AIBU to believe that Santander is the worst, least helpful bank?

[Lilymaid]

I've had nothing but unhelpfulness and rudeness and ignorance from their staff concerning my deceased DF's bank account and I have had to read extracts from their own bereavement guide in order to show them what they should do.
Now I have grant of probate and provided it to them, they are still refusing to release the funds until I have got what they call an "internal form" signed/witnessed by a solicitor. They also refused to accept my driving licence as photo ID because the postcode (not the rest of the address) on it has been very slightly changed (but they will accept a passport which has no address on it!)
Just wanted to vent, as when I have released the money, I shall never ever have to cross the threshold of a Santander branch again!

Oh I spoke too soon.

I had to initiate a bank transfer via them to make sure money for my house purchase reached my solicitor in time and since Royal Mail failed so fucking badly again, I had no choice.

Not only did I have to speak to four people in security (fair enough for the extra checks, it a fair old chunk of dosh) but four of them, and the same questions each time.

Then after clarifying four times how much they were to send, they sent £60 too much.

They then told me they couldn't refund me since the money had left but that they would give me a £10 inconvenience charge and that I should get the solicitors to transfer it back.

WTF?

What if it had been £600, or £6000? We can't do anything about it? I don't fucking think so.

Come on Santander, ring me again for your survey you tossers!

YANBU they are the devils spawn, a small overdrawn amount by Dp, ended up costing us £150+, because they couldn't be arsed to send us a letter or inform us of how much it costs, the same overdrawn amount in my bank (Barclays) would cost £8, honestly we can't afford this crap at Christmas, I could cry.

My dad died in May and we're still fighting with them. All we want to do is move his money into my mum's account at the same branch (next of kin and sole beneficiary). At the last meeting with them they helped me fill in the forms and send them off. Then they were returned and I was told they were filled in incorrectly (by their own staff!). I rang back to speak to them again and a third person contradicted both the other two people. They are very slow - usually blaming computers - and despite all the hassle asked me if I wanted to change my account to them from HSBC. I said they had to be kidding!

They are useless and beyond vile. The difficulty my sister and I had withdrawing my mother's money when we had POA would take too long to describe. Bastard tossers.

Butkin - the branch staff really haven't a clue about dealing with the accounts of deceased customers. Some people at the bereavement centre seem to know what they are talking about - others don't and aren't very helpful. Today, I went to another branch and seem to have made progress - so am hoping that the forms are deemed acceptable by HQ! I have had to quote their own bereavement guide at them to tell them what needs to be done ... so wonder how much staff training actually goes on?

I work for another high st bank and when santander first started here we had a lot of customers switching because of the high interest rates and £100 cash that santander gave you for switching.

Every single person who's account i had to transfer has come crawling back because yes, the interest rates didn't last and surprise surprise, a bank who has to bribe you with cash to transfer to them is a bit shit on the customer service front!

I am thinking about transferring one of my accounts to Santander to get the £100 joining bonus but reading this I'm wondering if dealing with them is going to be more hassle than it is worth!

The Saturday Guardian Money section very often does stories about their pisspoor customer service

Second to British Gas in crapness

I have experience of Santander through my job & my only advice would be avoid, avoid, avoid.

They are numpty's.

No one there ever seems to know what's going on (I'm talking back office/admin rather than in branch) & I find them rude in the extreme.

I'm really sorry about the loss of your dad Lilymaid.

I work for another bank mentioned on this thread, and I am sorry to say that we get a lot of similar complaints about our bereavement centre. I work in the complaints dept and it is frustrating and upsetting for us to have to deal with customers who are just trying to sort out their deceased family member's financials and are getting no where. I have got team leaders numbers before and complained about my own colleagues because until a complaints manager seems to get the 'right' person, or someone who has a clue, nothing will get done.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

I agree with you - Santander is the worst excuse for a crappy bank. Ever. I hate them. Keep promising i'll change banks then can't quite be arsed.

There's one near us where the branch manager was allegedly fiddling old people out of their savings for four years. . .

www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Bank-boss-denies-stealing-pound-130k-elderly/story-13951023-detail/story.html

FOUR YEARS. . . .and nobody noticed this because. . .??

Totally shitty bank! We cancelled our account with them.

We have banked with Abbey for 25 years. No problem. As soon as Santander took them over they went to pot.

Try getting a cheque book out of them? Abbey used to automatically send a new one as you got to the end. Now you have to go in, ask, wait 7 days.

Mind you, for sheer crapiness, Lloyds also takes some beating...

I banked with Abbey National for over 20 years. No problems. Then Santander took over. What a bunch of idiots. I have been trying to close the account since June.

First I wrote in, returning the cards, having cancelled all the ins and outs on the account. Then I emailed. Then DH's car insurance decided to ignore the new bank details we'd given them and claimed the DD from Santander. So they charged us. Paid in the money plus enough to cover the charges. Cancelled the DD for a second time and asked them again to close the account.

Heard nothing until the next month and another load of charges. Rang again. Woman apologised and said the previous man should have closed the account. Would do it now.

Next month more charges. rang again. Woman on the end of the phone going on and on about "because you've used your overdraft". Kept me on hold for 11 minutes then came back to say I could only close the account in branch WTF?

Went into branch last Saturday. No C/S people around. Went to cashier who very quickly grasped what I was saying and closed the account. Phew. Woman at the next window was also closing her accounts.

Also, several months after moving here we get a santander debit card for the previous tenant. Rang the bank, told them he doesn't live here. Took card into branch marked "moved away, no forwarding address".

Following week, PIN turns up. Send it back.

Next week another card arrives. Take it back into branch, explain story and ask them to take my address off prev tenants account. Despite being a customer of theirs, with this same address on my accounts, they can't do that on my say so.

Following week a letter from them for him, about a queried txn. So he had clearly phoned them several times, and not once did anyone ask him to confirm his address.

Yet MINT who had also sent statements that we'd sent back marked "moved away" wrote to us to ask us to confirm no connection with him, then we had nothing else from them. How hard can it be?