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Changing Banks

A friendly ear
DrFfybes
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Changing Banks

#466338

Postby DrFfybes » December 16th, 2021, 12:40 pm

It's simple to switch bank accounts, I mean, they tell you all the time.

Oh no it *&*(&^(^ well isn't.

Having not done it for a while (my statement folder says "Williams Deacon on it) RBS decided I didn't need a branch within 90 minutes drive, just as my mum died, and the appalling service finally galvanised me to switch to one that actually still has branches.

It isn't paying bills that is the problem with new account, it is the other providers I have that link into it. NS&I were great, ZOPA, not so much, Old Mutual would only accept a change in details via the Financial Advisor I opened the account through (who amazingly didn't charge me for this service), but the others have been a nightmare.

The Finance providers don't seem to recognise a Lloyds Classic account, and want more verification. Some even want me to print out the pdf statement, take it to the bank, get it stamped as genuine, and then put it into an envelope and POST it to them!

After sending scans of account statements and the debit card to interactive Investor, they finally updated my linked account. However the divis still go into the old account. I phone up ii, and eventually manage to tease out of the 'service agent' that it is something to do with my Direct Debit.
"What DD, you just send the money to me - it is a push from you, not a pull from the bank".
"No, you have a DD with your bank"
"I don't understand, you push money into my bank, not the other way around"
"No, the DD you pay us"
[lightbulb moment] "Oh, you mean the one I pay my Fees with each month?"
"Yes, you need to change that".
"OK, let me get this right, I send 3 messages, 2 documents, 4 phone call to verify the new bank, then this doesn't update my direct debit?"
"no"
"Can I do that now?"
"no, I can't do that as there is still a DD active. You need to cancel the old one with your bank first."
"Then I can log in and set a new one up"
"No, you can't do that online"

Anyway, DD is cancelled with RBS (which I couldn't do via online banking for some reason (I got an error message) so had to call and listen to a message telling me how quick and easy it was to do it online). I'm sure ii will be in touch next time they want some money out of me.

Mind you, this is the same ii who in response to a letter and a secure message, both containing the phrase "please send me a probate valuation of my mother's account" responded over a month later with an "indicative valuation" saying to contact them if I wanted a Probate valuation!


Paypal was pretty simple, enter the details, the move a quid with a code as a reference, you enter the code, all sorted. Only took 3 attempts, although it won't let me delete the old account from their system. Ebay OTOH involves going through a secure tunnel to log in to the new account, go through all the hoops, phone codes, texts, etc, and then appears to change nothing at all.

Sigh :(

Paul

Lootman
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Re: Changing Banks

#466344

Postby Lootman » December 16th, 2021, 12:53 pm

Doing anything with banks now is a nightmare. Like you I conduct much of my banking in person at the branch. Luckily I am in a location where I can walk to my two banks. But the staff at both do their best to try and make me feel guilty about wanting service from a human being, although they always relent in the end. They harass me with statements like "you can do this on the app" to which my response is "I don't want to".

There is often a queue to see a real cashier as they often only have one cashier working. But there are a number of bank staff wondering around trying to sell me insurance and other produces. Beyond frustrating.

Getting a modest increase in a credit card limit this past summer was like pulling teeth. I cannot imagine what getting a mortgage is like these days but fortunately I have not needed a new mortgage for 30 years.

By contrast Paypal is very slick and easy, as you note. It is effectively my substitute for online banking. I particularly like the way I can use PP to transfer funds to friends and family AND charge it to my credit card with no fees. So I get air miles for each transfer and do not have to pay for it for 4/5/6 weeks. That is a good deal.

DrFfybes
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Re: Changing Banks

#466384

Postby DrFfybes » December 16th, 2021, 2:33 pm

Agreed, it is frustrating this reliance on technology. I can't even volunteer to help with the vaccinations as I don't have a smartphone.

I also spoke to the RBS bereavement helpline today (after being put through to their mortgage breavement team, who put me through to the Nat West bereavement team, who..).

It turns out that if you don't log into their bereavement site (yes, the one they keep telling you to use whilst you are on hold) for 3 weeks, they lock it "to protect the customer".

You know it is locked, as when you log in you get a white page with the message "503 error service not available".

Anyway, after numerous logins, apparently 6 calls to the helpline, and barely 11 weeks after mums death, I will have the statement and funds with me in 5-10 days. A remarkable improvement over when dad died in 2009, where it took nearly an hour to sort it all in the local branch.

Time for anoher cuppa.

88V8
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Re: Changing Banks

#466722

Postby 88V8 » December 17th, 2021, 11:05 am

Sympathy.
A friend just lost her 102yo MiL and has this to look forward to.

One would think that bank customers never died. A novelty.
But if all the banks are carp, there's little risk of disgruntled relatives decamping or posting on social media or complaining to the FCA.

Paypal is my preferred online payment method. If they ran a bank, I wonder how good it would be.

Btw, one does not need to pay ii's fee via dd. If you just keep a few quid in the account they will take it from the balance.

V8

DrFfybes
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Re: Changing Banks

#466750

Postby DrFfybes » December 17th, 2021, 12:31 pm

88V8 wrote:Sympathy

Btw, one does not need to pay ii's fee via dd. If you just keep a few quid in the account they will take it from the balance.

V8


I know, but mum only had an ISA with them, and it was to avoid them taking it from ours if the cash balance in the trading account was insufficient.

Paul

tsr2
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Re: Changing Banks

#466883

Postby tsr2 » December 17th, 2021, 6:41 pm

88V8 wrote:One would think that bank customers never died. A novelty.
But if all the banks are carp, there's little risk of disgruntled relatives decamping or posting on social media or complaining to the FCA.

My mother died in January and HSBC's bereavement team were excellent.

It's a shame that they cant open an account for a new customer with the same efficiency.


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