Alliance Leicester
Average Customer Rating:
Founded in 1852, Alliance and Leicester converted from a building society to a bank in 1997. It is one of the 100 largest companies in the UK, and with 5.5 million customers is currently the seventh largest bank in the UK. In May 2010 the bank was acquired by Santander UK and was fully incorporated by 2011.
Alliance and Leicester focuses on mortgages, retail savings, current accounts and personal loans. They are in partnership with MBNA to offer credit cards and credit facilities. They use Legal and General for investment and life insurance planning, and also offer other insurance through Zurich.
I suggest we all bombard BBC’s Watchdog with our horror stories. Lets give them a taste of their own medicine. I have already ditched my RBS accounts after having been with them for 30 excellent years but refuse to have anything to do with Santander whom are taking over all English RBS branches.
I have been trying to add a ‘Payee’ to my ONLINE savings account for months and they suggest that I visit a branch. NO I don’t want to it is supposed to be an online service.
We are at our wits end with all the problems Alliance & Leicester have caused us. We wished to move 6 ISAs [three each] to a pair of investment ISAs to benefit from their 5.5% interest offer. In order to do this we had to see a so-called ‘advisor’ . We told him at the start of the meeting that we were there together, at the same time, to do identical investments but were to be treated as two separate individuals as regards the investments. This is because we have our own individual financial affairs but, in this instance, wished to echo each other in what we did, plus I wanted to have him there so I would not get bulldozed into doing something I did not wish to do. During this meeting he kept referring to us as a couple and had to be corrected on several occasions. When we finally received the report, instead of the two individual personalised reports reflecting our different finances, he sent one lumping us together as a couple!!!! Also in this report he fabricated information as regards what he said we discussed, the figures were inaccurate and my finances were not taken into account as regards my [two mortgage free houses, investments etc. The whole thing was a fiasco. We both sent him letters to point out his mistakes and have never had the courtesy of any acknowledgment or reply to any of them. We contacted their Complaints Department and have been struggling with them ever since. The ISAs were not transferred until I chased in August [we had been out of the country and could not do so earlier]. The inept ‘advisor’ is now wriggling and making false accusation to cover up for our accusation of ‘wrong advice’. We also had a series of current and savings accounts with them and have now closed them as we cannot work with this company.
Their muddled and convoluted security proceedures gave us multiple problems when trying to access our account online from our holiday home.
I advise all who read this to do the same and steer clear of this useless and frankly unhelpful company.
I have a problem today whereby I send my mortgage payment to the Alliance & Leicester as I have done every month since we came to australia via westpac on an international transfer – this month A&L tell me I am in arrears I tell them the payment went on the 13th, they dont believe me and wont look for it. I check with westpac who tell me that Natwest A&L international clearing bank have refused the payment without explanation and will not respond to their communications demanding a reason because until they either confirm the transaction is cancelled and why I cannot have the funds back so I can pay them over the phone by card if necessary. A&L wont do anything until I can convince them I have paid my mortgage and only then will they go looking for my money – I sent it, they wont accept it – no reason and I cant get it back. What the hell do you do in these circumstances. I am due to send another payment do I hope they will accept it or do I just let them keep refusing the payment until they repossess the house, is that what they are after – what can I do???
Reply
They are at it again – they have returned three payments in two months blaming me for not using the correct account number. It is the same mortgage account number they gave me three years ago and from which international transfers have been made and 95% accepted during that time. God knows what they are doing because they dont. Each department, customer services, collections and complaints do not share information so you have to relate the whole damn story over and over and all the while it is costing you money. Returning our payments has cost us over $500 in exchange rate differences and fees and they will not pay them back.
I use a cheque book every week(sch dinners, etc etc) I have waited nearly 2 mths for 1 to arrive. I have rang every week, called at local branch to ask why cant I have a cheque book? Answer from A & L when they switched from A & L to Santander it logged my account with over 60 chques still outstanding!!!!! I check weekly what chqs leave my account and the last one was paid in Sept? there are no more cheques outstanding. yesterday I rec’d 2 chq books but written all over them and on the back its states in bold not to be used with a guarentee card!!!!!! what is all that about, as I only issue a chq when I have funds in my account , they are making me feel as if I dont have any money to issue chqs, infact I will be looking for a new bank very shortly.
Complete imbeciles; My wife & I hold a joint account with A&L and following an unbelievably chaotic (& ultimately futile) series of interactions with A&L/Santander customer service beginning in a ‘security alert’(we never did find out what triggered it), both our cards were declined in a shop transaction, a frantic call to A&L ‘helpline’ later we were told to go into branch. At the branch they were polite but clueless, unable to address the issue & we were told we needed to go home and contact A&L there. Back home, I was told my card was now unblocked but my wife needed to go into branch to get her card unblocked. Another trip to branch, she was told her card was now unblocked & we were up & running again: I tried to use my card – it was decilned. Helpline once again, I was told I needed to go to a branch. Did so, I was told sorry but they didn’t know what was going on & there was nothing they could do to unblock the card but a new card was apparently on the way, but at least we had my wife’s card to see us through. My wife subsequently tried to use her card (at the ATM outside the branch- it was declined-& retained. In the meantime a transfer of funds from our current account to pay off a credit card had been in process for four days, I then found my internet access to A&L had been suspended. By this time I was utterly apoplectic, on the phone to customer service yet again I was told there was obviously a security issue, & they had cancelled the fund transfer I was informed that I should have received a security phone call to check the validity of the fund transfer, I informed them I had received no such call, only to then discover they had tried to contact us that day (four days after the transaction was instigated) while we were actually in a Santander branch desperately trying to sort things out!
It has only been through the fact that my wife still has her old current account with some funds in that we have been able to continue to function financially on a day-to-day basis during this fiasco. Having still not received a replacement debit card, I.have been unable to access funds in my current account for over a month now. I have sent ‘secure message’ after secure message (as per their recommended approach to complaints) to register my dissatisfaction, they took over a week to respond at all simply stating that my complaint would be fully investigated & if I had anything further to add use the same channels! They have still not responded to my subsequent message as to how I am expected to access the funds in my account & it’s getting on for two weeks now.
We’ve had more than enough & have decided to close the account & move to First Direct – purely on the grounds that, according to the surveys, they seem to have the highest level of customer satisfaction. No prizes for guessing who appears to be solidly at the bottom of the heap in that respect !
It is a shame as I have been with A&L for ten years and up until, (surprise,surprise), 2008 when Santander took over, there were no problems but now it’s just a farce. They offer many attractive products but on the basis of our experience of unbelievably atrocious customer service, un-necessarily over zealous security, contradictory & erroneous advice and ultimately complete failure in addressing the salient issue, I wouldn’t touch a Santander product with a bargepole.
I have read all the preceeding reviews with dread, as I swtched from Santander to A & L in June 2010. I had lots of over charging of fees issues with Santander, so switched to A 7 L, mainly for the £100 incentive. I am thankful, that the switch was very smooth, and I actually got the £100 less than a month after switching. All of these other reviews have opened my eyes to the fact that I have experienced the calm before the raging storm. I have jumped out of the frying pan into the fire!! But I heartily thank you, my fellow reviewers, as I am now forewarned and shall be on my guard. I have no overdraftfacility as I am currently unemployed (injury due to accident at work), so was dismayed one day when I checked my account online to find it had an unauthorised overdraft, my ex husband kindly paid £20 into my account so that my account could be brought back into credit. What shocked me was that one day later, this unauthorised overdraft had mysteriously disappeared and I was now over £40 in credit, even though the only transactions that had taken place was the £20 cash deposit into my account by my ex husband. Having experience similiar phanthom transactions with Santander, I check my account online several times a day and always leave emergency funds in my account to try and ensure that it always remains in credit. What is even more alarming is that when I receive my monthly paper statement, there is no evidence of any of this! Even though if I get a mini-statement from an ATM on the same day as a phanthom transaction it will be on there, and I will be left wondering who this payment is supposed to have gone to, as I keep meticulous financial records for my bank accounts. I am on my guard now, and will not take any attempts by A & L to fleece me via unfair charges lying down!!!
£100 Cashback is a scam! I changed my account to Alliance & Leicester 12 months ago, after phoning on numerous occasions to find out why I hadnt had my £100 I was promised they would sort it out. Now 12 months later they are saying that we hadnt paid in enough after 11 weeks of opening the account. We used their direct debit switching service which was incredibly slow and when everything was sorted our wages were paid in. We could not have done it any sooner otherwise we’d have been hammered by the halifax for using the “authorised” overdraft at £2.00 per day. How many people have actually had their £100 ???
My wages are available for use from the start of trading on 25th of each month. On 25/10/2010 Alliance & Leicester paid, then bounced back £550 which was supposed to go to my landlord. I queried this on the morning of 25/10/2010. I was given an apology. The Alliance & Leicester employee suggested that he should make two ‘FASTER PAYMENTS’ to my landlord’s agent. He did this. However, it is only possible to make one faster payment in a day. Therefore, instead of two payments, one of £300 and one of £250 leaving my account, only one of £300 was paid out. I was told by this employee that the £550 would not be going out.
On 26/10/2010 the Alliance & Leicester paid £550 to the landlord; even though I was informed this would not be going out. Therefore, the Alliance & Leicester overpaid the landlord by £300. I was very upset and asked to be refunded the money. The Alliance and Leicester agreed to repay me the £300. They repaid me.
On 26/10/2010 I tried to journey to France to see my parents. At Dover, I needed to fill my tank with petrol, to be able to continue the journey. My card was declined. After a 21 minute mobile phone call to the Alliance & Leicester I was told that I was using my husband’s card; the Alliance & Leicester representative was patronising and asked me to read the name on the card! So I read her my name; as it was my card. She then told me my card had been reported ‘lost or stolen’. It had not been. Essentially I was left at a ferry port with no way of getting to my final destination or of getting home.
My internet access was stopped for no reason.
On 29/12/10 I noticed that only £250 and not £550 had been taken from my account to pay my landlord. I phoned the Alliance and Leicester and asked them, ‘Why?’. They stated that they, ‘Had no idea.’ They checked the standing order instruction which was for £550. I asked if £300 could be paid by faster payment to my landlord; considering the problems I experienced in October, I asked the girl to ensure that this was the only payment that would be taken. She paid the £300 on 30/12/10.
Today I noticed that a further £300 has been taken from my account; it comes under the heading, ‘Transaction Refund’. I immediately phoned Alliance & Leicester [2pm, I have spent hours on the phone]. After speaking with several different people and getting through to the Complaints Department, I have been told that I should be dealt with in about a week. They have taken £300 from my account with no explanation. I need this money for food and fuel for my family.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
Been with a&l for over 25 years and to be fair even after the takeover with Santander they have always been very good and helpful, that is until now. My debit card was due to expire at the end of Dec 2010. I rang at the beginning of Dec to check when a replacement would be sent and was informed it had been and should be with me any day. Now with all the snow, bad weather etc thought it may get delayed. Move to two days before Christamas and no card. Worried now I rang several times only to be told it was sent and would be with me soon. On Wed 29th Dec I called again and this time spoke to a ‘team leader’ who told me there had been a systems error in Nov and the cards never actually went. They have received a ‘comm!!! on this today’ and apparently all cards where being sent out special delivery to arrive before the 31st. Gues what THEY LIED. Rang on 31st after the postie had been to complain again only to be told that they were sent normal post and would hopefully arrive the following week.
This was a week ago so several more calls later only to be told last night it must be ‘lost in the post’. a new card needs to ordered which is going to take another 7-10 working days to arrive. They are unwilling to help at all and its there way or not at all. Shambolic service doesnt even come close to what I think. Once card is received I will be making an appointment with the local branch manager and giving him a stongly put piece of my mind
I have had enough of this bank they are less rational than a single celled ameba.
I have had numerous fraudulent withdrawals from my account and on each occasion the bank have refused to do anything saying it is my problem as I originally purchased something from a website for £2, then my details were stolen I am now down a few hundred pounds.
The banks fraud department refuse to acknowledge any issues and hang up on men constantly. I have spoken to numerous departments and made a complaint on every single occasion, this is now the fourth occasion and not one idiot has actually correctly logged a complaint.
I will never go anywhere near then in my life, I would close all my accounts if I could get my money back…maybe by the time I’m 50 i might