Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to expect a bank to give me change?

45 replies

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 28/12/2011 19:14

I stupidly decided to take my duvet to the launderette today as it could do with a wash. I left the house with DD, DS in pram and duvet in a bin liner.

I needed change for the machines so stopped off at my bank to withdraw £10 in change. I waited in the queue in the bank for 20 minutes, only to get to the cashier to be told they can only give me change if I withdraw the notes at the cashpoint first and only if it is of greater value than £50. Who bloody wants fifty quids worth of coins!!!?

So I proceeded to go to every bank in town (about 7) to be told they can only do it if I'm a customer in that actual bank and would I like to open an account. Getting rather stressed by this point.

I then go to the Post Office who tell me they can only give me change if I use it in the photo booth

I ended up doing swapsies with a playschool mum in the launderette.

And to make things worse, I ran out of 50p's and didn't even get it fully dried.

Truly fecking stressful day.

AIBU to think somewhere should give change?

OP posts:

SuePurblybilt · 28/12/2011 22:07

I paid in a cheque for someone at Santander (don't bank there myself). Tiny branch, one cashier and one of those fancy dan machines inside. I take the paying in slip and the cheque up to the counter.

They told me that they wouldn't accept it, that I had to use the machine. When I pointed out I had neither the card nor PIN and that, as a bank, THIS WAS WHAT WE HAD FECKING ACCOUNTS FOR, they eventually did it, avec huffing and pointed madams.

Why can't a bank, be more like a bank?

Original poster

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 29/12/2011 09:28

Oh yes, those fancy shit machines. Whilst I was queuing yesterday, a man had a grumble to the cashier saying he hated the machines and what happened to normal banking. "Just another way for people to see your PIN".

Those of you recommending that we change banks - Which bank is a better bank?

OP posts:

TalkinPeace2 · 29/12/2011 10:22

Coop / Smile

and their branch network is expanding massively when they take over a load of Lloyds branches in the coming months

SuePurblybilt · 29/12/2011 10:43

I bank with the coop. They have not pissed me off yet.

Original poster

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 29/12/2011 11:38

I used to bank with Lloyds but when me and DH got serious and wanted a joint account, I just joined his A&L account and closed my Lloyds one.

There is no Co-op in my town, so if I ever needed to do any in branch banking I'd be stuffed. Unless you can do it all at the PO?

OP posts:

stuffedauberginexmasdinner · 29/12/2011 11:58

It has never crossed my mind to ask a bank for change. Didn't know they did this. I thought you either kept a stash of coins at home or have to go to a shop and buy something.

BleurghUna · 29/12/2011 12:16

Are you sure that the laundrette attendant won't give you any change? They do in my local laundrette. In fact the lovely attendant makes a point of asking if you have change!
What an awful day for you though. YA totally NBU. That's what banks are for. My nearest bank always gave me change and they didn't ask if I was a customer. The branch has since closed down though.

TalkinPeace2 · 29/12/2011 12:16

Coconuts
I do all my co op banking by post or at a post office
but
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16174571

we get divi vouchers for having our accounts with them - £76 pounds this year - spent it on Christmas wine :-)

Original poster

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 29/12/2011 13:47

the launderette has neither an attendant nor a change machine.

OP posts:

Original poster

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 29/12/2011 13:48

and i wasnt asking the bank to change money up into chamge i wad asking to withdraw my money in change. it was the fact she wouldnt even let me withdraw that really peed me off.

OP posts:

melika · 29/12/2011 13:51

I asked for change in the Post Office and was told they are not allowed to give change because they need it for business' who use them. I usually tell them it's for school dinners or something and they relent. Bank is also funny about it too, although they don't mind taking it off you! Who can afford to store change when you literally need it all the time. Some of them are jobsworths.

Original poster

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 29/12/2011 14:15

It's really a PITA for people like me who never carry cash, I always pay by card.

OP posts:

gallicgreetings · 29/12/2011 14:23

Ahhh Santander - the king of cunts....

I went in to branch once (very rare occurance) as I wanted to withdraw more than the allotted amount from the ATM. I think it was around £1000 so not huge amounts. I was asked if I'd ordered it as it was more than they usually cashed. I got a bit indignant and they did give me the money but quite frankly, if a bank is unable to cope with withdrawals in small amounts like that, then they're a bit dodgy and it makes me wonder if they're not holding the legally required amount of liquidity.

fifteenfiftyfive · 29/12/2011 14:34

Surely the ability to get change in specific coinage is one of the fundamental purposes of being a customer of the bank, and is one of the few things that forces customers to go and visit a branch, in person? (as opposed to doing it all with an online bank account, which generally have better products!)

I'm shocked at some of the posters on here who've been told they can only withdraw £50 for change or that they won't accept pay ins at the desk.

What's the fecking point of a bank branch in that case?

I'm also not surprised to hear it's Santander involved here, every time anyone at work or in the family has had a major issue with their bank in the last year it invariably ends with their name cropping up as the culprit.

fifteenfiftyfive · 29/12/2011 14:35

p.s. i also go in on occasion to get change for school dinners. how else would i be able to get specific coinage?!

i mean, fair enough on a one off, go and buy a packet of chewing gum, but it's hardly fair on a local shop to hand over a £20 note and say "I'd like it all in silver change, please".... that's the point of having a bank to go to...!

brassick · 29/12/2011 15:16

My local cinema provides me with all the change I need for the coming month....

But then I am married to the manager!

LittleMissHumbuggery · 29/12/2011 16:02

I bank with Barclays and my branch are lovely. Used to bank with Co-op and they were lovely too.

CokeFan · 29/12/2011 16:12

I wanted some change from Halifax (£10 in £1 coins). Apparently they only had access to whatever cash people had paid in. They had 4 x £1 at the time. Another bank that doesn't really do money.

marriedandwreathedinholly · 29/12/2011 16:19

My bank gives me about £50.00 in £1 coins whenever I need it but I do have to show my bank card - having withdrawn the money from the cashpoint first.

Santander - have had problems with that organisation. There was something wrong with their cashpoint machine and I asked them to put a notice up to say "out of order". They informed me they couldn't because the cash point was serviced by a contractor and nothing to do with them. An example of very poor service and certainly not a firm I would do business with.

soandsosmummy · 29/12/2011 16:29

How annoying, I too would expect a bank to give change and our local Barclays certainly does. However, our launderette has an attendant who is always happy to give change for the machines. As she says its easier to count up a pile of £5 and £10 notes at the end of the day than a big heap of 50ps.

Flip

1 2