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
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
Paul