Alliance & Leicester Current Account Reviews

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Latest Reviews

“I have had my current account for 18 years,...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 31/10/2010

I have had my current account for 18 years, (originally Girobank). Since Santandar have taken over, the service has really gone downhill. We changed an additional account into a joint account and my husband still doesn't have a card for that account (despite us asking several times). In branch the staff look about 12 years old on a Saturday which doesn't give you much confidence. I am seriously looking at switching, but am worried it might be 'better the devil you know'.

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“ Been with A&L for nearly ten years and was generally...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Moribund on 20/10/2010

Been with A&L for nearly ten years and was generally a happy bunny to the extent that my wife joined me in a Joint Account, we got our mortgage through A&L along with Savings Accounts and were very pleased with the 'perks', the interest rates and the general fussless, hassle-free laid-back style of the bank.
However, post 1998 and Santander takeover, it has been nothing short of a disaster in terms of incompetence, fantastically bad customer service and ineptitude culminating in our decision to hastily jump ship to First Direct (purely on the strength of reported customer satisfaction). Blocked/Cancelled cards, refused transactions, ridiculously over-zealous & mis-applied security, mislaid funds, blocked internet banking necessitating constant 'helpline' phone calls necessitating repeated wasted visits to Branch with seemingly clueless staff, supposedly 'reactivated'/unblocked cards that are still blocked, cancelled transactions, utterly useless telephone, security & branch banking (all with contradicting and ultimately futile advice- if any advice offered at all). I currently have no access to my funds as I still have no card and haven't had for some time. If it wasn't for the fact that my wife still has her old current account that we can dip into I'm not sure how we'd manage for day-to-day money.
It really has just been an increasingly ridiculous farce and - still with no solution apparent - we have decided to abandon ship.
It is a shame as the products offered are excellent ( for example, the interest paid in the current account is excellent) but it really isn't enough to justify the utterly dreadful customer service. It was only when I started to explore the money/banking websites that it wasn't just us that had the problem. As things stand, I wouldn't touch a Santander product with a bargepole.

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“since take over, total rubbish system, my saving...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by paul9999 on 14/08/2010

since take over, total rubbish system, my saving accounts seemed to have gone, money transfers take 2 weeks, and interest is being paid by CHEQUE! I thought cheques were on the way OUT, but no they are starting to pay interest by cheque now! Didn't like the service, system or attitude!

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“I have been with A&L for about five years (after...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 07/08/2010

I have been with A&L for about five years (after leaving sandtander) and upto Sandtander taking control they were great. However, the back has gone down hill fast since, for instance last month I paid a significant amount of money into my account and they charged me a £5 underfunding fee claiming I only deposited £500, the did resolve the problem, but it took about twenty minutes or so on the phone! Please steer clear of this particular bank.

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“The switching service ia appalling. they find various...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 25/07/2010

The switching service ia appalling. they find various reasons not to pay and on top of it challenge you to close the account if not satisfied. never seen a worser team before.

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Guest's Comment

Written on: 19/07/2011

couldn't agree more - Absolute rubbish since santander took over. What's more - if you take up the challenge and close your account, they dream up all sorts of charges and excuses. I had to get really aggressive in branch with the manager before anything was sorted out.

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“I moved from RSB to A&L for 100 pounds cash back....”

★☆☆☆☆

written by saurabh4444 on 22/07/2010

I moved from RSB to A&L for 100 pounds cash back. Switching service dint work for 2 occassion out of 12 direct debits and cost me 30 pounds penalty in one occasion. The main reason i wont recommend to any one because of its customer service. It take atlleat 15-20 minutes of wait to speak to a representative. The other very important reason is that, the money out transaction completion takes 1-2 day longer than what RBS use to take. It is rubbish. Please done move. Only one plus point, you earn 100 quid, worth for 1 star only.

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“Please never think of changing to this bank. I did -...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 10/06/2010

Please never think of changing to this bank. I did - in May of last year to take advantage of the £100 welcome package. Biggest mistake ever. The switching service is a joke - direct debits disappear into the ether, causing you to incur credit card charges. When questioned, it's not their fault and 'you must have the sort code wrong'. Send letters of complaint that are ignored. Customer service is pretty atrocious. Am about to close my account, but judging by others' experiences on that, I am not very hopeful.

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Jonathan Kelly's Comment

Written on: 16/06/2010

I found this review helpful because...It happened to me as well the switching service only switched one of my direct debits the others were all discontinued by my old bank.

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“We had been with Giro which became Alliance for 40...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 29/05/2010

We had been with Giro which became Alliance for 40 years. Since Santander took over the service has gone from bad to almost non- existent. We have stopped getting statements and lost internet banking telephones -calls have not resolved this. Following some letters their attempts to rectify this have not worked. I still do not know my balance from Month to month. Come back Girobank. We also have a Halifax account. Works wonderfully.

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“The service received when opening this alliance...”

★★★☆☆

written by mypaul on 25/02/2010

The service received when opening this alliance account was quick and efficient however since then the telephone service has been slow and highly irritating at times as you have to explain everything at least 3 times before you get anywhere and this is after you have been on hold for what seems like an age. Having said that most issues can beresolved on line yourself which makes it efficient for those of us who have limited time and prefer to manage things ourselves. I received the £100 payment for transfering without any problem at all which greatly surprised me as we had no end of hassle with my partners account which was opened at the same time as mine.

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“Been waiting over 3 weeks now for a replacement Visa...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by F71728 on 24/02/2010

Been waiting over 3 weeks now for a replacement Visa debit card for my current account (ordered on the 5th Feb). Found out on the 21st that my neighbour had received it on the 20th because my address is wrong, shame the staff in the branches couldn't have picked this up from looking at my driving licence each time I was withdrawing cash in-between times.

Was advised to cancel the replacement card on the 20th by customer services and that they could arrange special delivery to a branch for me to collect, but would still take 7-10 days, chased today for an update (24th) and that apparently isn't possible, the card has to go to your address.

No consistent information from anyone at this place. Two friends have lost their card in the last week (they use different banks) and both have had replacements in less than 4 days. Wouldn't recommend anyone to the A&L, am switching banks. Toy town service from a bank that is getting too big, too quick. Oh, and some bank staff AND customer services staff could be a bit more convincing that they can actually can be bothered...

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F71728's Response to F71728's Review

Written on: 26/02/2010

...and since then, they said they could send my card by special delivery, but I told them not to, they did anyway - also received a letter from them saying 'welcome to your new home'....I've been here 4 years. Went into the branch toady, they're CONSTANTLY changing their policies, probably because of Santander. Staff looked really, really chocked off.

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“Terrible, appalling and extremely impersonal "customer...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 31/01/2010

Terrible, appalling and extremely impersonal "customer service".
If you request anything which is even slightly out of the ordinary and not available as an automated service expect to spend fruitless hours on the phone listening to rubbish music and then eventually to have to explain your problem over and over again to someone who couldn't care less.
Then expect to send several letters that go completely unanswered and apparently unrecorded, because when you phone no-one there has any record of them.

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“I'm sorry Alliance and Leicester have the worst...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 25/01/2010

I'm sorry Alliance and Leicester have the worst service I have come across.

It took 4 months to transfer my ISA to them, despite multiple chasings. Which therefore made a mockery of their increased (temporary rate, note it went down to 0.88% after 1 year)
You cannot close your account in branch
You cannot close it online

So you have to phone. Transferred from department to department to fax machine until you finally get the "unhelpful dept".

Ask you every question under the known sun. I think inside leg measurement was the only one they missed off. But in the end they decided because I couldn't give them my opening balance. I'm sorry I a)can't remember that long ago and b)didn't have the paper work with me. Refused to help, refused to put me through to someone else.

When I close this account A&L will not see 1p of my money again.

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“NEVER think of changing to this bank - NEVER!!!! I...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 24/12/2009

NEVER think of changing to this bank - NEVER!!!! I decided to join Aliiance & Leicster after HBOS decided on their new current account charges - biggest mistake of my life!!

After 3 months and 4 complaints later I am £50 better off thanks to their gratia payments fo their errors but frankly I just want a bank I can trust!!

Summary - all my starting stuff sent to my neighbour, they say I input the wrong address, I say impossibile as with it being a new build block I checked and double checked and know systems don't accept it often!! They didn't send me a debit card, then they did but no pin, calling their switching department usually takes 30 mins as only one woman seems to answer the calls, they can't make faster payments between different banks and their customer service center seems to consist of 17 year old boys who are not interested in your problems or what is wrong with the account. My debit card doesnt work half the time - and when I need to use my RBS or HBOS debit card as a result and try and tranfer the money to cover the transaction they take FOUR working days to transfer the money - when RBS to HBOS takes 30mins!!!!!!!!!!!! They blame the websites I have used - I say " hmm funny cos my HBOS card has ALWAYS worked!!!"

NEVER GO THERE!!!

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“Alliance & Leicester Current Account have nice...”

★★★★☆

written by suliwoo on 23/04/2009

Alliance & Leicester Current Account have nice friendly people on the phone, when I have managed to get through. £100 reward money paid promptly with no hassle, which I was expecting! Fast service opening account - with all documents, cards etc. coming through the post very quickly. Generally I am happy with the experience of using the switching service. I think there is an element of keeping on top of your debits, standing orders and transfers yourself and not simply leaving it to the bank (as they suggest). I had to ensure payments due were paid if they got missed during the switch, although they remind you to check this when you get their transfer instructions. I was very unhappy with the sudden lack of service from Halifax, and the rudness of their staff after being a customer of theirs for over 15 years. Overall a relatively painless move over to A&L.

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“Having warned Alliance & Leicester that I could have...”

☆☆☆☆☆

written by aberoy on 23/03/2009

Having warned Alliance & Leicester that I could have problems with an incoming transfer to cover my credit card bill, (from an Icelandic bank when they were having problems), the resulting farce cost me over £200. (My transfer, in fact, only arrived 2 hours late).
Their systems seem to be set up to avoid any attempt at customer service; they simply keep directing you to the banking ombudsman who does not have a remit to address customer service. What could, in my case, have been sorted out in a two minute phone call, took six months, several letters, and interminable hours spent on the phone waiting for a human to answer, and then speaking to people who would not reveal their own name, or the name of anyone to whom I could write.
I never had any of my complaints answered (despite their proud claims on their website) and was offered only an insulting £25 to go away, which I now have done with as much speed as possible.

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“There's usually a table-topping deposit account but it...”

★★☆☆☆

written by veganline on 29/10/2008

There's usually a table-topping deposit account but it changes each year or two from Premier to Premier Direct to eSaver to whatever it will be next year. They didn't let me transfer from one to another until I had a socking great amount of money in the account by fluke one month; usually the computer just says no.
There doesn't seem to be a review section for Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank, which simply doesn't work so maybe that's why.
If you use a personal account for business and they hear of it, they write "please be advised that the account is for private use only", which is silly. Does it mean they'd close my account on a whim if they felt like it?
The half percent cash back card, re-branded from MBNA, appears deliberately confusing in the way statements are laid out so that even with personal finance software you can never really balance it. You can't tell what date the "closing balance" refers to. The only solution is to use it for one budget heading only and not try to balance it.

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“I would sooner stash my cash under my bed than let...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by sesterti on 21/10/2008

I would sooner stash my cash under my bed than let Alliance and Leicester anywhere near it (maybe a wise policy in these bank run times anyway).
For one, they seem to have endless penalties and fees.
It is clear their policy is to manipulate timings to keep you in a state of perpetual extortionate debt. They won't actually take the money out when you've put in plenty to cover the overdraft and the fines; they'll wait a few weeks and hope you've forgotten about it and been busy drawing away at the account until it falls below the level at which their fine extraction will once more plunge the account into the red and re-trigger yet more fines that they won't inform you of until it's built up.

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“All the league tables recommend the Premier Direct...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by sunshine jay on 09/07/2008

All the league tables recommend the Premier Direct account at Alliance & Leicester. This is very misleading, the charges are excessive and the customer service is appalling. I recently transferred my mortgage from one provider to another and had a little hiccup during the process, I requested an increase in the overdraft facility to cover the hiccup and was not allowed. The net result I went over the agreed overdraft facility and have incurred charges of £350 pounds in the last two months alone. This problem is due to continue until I manage to resolve the error with my first mortgage lender and we all know these things can take time, Alliance and Leicester have shown little understanding. Once I manage to resolve these issues I will certainly be CLOSING this account and moving back to barclays or another suitable provider. Just to give you an example, I paid in some money at lunchtime yesterday, to cover the cost of some direct debits and when I checked my account I had been charged a payment review fee of £25, when I called and finally got to speak to a customer adviser I was told that the direct debit went out of my account prior to the deposit and therefore my account went over by £3 for all of a couple of hours, hence the £25 charge.

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“It seems to take days for anything to come off my...”

★★★☆☆

written by east17 on 24/06/2008

It seems to take days for anything to come off my account when using your visa debit card - my Halifax account it comes off instantly so you know your balance. There customer services is poor - although I did get a call from someone quite senior after a serious complaint. Bad customer services - huge waiting times in queues, to then be cut off or get no help - account balances not updated very fast - all from one of the longest running banks?!

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“I would never touch any Alliance and Leicester product...”

☆☆☆☆☆

written by drb56 on 17/03/2008

I would never touch any Alliance and Leicester product again. My son paid £100 in bank charges for a 50 pence overdraft, when he lost his job.

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