day (perhaps she can fill it with snow at xmas). THE ABBEYS SERVICE IS A DISGRACE and I will be writing a letter afterwards to this effect. I'm just wondering after this escapade who will be trying to apply for another mortgage or credit cards in my name because someone somewhere has got enough of my docs to start a new life!! In the words of Dragons Den James Khan 'ABBEY, I'M OUT !'

Posted by no-floats-on on the 17th September 2009

Abbey are really bad! They keep ringing me up for life insurance even though I told them not to and they charged me a total of £125 for going overdrawn by £33. They claimed I was overdrawn for two months but in fact it crossed months and it was just a few days.

Posted by Lloyd on the 13th September 2009

After initially getting the letter delighted to confirm, subject to underwriting, your lending requirements have been approved' back on 5th June for our remortgage - further lending due to an extension, we have had to wait 2 months to be told they cannot give the amount they said unless we supply them with my Tax return ending April 09, which may I add, doesn't need to be returned to the tax office until Oct or Jan next year. Realising this, we have told them to continue just on my husbands salary, mine is hardly to shout about anyway. 3 weeks before our builder was due to start, they said because of this form, they have reduced our amount by half !!! (40k). We were so committed with our builder, we reluctantly agreed, saying we would re apply as soon as this form was returned from the tax office. After saying that the 40k was approved and go ahead and get your builder in (which was now 2 weeks ago), we have been told this week that that has also been declined! - we have now had 2 weeks of work done, but no money!! - horrid mess, no responsibility, unfriendly. We will get to the bottom of this, but it has caused so much stress you can only imagine. There does not give me an option on the star to rate 0/5 so I've had to put a 1, obviously I wouldn't even give them 1. They are so unprofessional and don't have a clue what they are doing. I strongly advise anyone to think twice before choosing them. I've never felt so let down before.

Posted by honeymonster on the 10th September 2009

Abbey are a joke! I applied for a mortgage through an IFA on 28th July 09. Six weeks later and still no offer or house! The sellers are fed up waiting and the property is back on the market. Customer service! They haven't a clue, but experts in excuses, words fail me beyond belief!!!!!

Posted by Rob Sparshott on the 3rd September 2009

Me and my girlfriend have spent 12 weeks trying to get a mortgage with Abbey and all we get is they need more info or another document or they have lost something or some other bull. They are the biggest waste of time and do not intend on giving any mortgages at all. I strongly advise no one to use Abbey National for anything at all. We have just had to start all over again after waiting 12 weeks to go no where!!! I am going to take Abbey all the way for every penny that I can.

Posted by David Walters on the 3rd September 2009

I have been with Abbey for over 20 years and have a Visa Electron account with them. I was told that, when opening this account, that it is impossible to go overdrawn with this account. How is it, then, that I am now £57.94 overdrawn and when I ask them how did this happen, they said that when you spend at shops, sometimes it takes a while for the money to come out of my account. True, but why is it that, if my account said £100 balance and I spend £20, it immediately says balance £100 available to spend £80? That is how I know what I have spent, but the rubbish they gave me is that some shops let you go over. I got upset about it, as I had just received bad news and it couldn't have come at a worse time, and was met with what do you expect me to do about it? and was hung up on! A load of incompetent rubbish and what I want to say about them cannot be printed on here! At least Robin Hood wore a mask when he robbed people!

Posted by Sandra on the 28th August 2009

I don't have any problem with Abbey/Santander. They always do as I ask. Not that I have to contact them that often but when I have, I've found them to be pretty competent.

Posted by Horace on the 24th August 2009

Have been with Abbey since BEFORE the days of Santander and their Indian call centres - oh the good old days! Since then.....
Internet Banking - don't bother cancelling standing orders or DDs they don't always take any notice and continue to pay them. Sometimes you can't access your account.

Telephone Banking - don't bother with this either... you will have to go through the first lot of options, then the second, then the third etc. and woe betide you if you press the wrong button by mistake, you are left hanging on having to listen to Abbey Advertisements. Eventually you are put through to someone (not sure if they are people or machines) but either way, you can't understand them and they can't understand you! If you happen to ask a question that isn't on their cue sheet, the person just keeps repeating the same thing over and over.... aaaaahhh! They 'BANK' on the fact that you either get exasperated and put the phone down (as I frequently do) or you DIE! To Abbey, you are just an account number and there is NO-ONE in charge who will take responsibility for your complaints or queries. Just checked who has UK call centres - looks like I'm moving to Nat West or First Direct! LET YOUR FEET DO THE TALKING!

Posted by S Kerr on the 14th August 2009

Abbey Weymouth Branch. Stood at the Welcome desk for several minutes while the 3 lady counter staff chatted. I approached them after several minutes... they explained that one reception staff is busy the other on holiday. Why did they sit there and do nothing... service what service?

Posted by Graham on the 13th August 2009

After 10 weeks waiting for a decision, several mistakes on Abbeys part including errors in the valuation, under writing and documents being lost in transit between Abbey departments I am still waiting for a decision. The vendor is talking about pulling out and my broker and estate agent tell me that many other people are being affected by Abbeys delays and incompetence. Do NOT start a mortgage application with Abbey no mater how good the the rates are as you will be waiting for months to get your mortgage offer.

Posted by david barraclough on the 7th August 2009

Abbey National have stolen £300 from my account forcing it into overdraft which prevents me accessing any money! After four hours worth of phone calls and five days after their error they have still NOT refunded my money! They have admitted their error but have done absolutely NOTHING about it!
Avoid them like the plague, they are substandard, greedy and will take your money in a form of legalised theft, I will now have to see solicitors about getting my money back and compensation!

Posted by Sheena Ashby on the 4th August 2009

I have been with abbey for 3 months, despite going into bank each Saturday and numerous phone calls I still can't get my problem sorted. I wish I hadn't opened an account there now.

Posted by geoff on the 3rd August 2009

I thought they would be the best bank for me but I was wrong. They set me my account up and I thought everything was fine and then 4 months later they wanted more id. I gave them it and then they blocked my account and asked for more, yet again I gave them different forms of id from a list they sent me and they are still asking for 2 more before they set my account up again. What's worse is I keep bringing different forms of id and that but they still want more what more can I give them. I've given them my birth certificate, passport, bank statements, bills, medical cards, as I'm under 16 my mum's forms of id as well and still it's not enough. It's ridiculous and they didn't even tell me its blocked they are the worst bank I've been with and as soon as I can I'm closing my account worst bank ever! They have given me the worst experience ever and they had the nerve to tell me not to get angry and I wasn't being helpful, they're rude and don't care about customers.

Posted by ej on the 1st August 2009

THE WORST BANK IN THE WORLD!!
I have had so much trouble with Abbey over the last 6 months after banking with them for over 9 years. I had several counts of fraud followed by the bank failing to send my replacement bank card to the correct address over 5 times, each time I called the bank and told them where to send the card, each person I spoke to claimed to fix the problem BUT it kept occurring. I have since changed banks but now their incompetent switch team have failed to shut down my account leading to unpaid charges for standing orders that have been transferred to my new account over 2 months ago. The Bromley branch staff are so unhelpful, they told me they would sort the problem and failed to contact me back after they said they would and after I had called them and spent an hour in the branch trying to deal with the problem. DO NOT BANK WITH THE ABBEY!!!

Posted by Wendy on the 25th July 2009

In Dec 2008 I was in a bad car accident abroad, broken ankles, legs.... you get the drift, it wasn't my fault. so I phoned Abbey, my savings account, ISA, current and credit accounts are with them 7 months down the road I'm learning how to walk. Last week, July 2009 I receive a letter to tell me my overdraft has been reduced, £500, well that's nothing I hear. Anyway when I spoke to the foreign sounding customer service guy on the phone he said that there was nothing Abbey would do and if I wanted to catch a bus to the city centre and walk the 3/4 mile or so on my crutches and recovering ankles to appeal then that would be fine. Abbey you have all my money and I've been a customer for almost 15 years, I ask for some help and the answer is no... thanks!!!! Luckily I have the internet to open a new account with a helpful bank, I'm sure they'll love to invest my compensation next year.

Posted by chris gilbert on the 25th July 2009

I couldn't agree more with most of the comments re incompetence and lack of basic customer service. I have a somewhat unique view in that I work for them!! and when trying to apply for staff products you get the same treatment, or lack of as the general public. It really is unbelievable, they haven't got a clue what they are doing.

Posted by A Sykes on the 24th July 2009

I got a statement today that said my capital had reduced. But I am on a no risk investment! Not one person at Abbey tried to help me. The reviews have confirmed my worst fears. ON holiday, OUT, on a course and the best one.. she can't be spoken to by customers!!! What!! 5 hours of phone calls. Tomorrow I start again with FSA advice.

Posted by Martin Loades on the 21st July 2009

As usual I have nothing but praise for Santander/Abbey. They are all right in my book. I swapped my 50plus saver over to an E saver Issue 2 last month with no problems and even the interest is being paid in monthly. This is enough to give me a fine income each month despite the fairly low rates - around 2 and a half percent net right now - 2 percent above base rate incidentally, which is a fantastic deal given the circumstances right now. I love Abby/Santander - they are rays of sunshine in an otherwise despicable world. Keep it up Abbey!!! (That's enough sycophancy - Ed)

Posted by Nadia B. Leaveme on the 16th July 2009

Where do I start.... went on s.s.p after an accident at work, could see I was going to struggle financially till back at work. Approached abbey to have a small overdraft set up on my account i.e. £100, which I had calculated would stop any direct debits being returned and stop me incurring bank charges. My request was declined because I had just set up a new account and this would have to run for 3 months before they could give me an overdraft. I explained that this was silly and that my financial need was now... but everything I was saying was met with a scripted reply about abbey procedure. So now 7 months on, luckily I am back at work but caught in an horrific never ending spiral of bank charges costing me 100s that I simply cannot afford when an overdraft would of cost me a far smaller monthly fee. How can this be good banking practice, seems to me that they are cashing in on sitting ducks, i.e people who are going to have pay charges hand over fist to line abbeys unscrupulous pockets. I am in the very slow process of complaining, but it is like wading through glue... very very expensive glue. This is beyond getting my money back now, this is a principle!

Posted by sara sweetman on the 14th July 2009

I have a normal current account with this bank, and my visa was due for renewal at the end of June. Subsequently in the post I received a basic cash card. I telephoned to enquire as to why I had not received another visa card and was informed that my account had been downgraded and that they would only offer me a visa electron card which I was not happy with as they had neglected to inform me that my account had been downgraded, nevertheless I accepted this and awaited my visa electron card. Today on 10th July I went on a shopping trip with a friend and went to use the cashpoint as all I had was this cashcard they had sent me. Subsequently my pin no for my current account did not work. Ok I thought maybe this is a replacement card for my savings account but alas this pin no did not work either.
On my return home I telephoned Abbey to complain and find out what was going on to be informed after spending 45 minutes on hold that a temporary hold had been placed on my account without informing me and that they were unable to inform me over the telephone as to the reason why due to the data protection act, which is laughable as I had telephoned them and gone through the whole security questions scenario. After much wrangling with a foreign lady who was reading off a script and unable to answer any of my questions I was eventually put through to an English person who subsequently put me onhold and then cut me off!!!! After spending over 50 minutes on the telephone with them I am now left unable to access my current account with them on any level and they are telling me at takes 10 to 14 days to issue a new card which I should have had weeks ago!! there was no mention of an apology and no solution offered to my predicament which is entirely their doing!! I am only able to withdraw MY money over the counter at a branch which is not local to me during times which are inconvenient due to my working pattern, and they still unable to tell me why my account has a stop on it and why I have not been issued with a card to access my funds!!
I have not got an overdraft or incurred any fees during my banking history with this company.
I would advise whomever reading this to avoid banking with Abbey or Santander like the plague. I would give them 0 stars but the minimum is 1.

Posted by Clair Weldon on the 10th July 2009

THIS BANK IS AWFUL. I have never experienced this level of incompetency and dishonesty from any organisation before as a customer. I have a flex 0.5% base tracker mortgage for life, which according to the contract is portable. Originally Abbey agreed to a new mortgage for a location move we are making including an increase in the amount borrowed. However, each time it has been to the underwriters a new condition has been attached or request for more info. They even demanded that to give the mortgage I had applied for and was initially offered I had to lower my pension payments, to show I could afford the mortgage in a 'worst case interest rate' scenario. Having done so... they have found another reason to justify I can't afford it.
They have taken weeks to review my application and the people you speak to on the phone never call back when they say they will. The tactics are clearly to get out of keeping the contracted mortgage I have, but rather than say that uprfront they have wasted hours of my time and thus money in the process. This is not prudent risk management (why compare my current spending when I'm paying a interest rate of 1% with a scenario with rates at 7%? Clearly in such circumstances I'd not spend as much on non essentials).

I also have the pleasure of dealing with Santander as a client of my company. They show exactly the same levels of dishonest incompetence at senior levels in the bank.... right up to the COO. They may be successful at the moment, but it will be shortlived... they are prime for a fall. If you happen to be an investor SELL now... I assure you it is not a good long term investment!

Posted by Simon on the 6th July 2009

Zero stars for them. After taking over and ruining National+Provincial in the 90's I thought I was well rid by moving to the Bradford + Bingley. Sadly 2008 and they buy it over, they are like my stalker. Closed my accounts but they have written to all my direct debit companies switching me to the non-existent Abbey account I would have got! I hate them with a passion and I won't even use their cash machines because I trust them so little. Avoid at all cost.

Posted by Archie McVicar on the 3rd July 2009

I have to agree that the Abbey is quite simply the worst bank in the known universe, their incompetence scales heights that would dizzy an astronaut. I have an account that I check very rarely and it appears that they have taken almost a £1000 in charges over a years period. I called and after entering conversational cul-de-sac for the best part of an hour with there exotic call centre I was informed that there was a debit set up for £1000 each month the debit was to go to some account number that I had never heard off and as there was never enough to cover this the applied charges on a monthly basis of £25 and £35! They informed me that they thought it was fraud and would get back to me....

....two weeks later no contact so I called again, eventually I was told that my original request had not been dealt with (it seems they had simply put the phone down and forgotten about it!), they then informed me that last August they had a computer error that had set up random debits on peoples accounts and mine was one of them (warning bells, would it not have been an idea to write to there customers asking them to be vigilant in case it affected there account? no they didn't...).

I was told they would write to me about this and that all the charges would be refunded and a goodwill payment would be made.....

...two weeks later no progress so once I finish this epic tome I will once again I fear be forced to enter that familiar cul-de-sac (I will also pay for this experience with my phone bill to there customer support department) support??!! I could cry.

Something needs to be done about this shoddy outfit. I would not trust them with a paper stand. Someone, some governing body, please please please take there license to trade away. If you don't want a heart attack don't bank with them clowns please. Nothing more to add so off to that cul-de-sac again, oh deep joy. If I could enter minus stars in the rating it would fill the heavens.

Posted by Paul on the 3rd July 2009

Switched in April from Nationwide. Was promised that my overdraft would be matched. It wasn't. I went to the branch twice to no avail. Sent documents to the underwriters on three occasions and still no overdraft sorted out. Total incompetence. Then they charged me £35 for a payment which was not fulfilled due to the fact I thought I had an overdraft which matched my old one. Still no solution in sight.

Posted by John on the 30th June 2009

Abbey are the WORST bank I have ever dealt with. This bank should have gone bust before Northern Rock, I am disgusted how this failed operation even calls itself a bank. My issue stems from the joke of a system in place for cheque clearance times. I have recently been subject to depositing cheques in my bank account, and for some absurd reason, having to wait up to 14 days before I can withdraw the money. I am fuming because each Abbey employee gives me some story about the cheque clearance procedure. None of the staff know what they are talking about, they give you incorrect information, and as a result, you pay the price. Because they mislead me into the cheque clearance times, I trusted the cheque would be able to honour my direct debits when low and behold the cheque doesn't clear and I get fined by the abbey for failed direct debits. I wouldn't have minded but the cheque had been in my account for 7 working days and still hadn't been honoured, despite the fact that I knew it was guaranteed to clear. After 12 working days, I could finally withdraw from the cheque. But guess what? the same thing has happened again, I stormed into abbey fuming, only to be told by the branch manager that the cheque would clear by the 6th working day, and that it hadn't been put under extended clearance, 2 days later, it still has not cleared, and than I am told it has been put under extended clearance. What kind of a bank is this? As a result I am yet again without money for over 7 working days (excl. weekends). The staff can barely speak English, they do not understand and none of the staff have been properly trained with cheque clearance times.

Abbey should buck their ideas up, I have since applied at Barclays for an account, goodbye Abbey and good riddance!

Posted by Daniel Foley on the 22nd June 2009

Contrary to popular opinion I would just like to say I've had some good dealings with Abbey recently. I had some monies in a 50plus account the interest of which was negligible. I found out that the e saver issue 2 gave a 2 percent interest. Not great I'll grant, but comparable with any other instant access savings account. Anyway I did the transaction over the phone with a guy called Martin (on the savings phone number) and it went very smoothly. He explained it all so even a moron like me could understand. I now have three accounts and am able to swap monies between all of them with no trouble. And all this done in about 5 minutes with a phone call. Although it has to be said when I tried to set up a new account last year it was fraught with trouble. Perhaps they've got their act together now - at least in the savings department.

Posted by basil on the 16th June 2009

I've had a very bad experience with Abbey and they have yet to manage to not be able to astonish me with their incompetence. It has taken me 5 months to get them to change my overdraft level. I switched from Lloyds TSB and in their ad they promise to match your old overdraft level and give you an interest free overdraft. In practice it's been different.
I've given them documents three times, visited the branch many times. Had the underwrites put the overdraft on then take it off without telling the branch. They still haven't got it right, they haven't put the overdraft on that I requested and haven't given me the interest free overdraft that was promised.

As soon as i can recover my costs from them or have the complaint upheld from the ombudsman, i'm going back to Lloyds.

ABBEY DONT UNDERSTAND CUSTOMER SERVICE OR PERSONNAL BANKING.

Posted by andrew Berry on the 3rd June 2009

There seems to be nowhere on the website of Abbey National credit card or Abbey accounts to report a website error. I don't want to ring (at my expense) and wait for a operator who does not know what I am on about. Basically I want to change my password, which I can do online and when I try I get an error which is in Spanish: "Lo sentimos, hubo un error mientras se realizaba la operación."
Of course I can put it in babel fish and get a rough translation but feel that British customers should see errors in English not Spanish. This is a coding error in the website so I need to report it as a website technical error. Very poor Abbey as you should have error feedback!!!

Posted by leslie Norton on the 30th May 2009

Awful service, awful complaints department who have told ME to call THEM back to check on the progress of my complaint, I've never heard of anything so absurd. When I asked whether I would receive a letter or a reference number, I was told no! I'm in the process of transferring all my accounts to Barclays. The service in branch is even worse, I never get seen by anyone and they always seem to be understaffed. Poorly organised and managed bank...

Posted by k harold on the 21st May 2009

Dealing with this institution will push you to the very edge of sanity, the worst banking experience I have ever had, appalling at every point of interaction with them. If I had time on my hands, I would start a national campaign to have them closed down. Avoid at all costs. I tried to leave 'no stars' as a rating but the computer said no.

Posted by siobhan hapaska on the 18th May 2009

After three years of continual poor service from Abbey and numerous complaints, I would like to know - to whom does one complain about the appalling service from their Complaints Department?

Posted by Richard Ayres on the 16th May 2009

I had a standing order set up with Abbey that clearly stated that the payment frequency was annual, and due to be paid in April each year. Abbey sent the payment in April, which was fine because that was what the standing order stated. However, they also sent the payment again in May. I checked the standing order online and found that Abbey had set it up as a monthly payment - despite the fact the original standing order clearly stated it was to be paid annually. I telephoned the company that the standing order was in favour of, and they confirmed that it should be an annual payment. I amended the standing order online, and Abbey sent the same payment yet again! I have phoned Abbey about this and apparently it's going take them two weeks to read the original standing order instruction, to confirm that it was an annual payment, and then refund the money. I think it's a ridiculous amount of time and now I'm out of pocket due to their incompetence and inability to distinguish between 'annual' and 'monthly'. I guess the moral of the story is to check the payment frequency of new standing orders, in case they make a mistake, because it seems they really don't care whether their customers are out of pocket or not.

Posted by Sue Milnthorpe on the 8th May 2009

I have power of attorney with my mums affairs, wanted to invest a large sum of money due to this fifty grand government safe banking plan. I rang the local branch, asked what paperwork they required for my appointment, turned up on the day. As mum and myself each had ISA with them and all the court paperwork thought this will be easy. Spread all info on the desk, but no, mums annual gov. pension statement out of date by a week. `You need this latest statement for us to proceed, make another appointment` it all seemed to be a game. I walked to Barclays bank twenty minutes later, job done. I thought banks where short of cash?

Posted by arthur turner on the 7th May 2009

Letter dated April invited me to ring 0845 7654321, this is no longer a valid number and you should now ring 0845 9724724. They can't help, if you want to talk about your savings, you should ring 0800 174635. Unless you have at least £1000 in your account they insist that you ring another number. I didn't bother to take it down. The Abbey used to be a good bank. What's gone wrong? Almost an ex customer.

Posted by joy woodward on the 27th April 2009

The worst bank in the world by far!!! I will not go into the 8 months of hell I have gone, but I have come to the conclusion that we all have to start voting with our feet and leave Abbey (as I have done). If we all banked with other institutions, they will soon have to do something about their appalling service.

Posted by Very angry customer on the 23rd April 2009

I opened a current account with Abbey last September. Too late I was warned about their terrible admin and general lack of care for customers. Now I know what my friend was talking about. Not a month goes by without there being a problem with my account or credit card account. I will not ring them again but write only to Branch manager. At least I got a reply in less than 2 weeks that way about my complaints.
Recent problem gave me high blood pressure. Talking to a foreign gentleman about it got me nowhere as usual but he said I would have to pay a fee for copies of cheques and I would have to go to my branch to sort the mess out. I said no way, the bank do that and NO FEES! I used to think Lloyds bank were the worst but Abbey is a close second. I am not sure I can keep my money with Abbey. Maybe they are not in the news much and seem to be doing well but having read just a handful of the reviews here I know that Abbey have got it all wrong. Customers don't count. Their admin is awful, complaints take for ever to be answered let alone dealt with and I feel I cannot trust them to look after my money after nearly £2000 was transferred to the wrong account. Still waiting for it to come back to the right one. Will I get my interest I wonder?????
DISGRUNTLED

Posted by VERY UNHAPPY on the 12th April 2009

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME SITUATION!

After applying, being accepted, receiving my mortgage certificate for my first house, I reserved my house (cost), I paid solicitors fees (cost), paid for searches (cost), family bought furnishings, I notified my friend that he was able to move in and he got the ball rolling,I organised home and buildings insurances etc. etc. They then took the product off the market that I'd been accepted for. No problem, I thought, my application was in well in time before then, how can I get confirmed for a mortgage which doesn't exist? Fine. Not fine. After taking the product off the market they then stated I know you won't like this too many mortgage brokers and hence customers that they would not be honouring any offers that they had made and were in the system already.

Due to my circumstances (good job but no deposit and shared equity of 85/15 with the builders) there are NO other products now available to me. I cannot buy the house I have reserved, my first house, the house my parents have expressed are proud to see me buying and moving into. I am £thousands down and have to let down a dear friend.

I am absolutely appalled.

I want the product which they sold to me and gave me certification for. I have absolutely no doubt that I will recover all expenditure that I have incurred on the basis of their confirmation as I will take it as far as it needs to go, starting with the small claims court. To add to the actions the courtesy has been poor, they have NOT contacted me directly, I heard it through my broker despite them having all of my details. I am left poorer than I was with a commitment to buy a house from a builder that I now cannot fulfill. All I want is to move into my first house, pay my mortgage every month at their rates, on their terms making them a massive profit but they've decided they don't want to do it any more and have been completely, unnecessarily wreckless and inconsiderate to customers who are wanting to be good willing customers. I am failing to express my annoyance and frustration properly via text. I am currently formulating an email to Antonio Osorio who is a top top big wig and I will CC to any other emails that I can get my hands on too. I find this completely unacceptable. This is my very first dealing with Abbey.

Posted by Andrew James French on the 2nd April 2009

My wife and I each opened an ISA account with Abbey and filled out the relevant forms for a balance transfer at the end of November. It is now April and after about ten phone calls to the HSBC and Abbey only my wife's balance has been transferred about a week ago. Abbey are saying they have asked HSBC numerous times for the funds and HSBC say that they have not received a request from Abbey. We have lost interest through no fault of our own. I am now pulling my hair out. What can I do?

Posted by H.J.Hall on the 1st April 2009

It's a relief to hear other comments, I was beginning to think it was just me. Having had to pay me back £500 in unfair charges, they are simply starting to do it again. They've retained my card for no reason, and are caught out lying about a bounced cheque. The staff seem almost contemptuous when I ask for explanations, and despite my trying to act properly, am made to feel that it is me who is doing something wrong. They will not allow me to close my account, furthermore, until an incorrect charge is paid, so either way they gain my money and I can do absolutely nothing.

Posted by Janice on the 27th March 2009

Well, dealing with customers' complaints really does not seem to be a strong point for Abbey now does it? In fact dealing with customers seems to be a real issue generally... nothing to do with the Spanish bank owning them I'm afraid. Abbey appear to be so out of control now, forgetting that they are looking after our money, not theirs. I have banked with them for over 18 years. I hope NATHAN BOSTOCK reads these comments (it is his job afterall) and I hope that more people will leave their gripes and experiences on this site-all in 1 place really does have more of a resonance. I am about to start phase 3 of my complaint but really do hold no hope... the 1st leg of my particular marathon began when calling Sheffield call centre where I was met with cries from the operator of no missy no, pleeeeze don't complain! The same operator did not even know what the date was (no really! that is not a joke!) and took 30 minutes to cancel 1 simple DD. Yet I was required to impart all of my personal information to a person with an extremely broad African accent that I had no confidence in who had access to all my confidential information. The supervisor was overheard to say, No I won't speak to the customer just to confirm the transaction. Be firm with the customer! After further conversation with the advisor where I tried to be transferred to the supervisor the phone was slammed down on me. Flabbergasted at the lack of customer service I had experienced and seriously concerned that I had called a non reputable site and that I would now be the victim of fraud, I logged a complaint with Abbey on 0845 600 6014 - if anyone is planning to do this - don't bother - the guy who handled my complaint was clearly asleep. I was given a reference number - HEY ABBEY! It's 1013277 if you are interested.... and told that my complaint would be investigated and that I would hear in writing within 5 working days... ok, is that real time? Maybe Abbey's working days are a little different...

Posted by stephanie on the 26th March 2009

We are business account holders and have had nothing but trouble with Abbey. In that time we have been paid compensation on 3 occasions. However we have had to complain again .... Since December last year we have been unable to view statements on line ie any transactions. How can anyone run a business without this information? Well Abbey think we can. Like everyone else we have called, written, complained to Ombudsman but still no one will give us what we want. So for four months now we have to rely on monthly statements or getting the details of last 10 transactions from the ATM. They ask us to be patient!! Well, I am afraid my patience has long gone and we are changing banks. They are totally useless and cannot be recommended. Shabby Abbey. I don't want to give them any rating.

Posted by Bev on the 24th March 2009

If you have a complaint speak to Nicola Barrott. She's great. She'll take care of it.
Not that I've had many complaints with Abbey. Slight snag transferring from e saver to 50plus but Nicola sorted it out.
When do you ever hear of Abbey in the news with problems? So far - never. They run a tight ship that's why. Bless 'em.

Posted by Asa Newt on the 19th March 2009

Hi All, can anyone out there help? Can we get an online petition going to send to Abbey and the press? Just a list of names and towns/cities of people who would like some sort of investigation (and not by the Financial Ombudsman) into how Abbey gets away with consistent incompetence, consistent disorganisation, consistent maladministration, consistent rudeness and ignorance, consistent refusal to address the consistent complaints made over the past few years by its customers????

Something has to be done with Abbey. How can so many banks be falling and Abbey is still standing? Our family is now on its 4th formal complaint with Abbey. Two of the family used to bank with Abbey but have now transferred to other banks - not without nervous breakdowns. One member used to work for Abbey in Unsecured Loans but resigned due to the embarrassment of being asked at parties, events, etc 'Where do you work'?

This is the 3rd time I've left a message here. The problem I recorded 3 Nov 08 and 11 Jan 09 has STILL not been resolved. I won't go over all the hassle again as its pretty much the same as you've all been describing (I'm now a banking expert as for the last 8 months, I've had to learn how to do all the procedures myself as Abbey can't quite manage it). I thought 8 months was an appalling time for this but having read through every complaint here, I realise that this is the NORM for Abbey.

I agree with all of the previous complaints and have told the Complaints Team at Abbey this verbally and in writing. We have been through the incredible gobbledegook spewed forth from the Bangalore Call Centre staff who hang up when cornered. We have endured phone calls and letters from the Complaints Team who a) apologise profusely for all we've been through b) empathise with how frustrated we all must be feeling and c) re-list all our complaints - without a word of how they're going to IMPROVE upon and implement staff training.

Interestingly, in the phone call to me from the Complaints Team regarding my own complaint, Abbey admitted that it used foreign call centres because they were cheap and would NOT be changing this as few of its customers had ever complained about language barriers. I was the one at fault apparently because I come from Northern Ireland and its call centre staff have a problem understanding all the Ulster accents - more so than in any other part of the UK! The other admission was that not all Abbey staff had received proper training in the new and immensely complicated Santander IT system. Most depts were still trying to get to grips with it, and this was to explain why staff were unable to process requests and perform procedures with the skills of yesteryear! Bless. Funny how many organisations have radically developed or changed IT systems and been able to train hundreds of staff within months, not years.

Having talked to Abbey staff at length, I've come to the conclusion that Abbey are deliberately as thick as two short planks. After all, the staff still get paid the same salary at the end of the month for making errors or not. Why make an effort? What can we, the customer do? Phone calls - those that get through - are not returned. It's not that person's/department's responsibility when you do get through - and they can't transfer you because they don't have an outside line (yes, really!). Complaints to the Complaints Dept are FINALLY answered with a phone call apologising and empathising like there's no tomorrow. But they don't deliver - NOTHING CHANGES. I'm applying for a job in the Complaints Dept as the salary for doing damn all would be absolutely fantastic in this uncertain world.

So far, we have written to the Financial Ombudsman's Office which is only now being looked at (3 months later) due to the backlog of complaints - probably from Abbey customers. we also wrote to the Financial Services Authority who advised that it cannot deal with individual cases and referred us to the Office of Fair Trading who advised same and suggested we try the online Consumer Direct who advised us to try the Financial Ombudsman! Likewise the NI Trading Standards Authority! I've written to my local MP and letters to the editors of two of the largest papers in Northern Ireland. I've told Richard Harris, Head of Customer Complaints all of this. No reply. I'm expecting my apology and empathy phone call soon. I try not to phone these creatures as I end up swearing and shrieking down the phone like a banshee. I'm appalled at how primal I become but unless you are a customer of Abbey's you cannot possibly understand the depths you can sink to in dealing with this tribe - they are truly a breed apart. That's why I would like to take it as far as I can.

Posted by dh on the 17th March 2009

Hi Everyone, I hope your getting a better service than me from your bank(s), because I can tell that Abbey is by far, the WORST BANK EVER IN THE HISTORY OF BANKING! I'm a business customer, but if you're thinking of going to Abbey just because the banking is free, think again! My problem started approximately 3 years ago when I moved location. Although my business is registered on the Royal Mail database, Abbey follow their own address management system which has proved by my experience to be totally inadequate. Believe it or not, they just change your address whenever they feel like it! You'll then phone up, (probably by the time other business or neighbours have returned your mail and that's if you're lucky) to advise the useless customer service operator of the problem, they'll then apologize as if it's going out of fashion, you'll then say thank you for sorting out the problem, only to have to go and do it all over again, because the useless customer service operator didn't process the enquiry. Then, you'll have to phone up again and again and again and again.... for the problem to not be rectified. This doesn't only rest on your address, it could be the ordering of cheque books, cards and simple paying in envelopes. From my experience, they do NOTHING WITH ANY COMPETENCY OR CARE OR CONSIDERATION.

You're probably wondering, 'why don't you just leave?' Well, loyalty is a big thing when it comes to business. I've grown up with the bank and yes, the time has come to move on, but not before I let the world know how incompetent the staff at Abbey really are! They simply don't care enough. Good luck with your banking and remember VOICE your opinions. If we all do this, it may help them to run a tighter ship!

Posted by R James on the 12th March 2009

As I had to cancel my visa card the other day for personal reasons, today I've been required by my branch to give proof of identity to withdraw money from my bank account, but when I produced my passport, they said that wasn't proof enough and asked for an utility bill as well. The lady at the counter also asked me about my date of birth, which is in my passport, and my name, which can also be found in it. I am not going to give any more details, but just to say that I had a nervous break down when I came back home. If I don't understand it, I just cannot have it.

Posted by george on the 10th March 2009

Well well, interest rates go down to 0.5%, what does Abbey do with its credit card rates?... up from 16.9% to 21.9%!!! Either they don't want your business or they are trying to fleece the people that stay with them. My business is off to Natwest and I advise anyone else with an Abbey card to do something similar!

Posted by Steve Daulby on the 8th March 2009

I went to Abbey ATM machine to withdraw my wages, it gave me my receipt but no money came out. I went to manager, basically she told me to phone ATM people then they told me to phone someone else, they told me to wait 24 hours and I'd get the money back, wasn't true. In the end I went back to manager who told me they would give me a temporary overdraft and that it would take half hour, it didn't. When I went back she said by the end of the day, she knew I had no food electric or money to get to work, it was all my wages. Now I've been told it will take 7-10 working days to get money back if it shows up that it never paid, can they do that ? Me and partner have two young children and really need that money, I can't even get to work, what can I do?

Posted by david blanchard on the 1st March 2009

Abbey? The best bank (by far) around at the moment. Ten out of ten. The fact they are the only bank never in the news speaks volumes. Well done Abbey!

Posted by Sue E. Sidal on the 26th February 2009

The worst customer service i have ever experienced! I wont go into details as it has all already been said but just thought this may ease a bit of the frustration when phoning them.

I have a freephone number for them
0800 056 5151

Use it, pass it on and above all else get your money out of the hands of this utterly appalling bank and spread the word.

They do not deserve any customers.

Posted by sue on the 3rd February 2009

I have banked with N&P and subsequently Abbey since I was 16. I will be 60 in June. I called in at the Keighley branch on Saturday and was absolutely appalled at the reaction of their staff. I wanted to transfer some money from an account with them to an account in the Co-operative bank. I was told there would be a charge of £25 for this. I was asked to go an see a staff member in the entrance. She tutted at my request, said she was on her own and didn't think she could do it ... she would have to see if someone could take over from her and cover. There was no-one else waiting at the time! When she finally decided she would do the transfer she asked me for i.d. I produced my work's i.d. complete with name, photograph etc. She said that was no good, it would have to be a passport or a driving licence. I asked what was wrong with my i.d. She said you can't travel on it. I said I didn't want to travel on it (unless travelling between one village and another in the U.K. now required you to have a passport! I said I wanted my money to travel between one of my accounts to another in my name! She asked why I was offended because she'd asked me for i.d. I said because it was my money and she wouldn't accept the perfectly valid i.d. I had produced. She said (in a very offhand manner) This is to protect your money. I said I didn't think any of the bank customers appreciated having their money so well protected even they couldn't get at it. She suggested I went back to the first counter and queued again and withdrew the money I needed and took it to the Co-operative bank myself!! So where is the logic in that? You can withdraw money or have a cheque made out to yourself without a passport, but should you want to transfer money you need a passport?!! All of this would have been just about excusable if she had at least tried to be helpful and thought of alternatives to assist me to access my money. Her attitude caused me to leave the bank feeling like a cross between a dimwit and a felon and so wound up I could have been Victor Meldrew's sister!!! I am now going in to the bank this week (armed with my passport I hasten to add) to withdraw my money and will carry on doing so until there is no money left in my account. I am finding a bank where I feel valued as a customer. Staying with the bank for over 40 years, being a loyal customer, obviously holds no sway. What are elderly people supposed to produce, if they have never driven, and don't hold a valid passport? I have since heard horror stories from other people. The parents of someone I know wanted to transfer some money from an Abbey account to invest in an ISA with Abbey and to do so were told they had to produce either a driving licence or a valid passport. They had let their passports lapse due to illhealth, not been able to travel abroad, and the lady had never driven so didn't have a driving licence. it was suggested they should pay the £80 to renew their passports (even though they would never use them for travel) just to have the privilege of investing in an ISA! At this rate there will be no customers left and the rude, offensive, inconsiderate and poor communicators masquerading as counter staff will be out of a job.

Posted by Anne Arana on the 27th January 2009

Here is the complete history of my complaint with Abbey.
Someone has used my card details to make an unusual ~2000 purchase
and Abbey have not given me a response about what is happening despite numerous emails, phonecalls and letters. I have written to the complaints department 3 times now. Almost a month has past now.
I'd love to appear on It Pays to Watch with my problems perhaps someone would take notice. I'm sure I could get the afternoon off work to go on the show.

27/02/2008 - Three transactions for 1.50 were applied to my account for ****Details Ommitted*** only one of which completed
I was ill at home on the 27/02/2008 and have never been to ****Details Ommitted***. This was not one of my transactions. This unusual activity was not reported.

01/03/2008 - I rang customer services to check my account but the system was down. Otherwise I may have spotted the first fraudulent transaction.

07/03/2008 - A purchase of 1947.00 was applied to my account for ****Details Ommitted*** I was at work all day in Reading and at my badminton club in the evening on 07/03/2008. This was clearly not my transaction. Who buys nearly 2000 of ****Details Ommitted***? Why wasn't this flagged up as fraud straight away? This is far removed from my spending pattern of mainly supermarket spending and it is almost the same as my monthly salary.

09/03/2008 - I rang customer services to check a transaction that I wanted to check the previous week. This was ok but the customer representative mentioned this huge transaction. They were helpful and cancelled the card straight away. She gave me the fraud department number as 08456017238 on Monday . I was appalled that the fraud department does not operate 24/7.

10/03/2008 - I rang 08456017238 and was directed through various departments to an automated system for dealing with disputed transactions. Correctly giving the responses to the questions led me to be cut off. I rang again later and eventually got through to a person in disputed transactions who said I would receive a form in 4 days.

13/03/2008 - I emailed Abbey saying that no form had arrived.

15/03/2008 - I contacted the police who were very helpful crime ref ****Details Ommitted***

18/03/2008 - I rang Abbey. I was bounced from current accounts to credit card customer services, fraud department, Visa disputes, Visa credit card disputes. I was told that only the disputed transactions department could deal with me. When I got through to disputed transactions they wanted to bounce me back to the people who said they could not deal with me. The customer advisor took my mobile number and said he would ring me back in 10 minutes. I have had no call from Abbey. On the same day I also received the letter regarding my complaint ref ****Details Ommitted*** saying that it would take another 15 days to get an answer.

19/03/2008 - I rang the given number 01908 680227 regarding my complaint ref****Details Ommitted***. I still could not get any information about when I would receive the promised disputed transaction forms.
21/03/2008 - I received my monthly statement including the fraudulent translations. They even had the gall to include the 'With the Abbey Credit Card you money is safe' leaflet. None of which has been put into practice.
I have received no information about the progress of the investigation and only an acknowlegdment of my letter of complaint.

Posted by Mariegriffiths on the 22nd January 2009

I wnt to abbey to deposite change that got collected over the time. It was in total £4, In stead of crediting my account with this money - it was debitted. I lost £8. Wrote to abbey complaint about this nothing happened. They did not send me any thing that they have received my complaint. I sent a second letter so far nothing has happened.
Also some one fraulently taken over £2000 from my account. I have made at least 10 phone calls and three letters and nothing has happened so far. I am thinking of closing my all accounts with abbey

Posted by A Gaur on the 22nd January 2009

I wnt to abbey to deposite change that got collected over the time. It was in total £4, In stead of crediting my account with this money - it was debitted. I lost £8. Wrote to abbey complaint about this nothing happened. They did not send me any thing that they have received my complaint. I sent a second letter so far nothing has happened.
Also some one fraulently taken over £2000 from my account. I have made at least 10 phone calls and three letters and nothing has happened so far. I am thinking of closing my all accounts with abbey

Posted by A Gaur on the 22nd January 2009

It's funny. Check all the other banks forum websites and nobody has a good word to say about any of them. I don't have major problems with Abbey personally. And yes, I daresay with the credit crisis it will get to the point where we have to pay the banks to look after our money. Oh dear, I'm so depressed!! heh heh.

Posted by Theodore Sturgeon on the 22nd January 2009

I have very recently been a victim of phishing on my Abbey online savers account. I immediately rang Abbey and asked for new password and registration number which they did send me but as it was a Sunday I was told I had to wait till the next day to get my card number changed. I phoned on the Monday, having checked that all my money was still in my account, and then asked the woman to invalidate my present card and send me another one with a new number. She also assured me that even though I had clicked on one of those links in a fraudulent email, nobody could now access my account as I had changed all my details. A few days later I received, in the same post, the new card with EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER as the old one so it was not invalidated at all and also a letter from the Abbey saying that virtually all my savings had been taken fraudulently from my accounts. Obviously I have now contacted their Fraud Dept. I know I was stupid to click on the link but how come, once I had immediately had my password and registration changed, fraudsters then still got into my account? On that Monday morning, nothing had been taken - but by 15.35 on the same afternoon, it had.

Posted by Sarah on the 20th January 2009

I logged our complaint on this site 3 Nov 08 and guess what - it's been 7 months since contacting Abbey for a top-up loan and they still haven't been able to process this correctly. THERE IS NO MEMBER OF STAFF OR DEPARTMENT IN ABBEY THAT IS CAPABLE OF PERFORMING A SINGLE DUTY CORRECTLY. They do not communicate from one dept to the next, they do not communicate between staff in the same dept. A member of my family used to work for them and she said that they frequently put down the phones and put their head in their hands they were so ashamed of the mistakes made by depts that they had to deal with, the general disorganisation, the mess made by the takeover by Santander leaving computer systems in disarray and staff not properly trained, and what they were being forced to say to customers by stressed out managers simply to get them off the phone.

After nearly 30 calls and 2 visits to local Abbey branch, we only discovered that the Complaints Team do not actually deal with your complaint until it is LOGGED OFFICIALLY IN WRITING BY YOU, THE CUSTOMER. They just listened for weeks to our telephoned complaints, making soothing noises and promising to look into it. After 3 full months of this, we eventually sent a short email (previous emails to Abbey's website crashed) and it took Abbey a fortnight to reply by email to say they'd look into it. Heard nothing, so wrote a 9 page letter and contacted Financial Ombudsman who asked us to give Abbey 2 months to resolve complaint now they had it in writing. 2 months have passed, and Abbey has been unable to sort out the mess that has resulted in my relative's credit rating being affected. Their designated Complaints Officer for our case, states that our case is extremely unusual for Abbey and that is why they are having trouble coming to some sort of solution!!! An apology was made re our complaint about foreign call centres, stating that it was in Abbey's interests to keep costs down by employing foreign staff and they would not be changing this. It was also admitted that after Santander took over, there are still areas where training still has to be carried out as some depts are still not caught up with the new systems. And of course, we, the customer, are paying the price.

My family have done nothing but torn our hair out for the past 6 months and we don't think that Abbey will ever be able to sort out the mess they've made with my relative's account. It is beyond belief but they are the worst organisation we have ever had to deal with in all our lives.

Posted by DH on the 11th January 2009

Fradulent transactions on credit card not refunded. Error taking DD. Customer service very poor - they don't seem to keep proper records. Beware!

Posted by Nick on the 6th January 2009

Abbey Credit Card
I have been in dispute for almost 2 years with Abbey Credit Card over late payment and interest charges they applied to my account after failing to apply the direct debit in full each month that I requested when setting up the account. I repaid in full all amounts spent on the card and the balance they claim outstanding is for late payment and interest charge thereon.
I made dozens of phone calls and sent many letters and finally refered the matter to the financial Ombudsman a few months ago. The case is still under their consideration.
I continue to get harassing letters and phone calls (normally around 7pm in the evening ) even although they are aware that the matter is with the Financial Ombudsman. I have informed their collection Dept by phone and letter and still the harassing call and letters threatening my credit score continue!
The final Insult.
On 24th Dec 08 Abbey Credit Card deducted £32.96 from my Abbey Bank E-Saver account without any authority from me or notice to me.
This is fraudulent and amounts to theft!
I have written to Abbey Bank (copies to Financial ombudsman) lets see what happens.
Hopefully there are better banks than Abbey out there as their help line are useless even when you manage to get through to them.
Stephen

Posted by Stephen Croft on the 26th December 2008

Abbey are awful. Two fixed saver accounts have been messed up beyond belief. The so-called financial advisor is useless, I got charged interest for going overdrawn when I was very much in credit and I have a regular disappearing direct debit. Oh and there was also the fraudulent transaction as well which meant I lost access to my internet banking, only to discover another round of incompetence in my bank account when I got back online again. Bank elsewhere, Abbey are dreadful!

Posted by Carrie on the 22nd December 2008

I had the exact same experience as Tom on the 8th December 2008. Today I withdraw all my money except a couple of hundred of pounds just in case. It is unbelievable.

Posted by SandraF on the 19th December 2008

what are customers doing in abbey? its not the same abbey anymore. its a greedy and ruthless spanish bank. customer have a choice to bank elsewhere the easy way or bank elsewhere the hard way after abbey get them too. the staff are underpaid and unhappy.

Posted by john on the 15th December 2008

Many weeks ago I reported a fraudulent transaction from my esaver account. I have called many, many times. Like Mr Birbeck below, I've been passed around numerous operators on several occasions. I have had the phone put down on me 3 times as well. One Abbey customer operator was so frustrated at trying to connect me with someone who would help that he advised me to go to my local branch and 'make a nuisance of myself' until someone could give me an answer to my enquiry. On top of that, I've sent two letters to their complaints department , still no response. I wouldn't trust Abbey with a piggy bank, let alone anything else. I couldn't recommend them to anyone, they're worse than useless. I've had to give a 1 star rating in order to post this but actually I would rate them 0/5

Posted by VG, Lincoln on the 11th December 2008

I spent over a month trying to open a Fixed Rate Reward Saver at 5% gross with a 1% bonus if balance remained untouched after 12 months. When eventually I received the certificate the rate had dropped to 4% with no bonus. I tried to contact Abbey to no avail. I have accounts with Nationwide, HSBC, Leeds and Birmingham Midshires but Abbey is by far the worse. Owing to the difficulties encountered with them Iam closing my accounts with them. If you are thinking of opening an account or are applying for a mortgage with Abbey, my advice to you is DON'T, you have been warned!!

Posted by A H Williams on the 11th December 2008

I applied to open a Fixed Rate Reward Saver account early November 2008, the interest rate at the time was 5% gross with a 1% reward bonus after 1 year. The account was not branch based and I applied over the telephone, although I had other accounts with Abbey I was asked to provide evidence of identity in the form of a photocopy of my passport. The documentation was sent off and about a week later I received a letter from them telling me that they couldn't open a INSTANT ACCESS SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!! because I already had one. I rang Abbey and spoke with a supervisor who advised me that an error had been made and that it would be corrected. As interest rates had fallen meanwhile I asked if they would honour the date my original application had been received, I was assured that they would as the error was theirs. I received the correct documentation this morning and guess what? The rate of interest I was given is 4% with no bonus. I rang to express my concern and for an explanation. I would have had more success had I spoken with my Border Collie, needless to say I am closing my accounts with Abbey. I have accounts with Nationwide, Birmingham Midshires, and Leeds. This best of these is undoubtedly Birmingham Midshires, the worst without a shadow of a doubt is Abbey. Anyone thinking of opening an account with Abbey or applying for a mortgage with Abbey, DON'T, also check out other Banks and Building Societies that are soon going to come under the Santander Group as it is likely that they will also fall into the same category POOR!!!!!

Posted by A H Williams on the 10th December 2008

in the last few weeks abbey has been saying that internet banking will be changing. and today the 8th dec 2008. it would ask for new security details and these would need to be used when loging on to my business account. prior to this happening i was getting e mails that look like abbey asking for details. i was concerned phoned abbey and was told not to give any information away and that it is a scam! so when i get onto abbey after the supposed change, i put all new details in and now i cant opperate my account. so therefore unable to pay any of my suppliers as i cant transfer any money! I called them twice and have been left on the phone for ages and in the end had to hang up. now i get a message saying that thier web site may have expired or not yet valid! if i go over drawn on my account because they dont answer the phone or cant get on thier web site they will charge me over £30 each time!

Posted by Tom on the 8th December 2008

IMPORTANT: Do you have cash in Abbey? GET IT OUT NOW! Don't ask me why - just do it NOW.

Posted by David Lawrence on the 22nd November 2008

Yes Abbey. So far so good with interest rates. It appears that as of 21st Nov they havn't cut rates much, if at all for savers anyway. Stick with Abbey? You know it makes sense.

Posted by will buckley on the 21st November 2008

Just to say hae now spent nearly a month trying to open an account that is supposed to take 5 days from receipt of identification. The usual storey, over a dozen calls to to (so called) customer serices, staff say they will call you back & don't, tell you different things, my identification has been lost - twice! - I've been in to the local branch - twice! - to try to talk to someone & at present am waiting for a line manager to call me but not holding my breath. In all, very bad serice & not an isolated incident. Anyone recommend a decent bank?

Posted by Robert Birbeck on the 21st November 2008

I recently took a flexible mortgage out with Abbey. However 2 months later I received a letter stating that the house prices in my area have dropped so much so that they needed to steal 20K out of the savings account I was using to offset the mortgage. This was done with *no* prior consultation as well as after my repeated positive queries as to whether I would be able to draw on this money to pay my 07 tax bill. They claim this was done across the board however is does seem odd that house prices dropped the exact amount it would take them to clean out my savings and that it happened 1 week after I deposited the money into the account. Please be warned!!!! DO NOT PLACE ANY MONEY IN AN ABBEY FLEXIBLE MORTGAGE.

Posted by Jay Coley on the 10th November 2008

On Monday I tried to send an urgent transfer to Ireland. Queued for 30 mins and told I would have to make an appointment and the next one was Thursday the staff were rude and unhelpful. I phoned the telephone banking and was told there was a branch 5 miles away that could do it the next day. Went over there and it took over an hour for the clerk to complete the transfer, total 2.5hrs including travel time and waiting around. Next day recipient had still not received the money, nor had it left my account. I phoned to see what had happened and told the clerk has not put the IBAN number on so the transfer had been rejected. Ok fine, I had the IBAN but they said no I would have to go back to the branch and the next appointment wasn't until Monday. So after 4 days and hours spent on phone and in branches still do not have the urgent transfer that they are planning to charge me £25. I have given up and one of my colleagues is going to do it from their Lloyds account tomorrow, and I reimburse them. I have been with Abbey 20 years and in the past year it has gone down the toilet. Horrible, scruffy, unknowledgeable staff and outdated internet banking. Will be banking elsewhere asap, but a friend has spent many hours trying to close his account with them and that is supposed to be hard work too.

Posted by Cheeky on the 6th November 2008

If all these people don't like Abbey, why don't they just change banks. No-one's stopping 'em!!!

Posted by ray bradbury on the 6th November 2008

Member of my family rang end of July 08 for a top up to her existing loan. It's the 3 Nov 08 and she is STILL waiting. We have made 27 phone calls so far, called in twice to nearest branch, sent an email & phoned Complaints Dept, are sending a 9 page letter of complaint and have now contacted Financial Ombudsman. No one takes responsibility. We are told anything to get us off the phone or out of the branch. In Sept they finally paid her the loan - just £10,000 OVER what had been agreed. She had to pay the full amount by cheque, then re-apply. This was eventually DECLINED as her credit rating now showed she owed in excess of £20,000 - had to go to appeal mid-OCt despite none of this being her fault. Now its a re-re-application as 30 days had to pass before her credit rating cleared. Told it would be in her account last Weds, which became Fri, which became today, and it's still not in. NEVER ever bank with ABBEY. Know several ex-members of ABBEY staff who say that amongst themselves, the staff refer to it as SHABBY ABBEY and are embarrassed to say where they work.

Posted by DH on the 3rd November 2008

The user name is ironic btw. I have now been trying to sort something trivial out for five hours. Sadly, only a manager can grant approval. Unsurprisingly no managers are available, are MIA, or are in 'meetings'. Abbey are about as useful as a 0ne legged dog, but sadly not as cute. The call centre staff are hopeless, the note taking appalling, and the general levels of incompetence staggering. Even after Watchdog kicking the hell out of them, they haven't learnt. I can only hope that they die in a fire, and do the human race a favour by ceasing to be part of it.... One star for nothing...

Posted by Amazing service on the 3rd November 2008

Just recently open up a no fee business account, and for the first time I deposited £1000 in cash in to the cash machine inside the altrincham branch, I counted the amount 3 times and was certain there was exactly £1000, I didn't really like the idea of putting that amount in to an envelope and sticking it in a cash machine would of much rather give it to a cashier and watched her count it in front of me but you cannot do this with a business account. Anyway I put the envelope in the cash machine, walked out and thought everything was fine until I received a letter a couple of days later saying that there was only £900 in the envelope, I'm 100% that there was £1000 there, so it seems to me that the staff are stealing the money out of the envelopes. There is no way I can prove that there was £1000 there, so they get away with it and I'm £100 out of pocket, so just a warning to anyone who's thinking of opening a business account with abbey, there not to be trusted and I'm definitely not depositing cash ever again, cheques and cheques only.

Posted by michael hyland on the 3rd November 2008

I'm still sticking with Abbey despite all. The Abbey part of Santander have increased profits of 20% and are doing extremely well. Want to feel safe and secure? Then bank with Abbey.

Posted by Curt Jergens on the 28th October 2008

When I had children I stopped working, Abbey then wouldn't let me go overdrawn at all without hefty bank charges... I therefore didn't use that account and subsequently decided to close it. I went to one branch and was told the person who closes accounts wasn't there and I could only do it at specific times. I managed to get back again and 'closed' the account or so I thought and months and months passed and I didn't get the balance sent to me. I went to another branch and checked, it did appear 'closed' on their system (or so they said) and they agreed to give me my money there and then in cash. 'Phew', I thought the end. Months later I am again receiving statements from them! The cynic in me thinks maybe there is some reason they would like to pretend my account is open.

Posted by yf on the 25th October 2008

I'm really pleased to see that Abbey have received bad reviews because that is exactly what they deserve. I am truly disgusted with them.
In a nutshell I had a problem where a local company banked 3 cheques I had written to them over the course of a few months all in one day. They were only small amounts, under £15. I have been charged £95!!!!!! I cannot have these reversed because in June I was £3 for 24 hours and charged £40, they reversed these so I am not allowed anymore reversals... these are the only 2 times I have EVER been overdrawn and only by tiny amounts. The mistake wasn't even mine, granted it wasn't the banks either... but why should I pay? What makes me so angry is not only would they not reverse the charges, but they wouldn't offer me any alternative help either... no temporary overdraft so I don't lose £95 in one go just no help what so ever. To add insult to injury whilst trying to sort this I have spoken to an operator who gave me incorrect info, one who hung up on me, one who admitted he didn't understand me and one who was rude and told me I expect to much customer care. Nice.
No one there cares, I have never known such a hard-faced, arrogant, rude, incompetent organisation in my whole life. I will not let this lie... DO NOT OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH THEM!!!!! I feel uncomfortable banking with a bank who do not have a limit on how much they can charge you in one month... it's ridiculous.

Posted by DC on the 23rd October 2008

Just an observation. I was in an Abbey branch queuing for ages (as usual) when I noticed the staff (all femme fatales around 20 years old) had pretty low necklines. Didn't occur to me at the time but I thought the staff were supposed to wear uniforms. It was a hot day admittedly but I was not there to get a cheap thrill (it did by the way, at the time). Just an observation though.

Posted by Justice Popplecarrot on the 22nd October 2008

With all the aggro Abbey dish out, they appear to be one of the few banks not much affected by the global finance problem. That is the one reason I am staying with them. Yes - the service sector is pretty dire - can any of 'em speak English? But I think basically they are a pretty sound organization. At least since the merge with Santan(deer).

Posted by bill on the 21st October 2008

Oh Dear! I have been with Abbey 17 years but recently the service I have had has been disappointing verging on worryingly incompetent. I have been trying to change my mortgage to a repayment after paying off a lump sum but so far Abbey have agreed to send me forms which I haven't received and more worryingly after being told to go to a local branch to pay £75 arrangement fee they are denying they have received it - The onus is on me to prove it. Luckily I have the receipt- when I asked them why they couldn't contact the branch as I had the cashiers reference number I was told they didn't do this - I had to make the photocopies and send the information to them. More worryingly my neighbour recently paid £2,000 to pay off a credit card and Abbey have lost the money!

Posted by jacqui on the 18th October 2008

I needed a new credit card, of which there's should be one of the best two (0% on balance transfers for 6 months, with no transfer fee at all). Shortly before, I applied for an Ulster Bank card - same type of deal - with that one, I applied on line, and had the card and my money within 7 days, marvelous. With Abbey, not so good. I applied on 26th August via the web. A week later and I hadn't heard a thing, then on the 2nd Sept I got a letter saying I had been accepted but they needed my signature. I signed it and sent it back. After this I waited.. after a week of no new card or receiving my balance transfer, I rang them. Their system says they received my letter on the 4th, and it is 'awaiting document check'. Having rang them again at least 10 times, through every department, it remains the same. Each time they say (including the complaints dept) that they can't contact the department directly but they'll send an email to ask them to investigate. It's now 17th October and no change yet. Diabolical. I'm writing a letter to the Financial Ombudsman now.

Posted by Ryan on the 17th October 2008

Abbey credit card customer services. I changed address 2 times in the branch as told. 4 months later still getting my bill sent to my old address. No wonder there is so much credit card fraud. They are a joke. I raised a complaint with them, waited for more than 7 working days, got back to them and said they have not issued one. had people putting the blank on whilst laughing about my complaint. Must have spent 3 hours on the phone on a few occasions and still nothing done. I get charged late payment fees as I don't get my bill and not sure when I am meant to pay them. Every one get in touch with the bank ombudsman, they will sort it and the banks are only allowed so many complaints before they get fine for bad banking. Ring ombudsman and fight back at these bad bankers.

Posted by Robert Wheeler on the 13th October 2008

I thought that I would pay off a lump sum of my mortgage to bring my repayments down and make things more manageable, how wrong could I be! I paid Abbey £10k last October, to my amazement my monthly payment then leapt UP by approx. £200 per month. Somewhere along the line their system had not received the money, even though it was paid from an Abbey account. It took numerous letters, telephone calls, a visit to the bank (who told me they couldn't help in person, has to be done over the phone) before I got any response from Abbey, this was in fact a phone call from a manager 4 months later! They offered me £150.00 compensation, not even covering what I had lost out on. To date, Oct 2008, it has now been 1 year and my mortgage payments are still not resolved and are being dealt with by the Financial Ombudsmen. I will not be using Abbey anymore.

Posted by Jon on the 5th October 2008

My horror story with Abbey is just one of many already listed. So I won't bore you with the details. After months of arguing, sending and resending and resending documentation (special delivery) and endless phone calls and faxes I was finally paid the agreed interest (disputed amount was £3,500). Compensation for my time and aggravation? £50!! There is no point in publicising one's complaint - the sheer number of complaints against this firm causes them to feel immune (damage is done, ad campaign can deodorize the bad smell, may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb). But I'm thinking of copying all these complaints and handing them out at major Abbey branches to everyone visiting that branch (and the handout giving this website locator). Also, pasting the comments on their store window display (how much can a court fine me for such fair comment?). Does anyone who has been deceived by this criminally-irresponsible firm feel like joining this crusade? It could generate a lot of newspaper publicity. Customer power needs to step up to the plate and web complaints have lost their potency.

Posted by robin alka on the 29th September 2008

Oh dear where do I start.. Firstly a warning, there is currently a problem with replacement debit cards.. In August £3000 WAS debited to our joint account and sent to Barclaycard.. Phoned and got no helpful response.. Visited branch and the manageress was extremely helpful but was limited with what she could do.. Discovered the money had been debited on my NEW card before I had received it.. and the transaction had been over the phone.. Ssince then have been given the run around by all their depts.. customer services(what a joke that is) their fraud dept.. and their complaints dept.. keep promising that a disclaimer form is in the post and so far nothing.. We were told it would take 28days.. and it's coming up to that now.. still nothing.. Do they not realise that their customer service attitude is designed to make you shake with rage.. Getting to the point now where I despair of getting our money back.. then yesterday my daughter who also just received a replacement card had it blocked.. The customer serv ice dept said it was because she had entered her pin number wrong three times... She had not use her card at all. Feel there is a problem with security on the new cards.. Have been with them for over 15 years and this is just so bad.. it's like beating your head against the wall..

Posted by linda on the 25th September 2008

Why do the call centre not understand you and do not close down standing orders.. then the bank charges you!!! for not having enough money in your account!! This company likes to leave you chasing numbers all over the place!! I will send them by telephone bill!! 2nd the branch staff are RUDE!! I was left standing in Q for a manager who saw 2 other people before me!! I kicked off!! They are crooks and there staff need to be taught basic common sense.

Posted by des williams on the 24th September 2008

There's nothing like efficient service, and with Abbey it's nothing like efficient service. Useless!!!

Posted by will on the 24th September 2008

I received a letter in April from Abbey after I complained, about some excessive overdraft charges, stating that they were looking into the matter. I received another letter May, saying that they were sorry for the delay, bur they were carrying out a full investigation, I've heard nothing since. I complained again last week regarding excessive charges, sending an email, I received a reply saying that they couldn't deal with my complaint for security reasons, but gave me a premium phone no to call. I've been banking with them for over 2 years, applied for overdraft facilities 3 times and been refused, now I know the reason, checking my bank statements this years charges amount to £590, which I will claim back. I could go on and on about them, I've switched to HSBC, which at the moment, who are looking very efficient, please just leave and get as many people as possible to follow. If any of you are being sued for any suspect charges, please note that all Court cases are on hold pending a judgment from the British Courts, which I suspect, will be rigged by the government, as it involves zillions, but It will be taken to the European Courts. Thanks for letting me share this with you, I feel better now.

Posted by David Howard on the 23rd September 2008

I have been happy with Abbey up until a few weeks ago when I decided to change my e saver account to a fifty plus (offers slightly better interest). I did this regrettably in my local branch. The point in having this account was to take advantage of the monthly interest (a tidy sum on over hundred thousand pound - well over actually). Eventually, after receiving numerous reg and password numbers that didn't pair up, I receive the correct numbers, and together with my debit card number I can at last access my account on line. However, I later discover that instead of the savings account being set up for monthly payments, Abbey have mistakenly set it up for annual interest payments, no good to me at all in the short run. My previous e saver worked ok. So if you're thinking of swapping your interest accounts make damn sure you do it yourself on line - and not by someone at branch level. As regards trawling through 0845 numbers and getting nowhere fast I quite agree. It's pretty abysmal service.

Posted by sam scroggins on the 23rd September 2008

I am giving Abbey five stars for being BIG CROOKS. They are totally incompetent I have been trying to get them to undertand that when I went overdrawn three months ago by 44p they charged me and were reimbursed. However they keep charging me an overdraft fee each month regarding the same 44p - even though my account has not been overdrawn since. How many times do they want the £25. I have complained and received a letter turning down my complaint as they noted I had been overdrawn in the past - this was 7 months ago and for 64p(which was their error). Obviously I am the reason for the credit crunch. I am closing my account with Abbey they have turned into nothing more than loan sharks and provide no real financial service, their customer service is non existent , I wouldn't shop in a store that gave this kind of service so why should we stay with a bank with this reputation. I am actually giving them one star just because I have to.

Posted by Kim on the 18th September 2008

NEVER Bank with Abbey,. They are the worst.Change to a Bank with no call centres now. I was sick to death with dealing with their call staff who cannot answer a question expcept for parrot fashion phrases in badly spoken English, They are unreasonable and expensive. Tried to close my Mortgage account with them today. They want to charge me £10,000.00. Yes £10,000.00 for early redemption,.Criminal!!! First I know about this. I am taking them to the FSA. Will let you know how I get on,. Have now closed two accounts with them. A business account and a current account. If the FSA cant help me with my Mortgage fee then I will take them to court. I have already reclaimed my bank charges from them. Go to moneysavingexpert.com to do same. Good luck. Melnanie.

Posted by Melanie on the 13th September 2008

In July I went into the Abbey at Gerrards Cross, Bucks and tried to open their new Instant Access Saving Account. They told me I would have to do this online which I duly did giving them all the info they needed. I received their welcoming letter saying that the account had been opened. I took the letter with ID and deposited £19000. Today (6 weeks later) I got a very abrupt and rude letter from the Abbey saying that the account had been blocked because I needed to provide ID (I'D ALREADY DONE THIS WHEN DEPOSITING THE MONEY). I would not be able to access my money until I provided this. They enclosed various forms. I was furious and went down to Abbey today WITH ID (FOR THE SECOND TIME) and filled in the required form. Only to find when I got home there was yet another form to complete, so had to go back. By this time I was so disgusted I said I wanted to close the account. They couldn't do this as the account was blocked and I had to fill out yet more forms which had to be faxed to the relevant department to enable closure of the account. They can't release the money today and I have to go back Friday to get my cheque. My God how many times do you have to prove your identify with this bank. Overall I think customer service at this bank is abysmal and the left hand does not seem to know what the right hand is doing. I can't wait to move my money to a bank that has always been courteous and helpful - the Halifax. Let this be a warning to all Abbey customers.

Posted by Patricia Christianson on the 9th September 2008

Close your account with Abbey and go elsewhere!! Been with them over 10 years and have never experienced the breathtakingly arrogant and rude responses from them ever!! Abbey duplicated a payment of £352 (their error) and left me without any money for 2 days, no money even to buy food!!! I should of had at least £250 in my pocket, all I had was snotty rude arrogant indian call centres who could understand the concept of taking without asking is stealing. Abbey freeley admit its their fault, but still wont refund my money straight away

Posted by Anthony on the 6th September 2008

abbey is usless i try and get something sorted with thema nd they are no help at all i asked them why i wasnt recieving monthly bank statements they said nothing and said you should be reciving them then al of a sudden i get a bank statement for the whole year and charges of £180 from instant overdrafts even though i had alredy payed them from the months that have been atken out of my bank and yet again they dissagreed and now im left with a huge sum of money waiting to be payed in my bank im defenately switching my account maybe to halifax as they are quite good atm . NEVER bank with abbey

Posted by jamie on the 5th September 2008

you are about to read yet another bad review. basically last year i had a baby. only being 19 at the time i wasnt exactly great with money. one day i ran out of nappies, so thinking i had enough money in my bank i bought some using my card. the transaction went through fine. the next day i checked my bank to see that i had taken myself 50pence overdrawn so i immediatley credited it back to 0. my next statement told me i would be charged 30 pounds for going overdrawn plus another 20 pounds for spending money which wasnt there (which i thought was the same thing). i argued the case and they told me that as soon as the charges left my bank they would credit them back in, which they did. but as i knew the charges would be paid back in the same day i didn't bother making sure there was enough money in there to cover it. even though they corrected there mistake within the same day, i got charged again for going overdrawn. only this time it was two payments that got me overdrawn (both the 20pound charge and the 30pound charge) so this time i got two seperate 30 pound charges plus the 20 pound charge for going overdrawn! i called again and they made the same promise, that they would credit my account as soon as the charges left my bank. this went on for months, every month the charges getting higher and higher. i got fed up of this fast and asked if instead of all this messing around they would just not charge me at all seeing as though they corrected the charges every month anyway. they told me they couldn't do that and a few days later i got a letter saying that they never had to reverse the charges in the first place as it was my mistake and that they wouldn't be reversing any more charges. i complained every month and told them no more money would be paid into that account so they couldn't take any money off me. my account is now £900 overdrawn and i had recieved a few letters telling me if it doesn't get paid in full soon the debt will be passed on to debt collectors. this is all because i was 50pence overdrawn for one day! i have kept all of my bank statements, phone records and letters sent to and from me and the bank and i look forward to the day they take me to court to collect the payment. i just wish i didn't have to give them any stars at all for thier rating!

Posted by skint on the 1st September 2008

As everyone else seems to have stated - never ever bank with Abbey. I am changing to NatWest as soon as I receive proof of my new address.

They mistakenly stopped my card. Twice. They then mistakenly stopped my online access. They sent the wrong card out to me, and then handed me another incorrect one over the counter.

This all left me withoutt any access to my money for about a month.

They have then today apparently had a technical error meaning that my graduate account overdraft has been reduced by £900.

I have had varying degrees of success with customer services, and have been lucky enough to have been given direct lines to the best of them.

The whole bank is a shambles, though - the number of errors and clearly untrained staff is a disgrace.

Get out if you can!

Posted by Liz on the 1st September 2008

Abbey's incompetence and slap-in-the-face-apathy towards their customers is truly breathtaking. I opened a student account with them a couple of years ago and, on finishing my degree, was switched to a graduate account. All fair and above board. But I immediately went on to take a postgraduate degree, and in December 2007 filled out a number of forms in my local branch to switch back to a student account. Eight months later this is still not done.
This may seem a minor issue, but it really isn't. Many students have to dip into their overdrafts during the academic year because they have no regular, monthly income. Abbey has removed mine, and at this present moment I am in a foriegn country, with a dwindling cash supply, and an account that cannot be accessed.
Abbey promised to handle this problem 8 months ago. They did not. They promised me 3 weeks ago that they would sort the issue out in 2-3 days. they did not. And before I set off abroad I was given firm assurance that the account would be accessible within 72 hours. Two weeks later I still cannot access my account. I have emailed them stressing the urgency of my situation. they have promised to pass my problem on to my local branch, the pedigree of whose incompetence has been amply proven. I am at my wits end because I have been too trusting with what is by a country mile the worst bank or organisation I have ever had experience of. Definitely shall change banks as soon as (or if) I can get back to England.

Posted by David Lewis on the 28th August 2008

After 18 years of banking with Abbey I have just had enough and will be switching bank accounts as soon as I can. Their customer service is appauling. I am pursuing a complaint because they bounced a direct debit payment when there were plenty of funds in my account but they won't have any of it even when the evidence is in black and white on my bank statement!


I give them no stars but the site won't let me.

Posted by Sam on the 28th August 2008

Agree with all the rest of you. They have no idea of what customer service means. They froze my account while I was on holiday in Spain, I telephoned the CS dept which I think was in India & was told nothing could be done until I return to England. The girl actually laughed on the phone at my plight. That was Sunday, We returned Weds. I going to my local branch Thurs & closing my account. I've been with them for over 25 years. Shambles steer well clear. It could be you next.

Posted by Paul on the 28th August 2008

I would not bank with them ever again. 2 months over 60 calls 3 letters with photo cops of passport, driver licence etc and still not one think done as requested. They have even changed the telephone system so that they now can't even transfer you to another dept to try and solve any problems. Also they can't call back and the head office dosen't allow incoming calls? There's a good system if you want to ignore your customers complaints!

Posted by not happy on the 15th August 2008

I can only reiterate what it seems the majority of the reviews on this page have stated-that abbey is the worst bank in the world. They do not understand the concept of customer service and there is no way of speaking to anyone in authority who might be in a position to help you. In brief- I made a payment of £100 in January to my credit card. This left my bank and was received by abbey- I had a statement from them to prove precisely this. Then 6 months later in July this £100 mysteriously reappears on my statement- I phone abbey and they claim this amount was reversed/corrected and it is now still owing. I tell them I have proof that this is not the case- I have my bank statement to prove the money did not re-enter the account from which the money was paid and my abbey statement to prove it was received but oh no this is not enough. 5 weeks later, about 7 phone calls and probably a good couple of hours on the phone and 1 trip to the branch and it is still not resolved. They even had the gall to ask that I phone my bank to put a trace on the money!! Long story short- they made an error (and know this) and are still trying to make me run circles to prove that I did in fact pay this- despite the statements I have to prove it! This had caused me so much stress not to mention the money spent on phohe calls....I just can't believe that there is no way of actually talking to someone in the know- you are constantly passed from one call centre staff member to another. I even put in a call to the complaints dept and they weren't the friendliest either and in fact the complaint that I made was never even followed up. If you want a hassle free life DO NOT BANK WITH ABBEY!

Posted by Emma on the 12th August 2008

awful, awful, awful, split up with my wife over three years ago so changed my address to send correspondence to. Was due a card renewal three months ago but it didn't arrive, a twenty minute wait on hold and a five minute call to india sorted it out. Or so i thought. I still didn't receive my card so i called again. i found out they didn't have my address on record but couldn't tell me what address they had. After a visit to the branch i was told my address had magically reverted back to my ex wife's. So, for three months she was receiving my statements, replacement card and, quite possibly a PIN reminder, thankfully she still lived at the address and was honest coz anyone could've got hold of them. When i asked for an explanation the teller shrugged and said ''they use a spanish system so anything could go wrong'' doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?

Posted by matt on the 11th August 2008

My girlfriend had illegal internet payments coming from her account (although only a card cash account not a debit card!), which made her overdrawn and consequently incurred bank charges. She tried to get the charges removed and close the account, a year later it's still going on, she has just paid another £170 for charges to an account she doesn't use and has been told to go back in September to close it. From the start she has been deceived, lied too, and fobbed off by the Abbey and their staff. Abbey have a complete lack of customer service and treat people and their money without any respect. Hopefully in September we will finally be able to close the account and get away from the this modern day loan shark!

Posted by Stephen Geach on the 8th August 2008

Bank with Abbey at your peril! I recently had £320 stolen from my Abbey current account in the form of two fraudulent ATM withdrawals made in Coventry. Strange? I live in Cardiff, and at the time these withdrawals were made I was in Keswick, Cumbria, visiting my mother for her birthday. My cashpoint card was with me at all times, and obviously I have never been foolish enough to tell my PIN number to anybody, not my mother, the cat, or even the spider in my bath. I live alone so it wouldn't matter if I talk in my sleep either - NOBODY KNOWS MY PIN! Obviously this proves that my card and PIN have somehow been copied, so I rang Abbey in good faith expecting some HELP? Dream on girl I now tell myself! At first I was told that I would be reimbursed, but that it would take ten days for me to receive a claim form, and meanwhile I was not entitled to an overdraft. (Thanks Abbey, how am I supposed to pay my rent, eat etc, I am on a low income). Eventually I received a very terse letter thanking me for my claim, but stating that after investigation (WHAT INVESTIGATION????) Abbey cannot accept liability for these transactions and will not be reimbursing my account, and that it is the responsibility of the account holder to look after their card and other account facilities including the PIN (which I always DO!). I spent 1 hour 42 minutes on the phone to Abbey on Monday morning (all 0845 numbers so goodness knows how much that cost) being passed backwards and forwards between various departments in both the UK and Portugal, I received no help whatsoever as each person I spoke to said it was the responsibility of another department, so ring the number you first thought of etc etc etc. Thanks Abbey (not). I have also contacted the police regarding this matter but they did not want to know. All this makes me feel that unscrupulous people are being given a license, both by Abbey and the police, to steal from people's bank accounts without getting caught and brought to justice, as nobody seems to CARE. This matter is now in the hands of the Financial Ombudsman and I have opened a new bank account elsewhere. So once again I state, most emphatically, BANK WITH ABBEY AT YOUR PERIL!

Posted by Zoe on the 7th August 2008

What a complete and utter shambles this bank is. Staff are unhelpful, unfriendly and extremely incompetent!! My sympathies are with all the other people who have posted reviews - reading some of the horror stories I am starting to feel like I am one of the lucky ones even though I have experienced nothing but incompetence for the last couple of years especially after moving house.
The catalogue of 'cock-ups' made with my current and savings accounts are numerous however the most recent 'cock-up' has been one of the best!. I married in May and was eager to have my name changed on my accounts. I contacted the abbey to enquire what was required, I was told to just 'pop in' to ANY branch with marriage certificate etc. and it could be sorted there and then. I duly 'popped in' to my local branch and was informed by a very surly and rude member of staff that I needed to make an appointment. I made an appointment, filled out all the necessary forms and was told that I would be issued with a new cheque book, debit card etc etc within 10 days - six weeks later they had not arrived. I contacted my local branch who said that they had been issued but as I had not received them they would have to report my card lost and have everything re-issued. What they failed to tell me was that in doing this my account would no longer be accessible through internet banking nor that in order to make any sort of transaction I would have to go into my local branch with id. My new card chq book etc have now arrived - hallelujah!! my pin number has been changed, my card number has been changed (I was very proud of the fact that I had memorised my last card number!) and my internet access to my account is still not available. I rang abbey this morning they have informed me that it will take a further 14 days for my new internet codes to come through!!!
I work in the service industry - if my level of incompetence was the same as the staff at abbey I would have lost my job years ago. In this day and age with rising interest rates etc more than ever people like to be in charge of their finances - I feel like I have no control over my accounts at all at the moment and everything depends on whether 'the abbey' are having a good day or not!! If you are a dissatisfied customer please tell as many people as possible of your experiences that way, hopefully, other people will not make the mistake of opening an account with abbey!!!!

Posted by mrs steel on the 31st July 2008

Awful, awful, awful... From the cashier I dealt with last month who was chewing gum open-mouthed and continued her bitching conversation with the cashier next to her, to being cut-off on the call centre number 7 times. Any problems I have taken in branch 'have to be dealt with over the phone'. I've now started asking the reps in bank to phone up for me whilst I'm there - even they have had difficulty dealing with call-centre reps and one even hung-up on the lady in branch who was helping me. It comes to something when even the branch reps are hung-up on by the useless call-centre staff. Avoid this bank! All this because the call-centre staff can't set up a standing order.

Posted by R Price on the 22nd July 2008

I want you all to know, the Hell the Abbey have put me and my family through over the past five years, please read all I have written as it is all fact .
I had an abbey current account, so when we went to buy or home we went to the abbey, they bent over backwards to act like they where helping...promised me a great package WE where getting all expenses including solictors fees paid and they even had their OWN house and home insurance which they talked us into taking. their surveyors had stated that the house was a GREAT BUY ( I had deceided that I would not buy it after they found minute traces of rising damp, but they had contacted me and insisted that we would be a fools to cancel the agreement and what they found was no problem and a damp proof course was all that was needed)
we moved in to our home on the 5th september 2004. had a lot of furniture stored in every room, when we started to move the furniture from the living-room (three days later) we found one metre high of thick white (fur like) damp had risen all around every wall in the room.
My brothers where builders, but where out of the country at that time but I had learnt a lot from them over the years and I knew this was not RISING DAMP.
green powder fell on everything and we started to feel sick with chest infections
on the fourth day I called into the Abbey and handed them back the keys I informed them of events and that THEY had broken the contract by selling us a dud property etc; they threw them back and stated that THEY would make sure that we never get another mortgage ever again if we did not contuine with their mortgage agreement.
At that time we did not know enough and stayed in the house,with no heat, the noise of water running and numerous plumbers later, it was not rising damp it was, MAJOR FLOOD the house was floating and had been for some time water was pouring somewhere and we had found it under the floor in the kitchen, the surveyors had surveyed it wrong.
Abbey's insurance should have kicked in, as we had paid for the heap, hotel the lot, except, it was not the ABBEY, it was NORWICH UNION they had told us another lie
Norwich union refused the hotel infact they refused to do anything and insisted that the surveyors had to pay us etc;!!
the surveyors hide their heads in the sand, as did the insurace, we got nothing
We lost approx twenty thousand pounds of electric items, clothes furniture not including bills to fix the house, enviormental health threatened to close the house stating it unfit.The Abbey begged us to stay with them stating it would never happen again WELL IT DID
They had our mortgage on three different interest rates which meant that we where paying the same amount on an interest only mortgage as someone paying a repayment mortgage.
On the internet I had been looking at mortgage rates for first time buyers, when I noticed that as a first time buyer with the Abbey I could buy my home on repayment for the same price as I was payiing for interest only
I rang them and inquired , I was informed, that it was for FIRST TIME BUYERS ONLY and because I was a REGULAR customer of theirs I could not have that rate,
I complained ,as to why, I should have to pay hundreds of pounds more for the same purchase price of house and for the same term, just because I was an old customer of theirs. The manager stated that he would give me the same deal as a one of!! all I need do is sign and return the forms he would send.
I did as asked but when I phoned to ask why I had not heard from them they stated that the forms had been mis-laid and they could not send them out again and they would not honour the agreement etc; etc; I hung up in disgust!!
I had been talking to an financial advisor else where who had advised me to go to Abbey and have all my interest rates joined together
THIS IS PROBLEM NO THREE
I rang the mortgage retention centre and spoke to a girl called kimberely I asked her why they had not joined all my interest rates together and would they do so at once as I was paying to much for my house etc; she stated, yes!! they could do that for me at once for the total price of £75.00
I agreed to this stating that it would be worth £75.00 to have my mortgage reduced reduced.
I then asked for numerous repayment and early release mortgage prices (I had made arrangements to see another bank ref; a mortgage and thought these would be useful to have )
I explained to her that I was thinking of leaving them and moving house She stated that she would leave all of the quotes on the computer for a number of weeks and if I changed my mind and wanted one ,then I would get the same quote as she had given that day etc;
I never called her back to confirm any of them
later I got one of the few mortgage statements from them, on it there was a charge of £1000.00 extra ???
I rang them and asked what they thought they where doing etc; the so-called supervisor stated that she could see a mistake had been made and she would get the girl to phone me and have it corrected.
Kimberely did phone me, she stated that she was so sorry and she had made a mistake and put the interest only mortgage quote through, I told her to tell the company to refund me my money a.s.a.p. she begged me to go ahead with it as she would only loose her job, and I would save money , WHAT??
how could I save money she had charged me a £1000.00 for the benefit of the same mortgage that I have had for four years??
If I wanted to take another mortgage it would be a repayment one
as I had already explained previously
After numerous calls to them... hung up on ...insulted ...told there is no compliants dept and lied to, I received a letter stating that they had investigated the matter and they where not refunding me my money as I had agreed to it ?????
This is now with the ombudsman ,so we will see what happens and what lies they can come up with!!
PROBLEM NO FOUR
WE went to Canada last year and could not use my visa debit as they had stated I could, it nearly ruined our holiday,
So this year the bank manager stated that it would be wise to take out a credit card called the zero card and I could use it out there and on return I could pay it back within six months to get nil interest charges ,sounded a good idea so I did. I used £839.77 on it
when we returned I called the bank and arranged the direct debit payments where to start on the 27th June and cotuine for another five months, sounded great.
Then I get a letter stating that I have not paid my first payment, I push it aside thinking it to be a computer error, then today I receive a letter from their collections dept stating that I am a bad payer and my card is stoped etc;
I have just spent from 9am this morning until now, 3.00pm being transferred insulted and told that I must pay them five pounds to get my card opened again, as they have made a mistake they will waver the £12.00 charge for not paying on time, but, I need to pay them £5.00 or my name will have a black mark against it
their excuse was that the man Jonathan did not know what he was doing. she first stated that a d.debit was not set up then oh! yes! it is sorry about that!! we will take the next month ok .
When I asked to be transferred to the tel banking I was put through to numerous places and each one was ignorant ,useless, brainless
the so called managers could do nothing and because I could not remember the exact amount I spent in tesco's four days ago they stated I could not release any money to the credit card!!!!
CAN YOU REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT YOU SPEND ON FOOD ETC;?
If they asked the amount I pay for mortgage or wages I can tell them
but my life is not that sad to remember silly things... approx; yes but not to the last pence!!

THIS IS STILL ONGOING... I DID RING the number the other people gave in previous compliants and I did talk with someone, but they are solictors for the Abbey and cannot give advise, except to agree that we should go to a solictor
they also give me a number of the Abbey compliants dept 08456006014 which the Abbey tell you does not exisist??
their e-mail address is compliants@abbey.com

Posted by mrs cluney on the 18th July 2008

Abbey is easily the worst bank that I have ever dealt with in 45 years of having both private and business bank accounts.

After years of frustration dealing with what they laughingly call 'customer service' representatives, my wife and I decided to close our joint account at the end of April.

We spoke to someone in Abbey who told us exactly what we needed to do (including the fact that we were being charged £25 to make a transfer, to my daughter's account).

We got confirmation that the transfer had been made on 2 May and, about a week later, a statement showing that on the same day - but before making the transfer - they had charged us £6.23 interest. So now we were overdrawn.

I rang and was advised to go in to a bank - difficult, because I life in France. I was told I could write, which i did. In June we got another statement, saying that we were now 8.45 overdrawn (although, bizarrely, they had paid us 31p interest!).

I wrote again to complain, and got no reply, and today I got the latest statement showing we are now 11.02 overdrawn.

I have just come off the phone from their complaints department, and left some poor sod with a pierced eardrum. They have promised to write, confirm that they have closed the account and that we owe them nothing. I am not holding my breath.

They are an absolute shower of the proverbial: stupid, useless, money-grubbing halfwits.

I have left one stat as a rating: only because this system will not allow me to leave no stars
The saddest thing is that Santander are now buying Alliance and Leicester, so we can expect another British bank to be ruined.

Posted by LanguedocFox on the 14th July 2008

This has got to be the worst bank ever. I wish I'd seen this before I changed my account in Feb 2007. The past year or so has been a nightmare - the worst part I would say is being stuck in Marrakesh with no money as Abbey had put a stop on mine and my partners cards or maybe their systems were down....... AGAIN.

Posted by Lyndsay on the 9th July 2008

My daughter was assaulted in her home in another part of the country earlier this year. Following threats to her & her children by the family of the assailant she had to leave her home & everything in it & has lived in a refuge & temporary accommodation. She has recently been rehomed & was given a grant to furnish her house & was so looking forward to getting settled & rebuilding her life. Some lowlife has cloned her card & withdrawn £650 of that money over the weekend.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Abbey National have been very unhelpful. My daughter cancelled her card early Monday morning when she discovered money was missing, later on that morning a further £250 was taken from her account. While we understand that Abbey have to investigate the money that was taken before she cancelled her card, they will not refund that £250 despite pointing out that it was their mistake. She spent a good part of the day on the phone & in the branch on Monday & over an hour on Tuesday morning being sent from dept to dept, being told different stories, with an implacable refusal by anyone to help or admit their mistake. Indeed, the supervisor in the fraud dept lied on Tuesday morning & told us there was no record of my daughter's call cancelling her card, despite the branch manager in Bedford having told her the previous day that the call was on record.
This has been reported to the police & to the ombudsman, but neither can help my daughter to get her money back any quicker. Meanwhile, they are sleeping on mattresses with bits of furniture we have been able to scrounge. Not exactly the great new start they were anticipating!
I hope the people who took my daughter's money read this & have the grace to feel ashamed of themselves. I also hope the Abbey read this & feel ashamed, too. But I doubt it! They, in their own fashion, have been as big crooks as the card cloners.

Posted by Y.Evison on the 3rd July 2008

After being with Abbey for 20 years I have to say this is the first time I have met so much incompetence, inaction and deceipt.
They paid out 10 times the amount written on a cheque to my daughter (thank God it was her); we drew their attention to it within 2 days and nothing has yet been done. I have lodges formal complaints with complaints dept, Executive Director and Ombudsman. Incompetance and instransigence seem to be their new watchword. A very disappointed customer.

Posted by Mrs. E. BEVAN on the 19th June 2008

FYI, the fraud dept in Madrid closed on Feb. Moved to Portugal. Hence, I find hard to believe all these melodramatic stories from those who keep talking about the fraud dept based inn Madrid....

Good luck!!!

Posted by theguyyouspoketo on the 14th June 2008

I have recently had fraud done on my Abbey savings account. It is now 6 weeks and no money has come back to me. I am constantly chasing the Fraud Department in Spain - you can never get through and they say they are investigating and the money should be back soon. The last straw now is they want to reimburse me with not the correct amount. I am constantly chasing them, never any contact with them. They are absolutely hopeless.

Posted by Jackie on the 21st April 2008

Abbey must be the worst bank ever! I have always had problems with Abbey and they are never helpful in any way. It is impossible to get through to the right department and to actually speak to someone, never mind someone who knows what they're talking about.
It was the last straw last month when Abbey rejected my wages coming into my account. My wages had been paid successfully for 4 years. As a consequence, my direct debits took me overdrawn and I am being charged £125. This has been under investigation for 5 weeks and finally Abbey have had the courtesy to write back and say it is not their fault, they never rejected the money, and it is my responsibility to make sure there are funds in my account to cover direct debits at all times. Well, surely my responsibility is to go to work and earn money and trust that my bank won't reject my salary. The letter said to call the above number if I had any more queries. The 'above number' was their telephone banking number! And when I tried to fax them, their fax was busy all morning!
I wrote a complaint a few months back for something else and said that I was so disappointed in Abbey that I was considering closing my account. They wrote back with details of how to close my account! Do not bank with Abbey - it is not worth it!
(This site makes you give a rating so I have given a rating of 1 star, though I am finding it hard to think of anything I would give Abbey a star for - perhaps the little fluffy rabbits they use in their adverts?)

Posted by Beverley Seddon on the 8th April 2008

Don't go near this bank with a barge pole. I teach business studies and I now use this bank to explain what can go wrong when poor customer service meets downright incompetence! The staff don't even know the difference between credit and debit! We went into the bank to close an account and were told that they couldn't close the account because they had withdrawn the overdraft facility. If we brought the account back to zero they would then close the account, but we were overdrawn. They then offered to pay us this money to take our balance back to zero. We politely informed them that we should be paying them money to take the account back to zero. The cashier then told us that there was a problem with the machine and it wouldn't let any cashier withdraw money from the account. Again we told them that we had to pay them the amount owing to bring the account to zero. After a big scene the branch manager said that for some reason it said we owed them money! Hurrah! However we were told that if we payed this and the account went into credit we would them be deemed to be using this account and couldn't then close it. We payed the exact amount into the account and were told that the account would be closed within two weeks without any further problems. After two weeks they closed the account, then they reopened it immediately, charged interest for an undisclosed period and slapped on a 25 pound fine for now being overdrawn. We went back to the bank paid the money and set the account back to zero again and every month the same thing happens! Now they tell us they have lost all the forms asking them to close the account and that it is impossible to close any account in any branch and all accounts must be closed through head office, that this has always been the case and are inferring that we are telling lies. All is in the hand of the financial ombudsman. I had been with this bank for over thirty years, how sad to see it slowly dying a slow and pitiful death!

Posted by Peter Lowe on the 8th April 2008

I have been with Abbey for more than 20 years. My brother and I share same initials, and used to leave at same address until August 1996. We never had a joint account or mortgage, and have different birth dates.

In March 2007, my brother received my bank statement and my account was frozen by Abbey on the ground of frauds; including cash card and online access. I went into a branch; I was told that I need to go with my brother and with relevant ID’s to claim my accounts back. They can’t take my word for it because I might fraudulently claim my brother’s account. I produced historical statements to show when the name and address had change along with debit card, credit card and passport. The staff at the branch effectively told me they can’t trust what I say based on the evidence presented. They asked me to ring complaint department.

I called the complaint department, they looked at the issue and confirmed something had gone wrong while data was being transferred between their system, while my brother’s record were being updated. A compliant was logged and I was told it will take up to 4 weeks to deal with it. I asked how I keep up with my third party payments, like my mortgages, etc. while they are dealing with the problem. The person on phone spoke the Security and Fraud department and asked me send a fax, requesting to lift the block because there is no danger of fraud since it is my brother whose name is on the account. The following day I sent the fax, unfortunately I did obtain a confirmation of the fax transmission. At this point I had spent day seating and waiting on the calls and at the branch.

The access to my online account became available; I was able transfer money from savings account to the current account, so I assume things were back to normal. I tried to set up online payment to alternative bank account just in case, it failed so I wrote a cheque to transfer the funds. Few days later, I got a letter confirming the failure of online payment because on “certain restrictions” on my account. The cheque did not clear either. So I called the complaint department, they told me to send the fax as requested and the block will be lifted. So this time I went to a branch and asked them send the fax on my behalf and got fax transmission confirmation to prove. A week later, on sign of any progress; account is still frozen. I called customer service, they told me to go a branch with my ID’s to claim my accounts. In the meantime, I missed a payment on mortgage, incurring charges and possible damage to my A1 credit history.

In between countless phone call, 1.5 days of time off and a lot of stress! Customer service is non-existent. I feel completely powerless here.

Posted by Atit on the 5th April 2008

Been with Abbey as a biz customer for about 4 years, and no problems until now. Went overdrawn by £4, they charged me £30 and there is a letter on the way to be at a cost of £15. Faxed the biz section, no one called back, phoned them got though to a foreign chap, who thank god refunded the money with out too much hassle, but he kept on saying, that there is no point in faxing the bank as complaints are just put in the bin, and no point in putting it in the post as they are in the right and again it will just be put in the bin. Can't believe a customer services person would say that. Well they have lost my biz, for being £4 over, cheque was there but not cleared. They were going to charge me £45!!!

Posted by jim on the 26th March 2008

I have been with Abbey since the 1980s. They used to be such a good business to deal with, but the last two years they have been god awful.
Incident 1. I arranged an appointment with one of their advisors as to where best to invest some money I had come into. He advised an e-saver direct account. Two weeks later after no word on my application, I received a letter saying this account wasn't available for Abbey customers! Great advice, not...
Incident 2. I went into a branch and made a capital repayment on my mortgage. It was processed as an overpayment, which on an interest only mortgage is plainly nonsensical. Only after several phone calls was I told a letter of apology had been sent out. Amazing that it took ten days to arrive, I mean I knew the mail was bad... or maybe they were lying....
Incident 3. Middle of Australia on holiday. ATM card is refused. I have no cash. I called them at 7 am UK time. Was told that it was because the fraud department had put a hold on the card. I was told they would call me back within the hour. 12 phone calls later, or 8.5 hours later, $AS130 later, I finally spoke to someone who reset my card.
When I get back to the UK, the first thing I will do is close down my 25 year old history with this pathetic outfit.

Posted by Michael Collins on the 20th March 2008

It has been hell on earth with the Abbey National credit card since my husband got his last November. It's a very long story - but the balance shown on the on-line banking website is always incorrect. They keep adding items twice. The auto-phone balance is correct it is just on line. When my husband first got the card he used it for a few transactions and had the card declined in a store - as Abbey had added everything up twice and made him overdrawn. When we phoned they admitted it was their mistake and would take 48 hours to sort out. Our confidence has now been dented when using the card and certainly cannot rely upon it on holiday. We also found arrogance and rudeness from the call centre staff and now have to deal with our local branch and get them to phone the department. Funnily the girls in the local branch also find the call staff at the credit card department rude. Well I have noticed again tonight that a transaction has been added twice. I am in absolute despair. Its true they are the world's worst bank.

Posted by mrsmorris on the 20th March 2008

The worst bank ever! As an ex-bank manager myself, I cannot believe that these wasters are still in business. From the way the staff dress (as many tattoos as possible, low cut tops, nothing matching and no uniform), the grubby, queue filled branches to their sheer incompetence! They seem to employ school leavers with no experience and no ideal of customer service! I (stupidly) have opted for an Abbey mortgage and I have basically had to phone them every week (since December 07) as each department never seems to receive the correct paperwork from the other one. My new mortgage should have started next week, but I have just spoken to their mortgage centre again this morning, as yet again, they say they have not received the paperwork from the branch! Aargh! I despair. Thankfully, I understand mortgages and the process of getting one, but if I didn't I think I would have given up by now. I am now an Estate Agent and when we have surveys booked in for houses that are done through Abbey we just laugh. Abbey are famous for their delays in getting out mortgage documents!!! Needless to say, I have made a note of each call, fax and letter and they will be getting a rocket from me in the form of a letter of complaint. Don't touch them - go to Natwest or Lloyds TSB - at least their staff are half decent. I've given one star because you can't give nothing!

Posted by Katharine on the 14th March 2008

£9440 taken from my account. 1 week later and 5 unreturned calls later the bank gives me two explanations, one the money was paid into the wrong account, two, the cheque bounced. Even when I show them proof the cheque was honoured, I even take them the cheque issuer's statements to show them. Still get no wher!!! No money returned. The bank has lost, taken or stolen my money, and no one cares. The bank is unaware of the APACS 2-4-6 regulations which control how they should deal honestly with cheques and rely upon lies and stubbornness. Can't I give them 0 stars? The worst bank and customer service I have EVER experienced.
:( : (: (: (: (: (: (:

Posted by jason clark on the 19th February 2008

I have just closed my account with Abbey as they failed to change our records to show our new address after 6 months even though we completed all the necessary forms and provided the correct ID. During the 6 months I went into the branch 4 times and rung them at least once a week, but still our monthly statements were sent to our old address. Finally the owners of our new house started sending back our statements to the Abbey so they put our account on hold and refused to action any payments! Unbelievable - we have finally closed the account, although to add insult to injury the credit balance they should have transferred to our new account with First Direct seems to have been lost! I would never open an account or mortgage with Abbey again.

Posted by Laura Gilroy on the 14th February 2008

The worst bank. I have ongoing complaint since Aug 2007, now going through Ombudsman. Do not touch.

Posted by David Norwell on the 13th February 2008

I am very heartened to read so many complaints about Abbey. So it is not just me, the Stafford branch was disgusting in their attitude to me regarding my mother's account. It was the most awful experience, so much so that everything will be transferred, hopefully without having to darken the doorstep of this Mickey Mouse bank again. The full saga is too extensive to report here.

Posted by Mike Bird on the 4th February 2008

I thought I would have a look at this site for some reason and I can't understand what I'm reading. I bank and save with Abbey for the past 5-6 years since moving from New Zealand and can't fault them. I deal with Abbey Camberley in Surrey who are all great and I am on First name terms with a guy called Martin who sorts out stuff for me all the time. I'm picky about things and he just gets on with it and always calls me back to confirm he's done stuff and I can tell he likes his Job. When I can't go into the branch and have to use the phone, I have a direct number to the branch or when the branch is shut, I call 0845 7654321 and always seem to speak to a British person. If I could give someone a tip, it would be being kind to staff in the branch really helps. I wont lie I've had a charge on my account which was my fault, I just did not check I had enough dollar in my account. I went into the branch and they where great, went through my account sorted out a standing order or two and also sorted out my charge. Once again, can't fault them 10/10. Shame it seems people don't get the same service I and my friends do. Thanks for reading.

Posted by Mark Zuto on the 26th January 2008

Awful, awful bank. My complaint has been with them since august 2007 now. Unjustified charges. doubling then taking away of my overdraft. Could go on and on and on. Don't touch with a bargepole.

Posted by Dave Norwell on the 25th January 2008

I have banked with Barclays for about 50 years, with never a problem. I moved to Abbey seven weeks ago, they have lost all my deposits, including their own counter cheque, and are totally unhelpful. They have £4300.00 of my money and the only answer they have is: call back tomorrow! We have had no money for two months, Christmas eve with £6.45, no presents and no food! Do not bank with Abbey, stay with Barclays.

Posted by Tab Brown on the 9th January 2008

Abbey is such a useless bank. I agree with every comment posted on this forum. Recently they froze my account, and when I went into my branch to speak to them, they told me to go and press 2 on the phone. Well I sat on the phone for 30 minutes and spoke to about 5 people, who I could not hear properly and could not speak English (useless). When I told this to them, they said come in tomorrow and speak to the manager. Recently I got paid from work, they charged me for transactions which I had made a few months ago, and had already been charged for. So altogether they charged me twice. I have banked with Halifax for over 10 years and they have not caused me a single problem. Since I have been banking with Abbey (2 years) I have had many problems. They are just useless, and god knows where they recruit their staff from.

Posted by Khan on the 8th January 2008

USELESS! is the word I would use to describe Abbey. I have just hung up the phone after being transfered from one dept to the next over and over and over again. That was my 7th call to them. I will be closing my account and I would not recommend this bank or its services (don't even get me started on the absurd charges) to anyone... DON'T say we didn't warn you!!

Posted by Pauly on the 26th December 2007

Abbey have recently cost me a lot of time, money and stress. I have a mortgage on a leasehold flat and recently started the legal process to extend the length of the lease. Completing this extension would increase the value of the flat and would be a good thing for both myself and Abbey. Unfortunately part of the process requires agreement with the mortgage provider, so my solicitor duly contacted Abbey. Abbey's reply was that they could not deal with them because they were not on their approved panel. So I requested that my solicitor be placed on the panel. I was told this would happen upon 2 hours of receipt of a fax of letterheaded paper. The following day, after my first follow-up call, I was told this process would take 1 week. A week later, after my second follow-up call, I was told this would take 2 weeks. At this point it was clear that the call centre staff had no idea what was going on, and I raised a complaint. After nearly 3 weeks from my initial request, my solicitor receives a letter from Abbey confirming Panel membership, but with no Panel number. After my solicitor enquire as to the whereabouts of their panel number, they are told that they are in fact not on the Panel, and that they have received an erroneous confirmation. A few days after this, they are told they cannot have Panel membership because their locum cover solicitor is not on the Abbey Panel. All of the above is conducted against the backdrop of a ticking clock, whereby an agreement with my freeholder to complete the lease extension by a certain time is hanging in the balance. But Abbey were resolute and insisted I hire another solicitor, thus forcing me to lose yet more time, and to incur another set of solicitors fees. I will be moving my mortgage from Abbey as soon as the extension is complete, and believe me it will not be a day too soon. I am also going to write to the Office of Fair Trading to see whether the panel scheme is unfair to non-member solicitors. I would urge other people who have had a similar experience to do the same. To summarise, I would not recommend Abbey on any level - I wish I had never gone near them.

Posted by Rajveen Gill on the 15th December 2007

What an appalling bank. Everytime I have a problem and go into my local branch they just want to send me to use the internal phone. There is no point having people on the counter if they are not able to deal with anything apart from cash withdrawals. I went into my local branch a few weeks ago to cancel my unused credit card. The staff made me use the phone in the corner, because they said "It might have our name on the front, but it is nothing to do with us!" The lady on the phone said they couldn't just cancel it because Abbey owed me 10p and they would have to send this in a cheque, and me cash it, before the account could be closed. They even tried to bribe me with £30 of John Lewis vouchers to keep it open. They never sent the cheque, so I had to end up putting the request in writing and yesterday received a letter to confirm it was cancelled. Today I went in to ask them to transfer some money into my Father's account in another bank and was told that they couldn't do this, or I would have to pay £25 (the account is in the UK). They said I would be better giving him a cheque. I have just telephoned them to say how unhappy I am with this and a very foreign gentleman said a mistake had been made and how sorry they were. Too many chances and too much grief - I am going to sack them before I burst a blood vessel.

Posted by Janet Haddock on the 15th December 2007

DO NOT bank with Abbey, I have had problems after problems with them. First off the bat when trying to upgrade my current account to a student it has taken them three months to do and still haven't given me the full agreed overdraft. Before that it took them 8 weeks to send me out a new pin number for a new account and then a further 3 week for my card to be sent. Also recently there has been fraudulent transaction on my account, I phoned up the call center and ask where these had taken place and to cancel my card. I got the money back put into my account, then about three weeks later I went into my branch to get funds that had been sent from the student loan company before I closed the account and there was money missing again, my transactions I have no knowledge over. They said that card was still active!!! WHY!! so they didn't cancel my card and I'm going through the long winded process of getting my money back!!! conclusion DO NOT BANK WITH ABBEY. P.S. I'm currently on hold with the call centre still trying to resolve this situation... 25mins and counting!

Posted by Symon Fergus on the 10th December 2007

I don't normally complain about things but... Abbey National are quite simply, the worst bank ever. I dread having to go to my local branch (Newton Abbot) where the staff are completely useless and unhelpful. If it didn't take my work so long to sort out what account they pay people into I would completely just shut my account. Just recently, I lost my debit card so I went into Abbey and asked if they could send me a new one... but no, I had to go and use their telephone which you can't hear a thing on, to speak to someone who couldn't understand a word I was saying... He was completely useless (British though) but it took him about 5 minutes to get my post code right, and when he did he said the computer didn't have me registered. So after finally correcting that he said he was going to cancel my card and send me a new one and a new pin which would come in 7-10 working days. 2 weeks later the card finally arrived, but still no pin. On the back of the letter it said carry on using your existing pin, so I went to the cash point, entered my pin and had it rejected... 3 times. So then again, I had to go in again only to be told that they would send me a new pin once I had rang up from their in-branch phone. So about a week later (2 days after they guaranteed me the pin would arrive by) I got the new pin in the post, went to use it, but it still didn't work. So I went in again, and they said they must've accidentally sent an inactive pin instead which was issued before when I first originally requested a new card! About 3 weeks before! So all they said was that they would order me a new pin, I got the new pin two days ago after waiting for just under a week, and thank god it works because I can't be bothered to go back into Newton Abbot branch to speak to the mindless fools again. This is not the first time this has happened to me, about the third actually. They are more than happy to sign you up as a customer but their actual customer service is appalling. If they can't even get you a new pin and card successfully, then god forbid them doing anything else.

Posted by Chelsea Silkstone on the 26th November 2007

Abbey are completely useless. They have no respect for customers and are generally pathetic in every aspect. Once my dispute with them is finished, and I have all my money back (which was taken in an unauthorised transaction by an unscrupulous individual) I will be marching in to their branch and demanding that my account is closed. I wouldn't even stay with them if they paid me.

Posted by M. Carr on the 22nd November 2007

Worst bank I have ever dealt with in 45 years of banking. I tried to transfer my Abbey ISA account to HSBC - Abbey sent the money to Kent Reliance Building Society instead. Instead of fixing their mistake, they made it my problem. I had to chase up to Kent Reliance (who I've never dealt with before) to get the money sent back to Abbey. I've spent hours on the phone to Abbey chasing this mistake up. After FOUR MONTHS the situation is that Abbey still have my funds and have still failed to send the cash to HSBC. My advice: don't deal with this company, and if you have money with them get it to a more reliable place asap.

Posted by Andrew Parkin on the 16th November 2007

When I get the time, I will tell you all about the most horrific last three weeks we have had to suffer as Abbey 'customers'. Average time on hold 30 mins. Hopeless, understaffed, and over-there call centres ( need I say more?). Anyway, we're leaving them. My advice - do the same.

Posted by Simon Evans on the 12th November 2007

I have been having exactly the same problems as a number of other Abbey customers above specifically Lee Jones 15/10/07.

Posted by Jonathan Tanner on the 4th November 2007

I have tried to get internet banking codes from Abbey for the last 8 weeks. Every time I call they say they have been ordered, but they never arrive. I usually end up speaking to someone who has a very heavy foreign accent that I cannot fully understand and they cannot understand me. If I didn't have so many Direct Debits I'd move banks straight away.

Posted by Donna Jones on the 1st November 2007

Abbey is the worst bank in Britain! I don't even know where to begin. Have just managed to close my account with them after queuing for the majority of my lunch breaks at the branch for the last 3 weeks. Awful customer services, long queues, incompetent people on their telephone banking line who either cannon assist because systems are down, tell you to go into a branch as it's something that can't be dealt with over the phone or who just plain and simply can't understand your accent because they are based in India. They seem to have got worse (if this is possible) since being taken over by Santander.

Posted by Emma Williams on the 31st October 2007

Do not bank with Abbey! I have been banking with them for the last 3 years and they are not just unacceptable, their practice is dangerous! Over the last 2 years, my address in the records has changed mysteriously and had my accounts frozen and unable to make payments and when I called their customer service to discuss what happened their only answer would be to get photo id and utility bills and go to a branch to confirm my id! I have had many times where I had to get time off to go to the branch and even after several attempts they still up to now cannot get my address right. The consequences of this? Returned mail, frozen accounts, they also issued a credit card which I had applied through the phone and never heard from them and did a balance transfer. As a result of this, they issued the card, the started issuing statements and bills (even though the card up to now has not reached me) and logging late payment information with the credit agencies. Needless to say that after a long time and numerous attempts to contact their headquarters, I am still waiting for them to call me back! I have not received from them any correspondence for months and still they are unable to update my address! I have had enough and I will transfer my accounts to a descent and safe bank. I would advise you to do the same.

Posted by Spyridon Tsotoglou on the 30th October 2007

My son has been with Abbey for a number of years and holds both a current and eSaver account. He recently went off to university and asked for his current account to be changed to a student account. After a month of chasing phone calls and visits to the branch the change was finally done. Two days later received a letter saying that his 'graduate' account would revert back to a 'current' account in 10 days time. He called the "helpline" and they said a systems error had sent out these letters, but the only way to rectify the error was to go back into the branch which set up the account (now 200 miles away) with proof of the University course (already provided a month ago).

Also asked if he could link his eSaver account to his current account to transfer money either via ATM or online. Again a month of issues and chasing, only to be told there is an unresolved system error for which they currently have no solution!

Submitted a formal complaint to the customer services department. Received a letter saying they would investigate, but it could take four weeks!!!!

Customer service is non-existent. Constantly passed to helpdesk, branch, esaver team, web team... all with different numbers and all with contradictory answers. General couldn't care less attitude, and it seems that no one is willing to take on these sorts of problems and own them to completion. Lost count of how many times they said they would call back - they never do. I think the only answer now is to give up on Abbey and go to another bank.

Posted by David Upcott on the 29th October 2007

I am actually on the phone to them just now. Basically, they stopped my card because of there cock-up. I called up on Sat to check if my card was working, and was told it was. So I used the LAST of my petrol (by last I mean very last, car ran out of petrol right at the station). Went to withdraw money to put in the car, to be told that my card wasn't working. Phoned them up to be told that it is working, after 45 mins of arguing (them saying it is working, and me telling them that it isn't), they put the phone down on me. Because of this, I had to use the £150 that I had put aside for a work course, to pay for breakdown recovery. Now they are saying that they won't be refunding this, as they have done nothing wrong.

Posted by David on the 25th October 2007

As an existing Abbey customer I transfered my ISA to another Abbey ISA. Since doing so I have no statements, no paperwork which tells how to pay in or take money out of the account. I have telephoned on countless times and also gone into Abbey Branches and have been promised online user name and passwords. They have not been provided. I am disgusted with Abbey and am transferring out my ISA to another provider.

Posted by Bernice Rubenstein on the 19th October 2007

I have been with the Abbey for about 30 years. Lately I'm unsure about them, I got a phone call from a company that knew my bank details e.g. sort code, account no and how much charges I've paid in the last 6 yrs. I phoned Abbey and told them about the phone call I received, they told me to watch my bank account, not interested at all. I think they should pay their customers the money back that they have charge them over the years before they lose their good name.

Posted by Marion Benson on the 18th October 2007

I've been trying to close a savings account for two months, any contact by telephone to the branch is always the same: "Will phone back" and rarely does this happen. The net result is that I cannot access my own money.

Posted by Alexander Macleod on the 17th October 2007

I've been banking with Abbey now for nearly fifteen years through rain and shine. This is the first problem I have had with them in all that time. My card expired the end of last month, Abbey should of sent me my new card ten days before my old card expired (09/07) they didn't. After numerous phone calls (this costs money!) I was told a new card had been issued, then on Monday I call them just too make sure things were in progress when I am told NO new card has been sent! :-/ Their mistake they say (how reassuring, NOT). So now a new card has been issued, this was on Monday (1st Oct 07), they said it will take 3 to 5 working days too arrive, but now there's a postal strike, so the card may arrive slightly later.

Another week goes by, I call them again on Saturday (6th Oct 07) to make sure no other mistakes have been made, then they tell me the card will not be issued until the 10th of October! "What was the reason for this?" I said, "It's the postal strike maybe?" she said. On the following Monday I pay a visit too my local branch because I had too pay an ebay purchase another way due to the fact that the card I have been so patient in waiting for is linked to my paypal account. I asked why is my card taking so long in turning up? I was told another new reason, he says it's to do with the company who emboss the cards, there is some kind of dispute and this is causing a delay. How many different excuses are there? Floods, postal strikes, embossing companies, or maybe a take over by a Spanish bank who have bitten off more than they can chew. They also need to employ new staff who are a bit more polite and understanding, maybe a smile every now and then would be nice, if they don't enjoy working there, then don't work there! Or maybe it's just company policy. I'm still waiting...

Posted by Lee Jones on the 15th October 2007

My father died last week and my sister went to the West Wickham branch of the Abbey to let them know and to give them copies of the death certificate etc. She was totally insulted by the attitude, incompetence, arrogance and insensitivity of the staff member she spoke to.

Earlier she had had a similar experience when presenting a copy of an enduring power of attorney. If this bank is ever going to get the investment it needs to survive, it will need to re-educate or fire some its incompetent staff especially those with an anti-customer attitude problem. They are there for our convenience NOT vice-versa. If I could give them a zero.... I would !!

Posted by M. J. Valiant on the 11th October 2007

I am stranded in Australia with serious Cash Card problem. I am unable to return to UK and about to become an illegal immigrant. My cash card was showing funny messages as the Customer Services recorded me to be in Thailand instead of Australia. Account is debited with our giving me the money. Curse Abbey!

Posted by Mufassil Islam on the 4th October 2007

I have been with Abbey for upwards of 15 years and thought they were fantastic, but in the past few months they have become a nightmare. I have been trying to close my postal account for almost two months now and am getting nowhere. I have sent two withdrawal forms, four letters, three e-mails, two requests for them to ring me, three letters to the managing director and still not a sign of life from any of them. I need the money urgently to pay a builder and can't make many more excuses to him. If I ever DO get my money back I would certainly never bank with them again.

Posted by Pat Fallon on the 25th September 2007

They used to be a great service but I now agree with the posts here - they have become a very dire service. You see this happening to companies all the time, they get so big they can't handle all their own red tape and the customer loses out.

I'm still waiting for a credit to my account from a online betting account; I won a lot of cash so was very pleased, but to my surprise it's been over 10 days now.

And Visa debit is supposed to take 3 to 5 working days!

I'm told the money will be in soon.

As soon as it is, I'm probably going back to HSBC.

I can't believe a bank could be so useless, 9 times out of 10 if you have a problem they can't sort it in the local branch. Instead you're given a support number to speak to a faceless person. grrrrrrr

Posted by James on the 20th September 2007

My mother-in-law has requested her bank charges returned over the years, as well as a copy of her bank statements. When the statements finally arrived they showed no record of the charges at all (very convenient for them), and last week while she was on holiday they decided to close her account, with just under £10,000 in credit, with no notice, and will not tell her why over the phone. So as you can tell she had a crap holiday with no cash thanks to this poor excuse for a bank. Those little old ladies have the best answer ..... keep it under your mattress......... its safer and cheaper!

Posted by J Berry on the 18th September 2007

Where do I start!?! I have lived in Kuwait for one year and have used my ATM card here. In June it stopped working so I requested a new card and told them that I would pick it up at my branch in the UK as I would be there on holiday and the postal service here in Kuwait isn't reliable.

I duly picked up card, used it in the UK, flew back home and used it here. Yesterday I tried to use it again and it said "refer to bank". I duly called on my mobile and spent 1 hour and 20 minutes trying to get some sense out of somebody.

My new card has been cancelled as I had not informed them that I would be using it in Kuwait but they have sent me another one to Kuwait as my address is in Kuwait.

Does the address not give some hint as to where I live and where I will be using the card!! Needless to say the new card will never arrive, I have no access to my UK account, and there is absolutely nothing they can do about this, other than I have to board a flight and go into my branch in the UK and pick up a new one and then fly home to Kuwait and inform them I will be using it here.

Who picks up the bill? Who will explain to the locals that I cannot pay the rent!?! Abbey are, as far as I am concerned, totally incompetent, and will not even acknowledge they have made a huge error by cancelling my card.

Posted by Sally Ferbuyt on the 11th September 2007

My mother who was dying of cancer was being charged for being overdrawn, but when I complained to Abbey that what was required was a statement of current account situation I was informed they only did monthly statements. As there were outgoings on the account, cheques subsequently were not cleared. £120.00 was charged even though I twice complained requesting statements of amount available they refused . They are beyond humanity, or should I say below it.

Posted by Kane Osman on the 30th August 2007

No point in me writing what everyone else has but I agree with every single comment. Abbey are absolutely appalling in every aspect. I have now been waiting 15 weeks for response to charges on my account totaling £315 and a complaint regarding poor customer service. Word of advice... Do not bank with Abbey National!!!!

Posted by Steven Sim on the 27th August 2007

Unbelievably appalling. We required a bank reference from Abbey in order to get a tenancy agreement and after 5 phonecalls, 2 branch visits, not to mention nearly losing the house, Abbey STILL hadn't provided it as promised. It never did turn up.

My partner finally decided that enough was enough and moved to Ulster Bank which said it would move all of the standing orders and direct debits over. Last month, guess what, the standing order hadn't bee moved over and our rent went unpaid. Abbey had not given Ulster Bank all of the required information.

So fast forward to earlier this week and the rent comes out of BOTH accounts. Another 2 branch visits were fruitless, the manager was frankly rude to my partner and when he asked if she intended to help him, she said "no". Outstanding Abbey, well done. Basically it seems that because he has moved to a different bank, they have dropped any tiny notion of customer service they may have had before.

They have charged him £35 both times for the pleasure of wasted time and inconvenience and are refusing to give him the money back. Because the rent has been deducted twice, we cannot go away for the weekend trip we were planning for my birthday. Thanks a bunch Abbey!

Their argument is that Ulster Bank never attempted to take over the standing order. So how, one may ask, did Ulster Bank also take manage to the money? We didn't give the details to them.

Next stop is a letter to Abbey. If the problem is not sorted, then the consumer press. And then we will take it to the Financial Ombudsman and then the Small Claims Court if necessary. They will not get away with it! Steer clear.

Posted by Izzy on the 23rd August 2007

Abbey must be the worst bank ever for customer service - this is my latest ongoing complaint with them, beware if you have had charges refunded in the past, they will not refund anything again!

As Abbey's computer systems were down on 15/8/07, I was concerned that the cash paid into my account at the Wigan branch would not show on their systems, as I had 3 direct debits being presented.

I rang and spoke to customer services, who stated that as Abbey was at fault due to systems being down, I would not be charged if the direct debits were returned. I asked them to contact the clearance deptartment and explain the situation, which they did, but frustratingly, they could not tell me the outcome as their system also went down.

I then rang the Chief exec's office and spoke to a lady who said she would look into the situation and gave me a case number. She said she would call me back, she didn't. I then rang at 4.45pm as I knew the clearance dept closed at 5pm and spoke to another lady who promised to ring me back this the following morning by 9.30am, she didn't.

I checked my account online on 16/8/07 and the money I had paid in on the 15/8/07, showed as being paid in on the 15/8/07, but the direct debit swere refused, with funds available??

I rang this morning at 10am and spoke to the same lady again and she informed me that I would have to wait for the charges to be pending on my account before she could do anything about them, she said they may take 10 days to show.

I asked her to check the pending charges now as I had no way of checking (she said I could check online, but I informed her they don't show as pending online and she said she was unaware of this!). She then informed me that they were already there (after saying it would take 10 days!). She rang the charges dept and then informed me that as I had had some charges refunded in the past, they would not refund these charges, even though Customer Services stated clearly to me that it was Abbey's error.

I cannot believe that their staff make false promises and all tell you different information.'

Posted by Laura Bent on the 16th August 2007

I don't know even know where to start. Since being taken over by Santander this bank can hardly be called a bank.

On June 18th I requested internet banking. On June 29th I was advised to get a replacement debit card as my current card stopped doing bill payments at the ATM's - no problems, they said, all will be with you within 7-10 working days of request.

Over 30 telephone calls later - I am waiting for the transcripts to go to the banking ombudsman with them (since the advice always seemed to contradict itself) - still no internet banking details and still no replacement card. I have been a customer of over 30 years with what used to be a lovely little building society called the Abbey National.

It is now a foreign owned and distinctly uncaring corporate monster with absolutely appalling customer service.

I will be presenting my complaint to the ombudsman and then I will, rather sadly as my first ever savings were placedwith Abbey as a child, be changing banks immediately.

A tragedy for what was once a great British business.

Posted by Anthony Hall on the 13th August 2007

I put in a complaint for my bank charges nearly eight weeks ago and Abby still have not sorted my bank charges claim.
They are now telling me that my claim for £3000 pound bank charges has now been put on hold and in the last week have charged me over £100 pound in bank charges again. They are a disgrace and are making billions off pounds out of people who are finding it hard enough to live without them robbing them of thousands to line their pockets. If i could give them a rating of zero, I would.

Posted by Anita Ferguson on the 31st July 2007

I have to agree with the majority here, I have banked with Abbey for 15 years and never needed a credit account, therefore I opened an instant plus account with no credit facilities.
Recently my employers changed my pay date and due to this my direct debits were affected slightly. Following this I called Abbey to check that all my direct debits had left my account okay to which they replied 'yes'.
Then I withdrew the remaining balance of my account to sort out a few things only to get a letter from Abbey saying they had bounced a direct debit and they were charging me £35! I couldn't believe it, I wouldn't mind but they waited a month to take this charge then just took it out of my account again causing another direct debit to bounce, only this time it was my mortgage. I can safely say I have now closed my account and moved it to First Direct, who I have to say have been brilliant!!

Posted by Phil Capper on the 24th July 2007

I am in my 11th year with them and have finally been broken by them! Their customer service has gotten worse and worse and their call centre is absolutely hopeless. So glad I am leaving them now.

Posted by Duncan Sibbald on the 24th July 2007

Do not phone Abbey on 0845 numbers. Go to www.saynoto0870.com, this will give you free phone numbers.

Posted by P G Jennings on the 18th July 2007

Abbey are the worst bank ever... I put in a 2 grand cheque and a week later still not cleared! I phoned up India and they can't help you, so pressed option 1 for stolen cards and hey presto an English person! Apparently it wasn't put in as the cashier didn't endorse my name???????

Now I've been charged for a direct debit that didn't go through because funds were not available because of their incompetence!!!

As well as that latest incident their banking systems go down about 1-2 times a month since Santandeer took it over.

Avoid Abbey! I will be closing my account today!

Posted by Karl B on the 16th July 2007

Abbey are the worst bank ever - charges of £350 for being a total of £68 overdrawn is an outrage! It's not like it's even real money they are charging for! For those who dispute this, look up 'fractional reserve lending' or 'flat currency' to see how we, the customer, are the only ones who operate using hard cash - the banks just make their money up and charge ridiculous fees on this non-existent money! Take them to court - they'll give it all back to you, then you can take your business elsewhere! I did - Abbey are the worst bank ever!!!

Posted by Tom Davies on the 12th July 2007

Absolutely appalling, should be struck off for financial crimes against human beings. I am trying to sort my self out but not one person knows anything and you are kept on the phone for ages and yet more charges.

Posted by Mrs Rebecca Mason on the 3rd July 2007

Abbey is beyond bad. My card was used fraudulently 4 months ago and I'm still waiting to be refunded for the money used which I was told would be with me within a fortnight. I could barely hear the woman I spoke to on the phone because the line was so poor, on top of that her English wasn't too good and my Spanish is even worse. I've since tried to contact someone to complain and spoke to 12 different people in 25 minutes before hanging up in frustration. I didn't speak to one person that could understand or speak English properly, which is fine except when you're talking about something as important as your money. I've written letters too with no response to date. My local branch just keep pointing to the phone in the corner so that I can do more phoning to try and complain - "at least it's free!" I'm not sure what to do next really, I think I will try ringing some of the above numbers and see where that gets me. My advice to anyone thinking of opening an Abbey account is - think again!

Posted by Sally on the 2nd July 2007

For years and years Abbey has charged me again and again, I am dyslexic and have had many problems with figures and accounts and always mess up my direct debits. Abbey has made a fortune from me for years. I recently realised that the Abbey have fined me every month for the past two years when my mortgage payments and my other direct debits were claimed earlier than the money in my account, so on top of Abbey fining me my mortgage company fined me to. But not even once Abbey asked if they could help me or if I had any problems but sent me charge tariffs through the post.

Posted by Mohammed Hussain on the 30th June 2007

Absolutely the worst customer services I have EVER experienced in my life. I am going to change banks as soon as I move house as I have had enough of holding holding holding for hours on end on their useless Telephone banking service. It took myself and my boyfriend collectively 2 and a half hours holding to speak to someone the other month. I complained and demanded a cheque to cover the telephone costs which I was told would go straight out... I have now had to call the complaints dept 4 TIMES (and held for 15 minutes a time) to complain about my complaint not being processed! A disgrace in this day and age!! Do not join them.

Posted by Melinda Knight on the 26th June 2007

I don't know where to begin but over the few years I've been using Abbey I could write a book on the poorest and most inconvenient customer service. You can never sure that they have done what you have asked them etc., you have to follow it up. As for their charges... I went overdrawn by a few pounds and was charged £20 for going overdrawn and then £30.00 for any subsequent transactions. I didn't realise and made several transactions around £6.00 each, and was charged £30.00 for each. I wouldn't mind if it was £2.00 for each, i.e. the cost of a letter etc, but didn't receive one! The charges for that month amounted to £260.00 for being approximately £35.00 overdrawn. I asked for refund and was told I would get a call within 48 hours to discuss the problem. Never heard a thing. I called again only to be told they do not call but send a letter to formalise the complaint. I never received the letter. The extortionate charges had a knock on affect with my direct debits such as mortgage payments etc etc. I'm getting out. They're useless and certainly not interested in their customers.

Posted by Phil Hodges on the 7th June 2007

Would give the 0 stars if it where possible.
Do not use this bank, they are dire.

My husband set up an account in January and then on the 10th of Feb this year we went into the branch to convert it to a joint account. I took about 7 forms of ID with me including marriage certificate, bank statements, my birth certificate and passport. The lady in the branch took the details and said it would be a week... We are still waiting. They lost all of my ID (thank God it was all copies) and asked for it all again, we took it to the branch (this is 3 weeks after the initial request to add me to the account) who made copies again and sent it off. Five days later my husband got a letter saying that they could not set up a joint account because they hadn't had ID. Understandably upset, he rang Customer Service who told him to ring the branch, which he did and was then ping ponged between the two for over 30 minutes. When he finally managed to get through he had to go through the process of taking all the ID again. We where then told it would be sorted within 4 weeks... It is now 5th June and it has still not been sorted. Both our wages go into this account now and my husband works away, I dread to think what will happen if something happens to the one of us that doesn't have the card to access our money.

We have made numerous calls and logged at least 3 complaints over the phone, the first two took at least an hour on the phone because we where told that we could not log a complaint over the phone despite their own literature (and the FOS) saying that you can! We finally got a complaint logged with the complaints department in April.... and surprisingly we are still waiting for this to be dealt with. We had a letter today saying that it will be at least another 4 weeks before we are going to get this sorted out. It's a joke.

If they can't manage to do something as basic as this, I dread to think what would happen if we wanted to do anything slightly more complicated like change address.

They also won't allow my husband to set up a direct debit of anything over £300 for no reason other than they probably just don't want to. So to pay our mortgage he has to go into the branch to get the money out and to do even that he has to phone the day before to make sure that they have got enough money in the branch! I've never heard anything like it before with any other bank, it's ridiculously shoddy, and I can honestly say that the quicker we have another bank account after this mess is sorted out the better... I think I'll go back to the HSBC or LLoyds, they're not perfect but at least they can do admin!

Posted by Debbie Cahill on the 5th June 2007

I joined them with business banking. They never answer the phone, then if they do they hang up. The registration process is a joke. They claim free banking when actually they offer no banking service at all. I have been trying to get them to sort this out for two weeks. Do NOT join them. You have been warned!

Posted by Outofoffice on the 25th May 2007

I have received 6 letters from various departments not have not come up with any definite solution to my complaint regarding a telephone conversation on the 12/5/07 I was informed that monies was going into my account the following day I am still waiting on 23/5 when I asked if I wanted to go stage 2 my complaint was first lodged in February letter received 19/5 stating that it is now 8 weeks since we received your complaint they have got their maths wrong or it another delaying tactic.

Posted by Lynda Jordan on the 24th May 2007

We opened a bank account putting a substantial sum of monies into that account. To date we have never received a welcoming letter, or indeed an opening bank statement.
Despite writing to Abbey and emailing Pam Speed we have never had the courtesy of a reply. Various people in Abbey have also emailed her and todate no reply.
I am beginning to think what an awful bank and administration it is when they insult you by not replying to emails or correspondence.
By the way the telephone number for Pamela Speed is mentioned above, if you think that is her telephone number, think again, I have tried it and it is impossible to speak to her, I was put through to someone in sales in Glasgow!!!!!
When I ran my own company trading in many countries around the world, anyone who did not answer correspondence the next day, would have been fired by me immediately, Now it is a well know phrase "Your'e Fired" there certainly needs to be some firing in Abbey to teach staff a lesson!!!

Posted by George Staples, on the 22nd May 2007

Abbey are very helpful when I visit one of their branches but every time I tried to order a credit card over the phone their service was quite inept.

Posted by Harry Ford on the 27th April 2007

The Abbey National is now offically rated as the worst bank in the UK.

If you want to recover bank/penalty charges fast then don't bother writing it takes months, telephone

02077 564332

and speak to a semi human

Posted by John Dawson on the 25th April 2007

Trying to get in touch with the abbey about your bank charges is like trying to get in touch with Elvis Presley. For a direct link and to get anywhere with them you have to telephone head office and speak to a human.... 020775 64332 that's 020775 64332 you will actually speak to someone here direct instead of a machine, and you can tell them what you think.

Posted by David Cosgrave on the 24th April 2007

ABBEY NATIONAL BANK
Get Your Money Back

Telephone Direct and claim your bank charges back

MR TOM JERRED
SENIOR CUSTOMER RELATION MANAGER
0845 600 6014
Ask to Speak to him direct

PAM SPEED
BANKING SERVICING
08457 654321
Ask to Speak to her direct

MR RICHARD JONES
SENIOR MANAGER
0870 607 6000
Ask to speak to him direct

Posted by Neil on the 20th April 2007

If you have been charged excessive penalty fees/charges by your bank over the last six years, you can take them to county court to recover those fees and it won't cost you a penny if you recieve income support benefit, job seekers allowance, or you might have to pay a reduced fee if you get family tax credits.

If you have no joy in your contact with the bank, just pop along to your county court offices and fill in a short form with 2 proof of id, and proof that you are getting benefit, then after filling in that form, fill in the county court form to issue the summons at the same time and that's it. Get the ball rolling, get those charges back. Show them you are not messing about, it's easy,and if you were worried about the cost, don't be, provided you fall in the category above, it won't cost you anything...nothing to lose, everything to gain....

Good luck to you all banks don't want ccj's

Get your money back !

This problem arises from the banks using poverty as a source of profit—a great deal of profit. The bank commission of BBC 2's "The Money Programme", which included eminent business academics and a former senior NatWest executive, concluded that the absolute maximum administrative cost to a bank of processing a bounced cheque—the most labour-intensive of the processes in question—is £4.50. For all other items, such as unauthorised overdrafts or bounced direct debits, the commission concluded that the absolute maximum, in this electronic age where everything is done automatically through a computer, is £2.50. However, the average charge is approximately £30. Some are as high as £38, and they are charged every time people make what the banks consider to be an unauthorised transaction. That is a substantial profit for the banks, which rake in some £4.5 billion, without even taking account of the similar examples that the Federation of Small Businesses found in business banking accounts.

Almost all of what is charged is profit, not costs. It is profit at the expense of hard-up customers. It is the biggest bank robbery in Britain, and it involves the banks robbing their own customers, especially their poorest ones. A common response when the practice is described is that there should be a law against it; but there is a law, or there are laws. First, under common law, disproportionate and punitive charges have always been illegal. In layman's terms, if a consumer breaks the contract the other party—the bank, in this case—cannot impose a charge greater than the reasonable estimate of its loss. That common law has been unchanged for 100 years, and numerous cases in the higher courts have confirmed it. However, we can go further. The rights in question are protected by statutory instrument. The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 made that clear.

THE ABBEY IS NOT A UK BANK ANY MORE AND IS RATED AS THE WORST BANK, 2 OUT OF 10 RATING ON THE INTERNET.

IF THEY HAVE CHARGED YOU PENALTY CHARGES, GET THEM BACK, EMAIL THEM AT;

customerservices@abbey.com

and voice your opinion and express your disgust at them.

Posted by Harry on the 19th April 2007

I inherited Abbey after being an N & P customer. Should have change years ago but I kept hoping things would improve. they are truly awful and have no respect for you as the customer. The overseas call centre staff are very polite, but it's extremely difficult to communicate with them when English is not their first language.

Posted by Elaine Mcguinness on the 15th April 2007

Abbey is one of the worst banks I have ever had to deal with. Unhelpful, arrogant, high handed and fail to deal with any genuine problems. Their stock reply is " its company policy"

Posted by Neil Moorcraft on the 2nd April 2007

abbey is a great bank been with them 3 years and never had any problems, easy toset up an account, friendly helpful staff

Posted by Gina Compton on the 20th January 2007