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“Before I went to university, I researched several...”

Written on: 27/01/2007 by jojo8718 (12 reviews written)

Good Points
They gave me the money when I needed it.

Bad Points
Read on...

General Comments
Before I went to university, I researched several student accounts, and it seemed Lloyds TSB was the best. I went to sign up for it, and I was told that I couldn't do it then, because my letter of acceptance was a photocopy. I was told I could do all the admin work now, and then come back later when I had less time to show the original. I said this was OK, and asked to start the admin. After much sighing and eye rolling, she eventually said she'd do it for me now (she'd offered anyway)! I went back in later that day, and I was told the account would take up to 10 days to be activated, which, as I wasn't leaving for 14 days, was fine. 13 days later they still hadn't arrived (I'd applied for the credit card as well), and I went back in to the branch. After more eye rolling and sighing she agreed to phone them. I waited more than half an hour in her office for her, and when she came back she told me that it had already arrived and it had been mislaid, but now found. And with that she handed over both the credit card and debit card. I have to add, that I actually had no problems using the cards; it was further down the line more problems started.



About 6 weeks after I'd been using them, I wondered where my statements had got to, and more importantly, my credit card statements. I decided to phone them. I spoke to the lady and told her my concern, only to have her interrupt me, "I'm sorry, let me pass you over to our collections department". I was taken aback when another man came over the phone and asked me why I hadn't been keeping up with the payments. I was flabbergasted, and I insisted that he check his records. After all, I hadn't even received a statement. Lloyds hadn't even contacted me, and in fact it was I who was ringing them to pay them!!! He responded "but of course, you haven't requested paper statements". Paper statements!! I explained that how else was I supposed to know my balance and make payments without them. He said when I signed up for the card I agreed to do internet banking. I said I had, but the lady told me that all that was, was checking your balance online, nothing else!! I explained that this was clearly not my fault, but I would still be making the payment today. I asked the balance, and he told me that I had £45 in charges which had been added on. So my minimum payment, with the charges and the late payment charge was £70, and only £15 was the minimum payment charge I had been expecting!!! I explained again that this was obviously the lady at the branch's fault, and he told me that there was nothing he could do about it, but unless I made the payment today, I could expect a CCJ soon. I paid!!! I asked him to make sure that I was receiving statements from now on.



Another 6 weeks down the line, I was getting worried that the same thing was happening again due to no statements, but I had received some paper work for not making payments. I rang back up, and I was told that again that I hadn't made payments, and this time, the statements had obviously been lost in the post and therefore that was again my fault, and again they added another £70 as my minimum payment plus charges. 2 weeks later my statement arrived fine, and as I went to pay it, I realised there was another £25 fine on there as a late payment from last month!! I'd lost all fight by now, and I decided to pay it, but in the same token I rang them back up, and agreed a direct debit to pay the MMP so that I don't get caught out by it. I'm still waiting for confirmation of it, and that was 6 weeks ago. So who knows what's going on in the poorly managed world of Lloyds TSB!!!



The other thing is, the people at the branches and on the phone think the whole student credit card and debit card is alien, because whenever I go in or ring them up, they either stare at it, and make looking up my details on the system into this huge charade, or if I speak to them, they say they can't find my details. And when I'm almost crying in desperation, they say "oh, right, it's a STUDENT credit card, that makes all the difference!!



Overall, the whole experience with Lloyds has been stressful and pointless. I can't wait to be rid of them, and I will stick to someone decent like Nationwide!!