Report Abuse

“I have recently gone to India for 5 months, I have two...”

written by mr natal on 10/12/2008

Good Points
none

Bad Points
poor customer service
different departments give differing advice
internet banking bad design
always at your inconvenience, always at their convenience

General Comments
I have recently gone to India for 5 months, I have two accounts one with Halifax one with Alliance & Leicester, I have two very bad experiences which are now going to lead me canceling my account.

1. before going I went to Halifax and told them of my return dates next year, they have put a marker on my account so all my bank cards can be used from India without hindrance until that date.

Went to A&L to do the same and was told they could only mark my card as valid for 30 days?!? - But I am going for 5 months I told them. "Well you will have to phone us every 30 days then sir to confirm you are still abroad" - I protested that couldn't I just tell them now? They declined saying it was how the system was set up. I now have to phone an 0870 number from India every 30 days at my expense (and wait in a queue) to confirm to them I am still here.

2. Also before leaving I confirmed with A&L that I could continue internet banking while abroad in Indo, they said no problem. On arrival in India I was unable to log into my internet banking, finally got through to A&L who told me that they block all attempts to access Internet Banking from India! So they have told me every time I want to even check my balance I am going to have to phone their telephone banking service - again an 0870 number from abroad on a mobile in India! At my expense!

Thanks A&L - no thanks, am now moving a not inconsiderable sum of money out of my account with them and back to Halifax who I can still Internet bank with whilst in India - your loss A&L.

Also a high volume of junk mail from A&L and I have found out for a fact that they passed my address details on to several other organisations without my permission.