Current Account Switch Service (CASS) - does it actually work?

[TheOrigRights]

I am so pissed off with NatWest. I have been with them for over 30 years, but I am DONE with them now.

I am thinking of moving to First Direct and using the CASS to switch.

Does it actually work? I don't want to spend weeks and weeks sorting out SOs and DDs. My salary comes from overseas and I don't want that to cause a 'computer says no' situation.

I've had a couple of blips over the many (many!) swaps I've done. But very few, and I've tarted round most of the swap offers over the years!

It works fine, I've also done it multiple times to get the free money.

All your DDs and SOs are automatically switched over. All new payments to your account will automatically go to the new account for at least 2/3 years, possibly forever more.

Sometimes they tell your employer about your new bank, sometimes not, so it's worth telling them yourself once your new account is established.

First Direct are great. I especially like that, if you call them, you are straight through to a real person, security is very easy, you don't have to remember a mystery word that you told them years ago and know what they are doing, they don't have scripts to follow where they just read sentences of their script that may or may not be relevant to your query.

Thank you both. Free money you say?! Speaking to a real person - that's a selling point.
I've just been paid so now would be a good time to move in order to give them/me some time to ensure my employer has my details.

Anything that uses my bank card long card number will need updating, but that's the case when you get issued a new bank card anyway (thinking out loud).

It does work but I wouldn’t rely on them being able to deal with salary from overseas smoothly so for that bit, make sure you give your employer your new account details yourself.

Thanks @Caramelisedbiscuitbutter
Yes, I think I'll take responsibility for ensuring my employer has all the details they need. It's in my interest after all.

I've just switched. Bye bye NatWest and your moronic chatbot, your 2 members of staff answering calls and your lack of response to complaints.

I've switched twice over the last 10 years and both times it's been fine. The last time I switched away from FD though. They used to be brilliant, not so much any more in my opinion.

Yes, but in our case switching to FD, our M&S credit card took so long to complete the process at their end, that we missed a month's payment with them and got charged for it. We got it back when we pointed out the bank gave them three week's notice which nobody else had failed to meet.

Make sure you keep an eye on everything going out for the first month and that it is on time.

However, FD are gash and their phone app is gash and it was hatefully painful switching to them, so I will be off somewhere else soon.

If I want to search my phone or statement for a key word, e.g. insurance, it will only show me three months. Older than that, I have to download PDFs and ctrl F through them.

I think we had three 40-50 minute calls with them to set up the account and get online banking etc. Which is ridiculous.

Thank you @KievLoverTwo
I had to check that gash meant bad!
Aside from normal day to day checking I prefer to use a desktop to go back through older statements etc, so I'm hoping their desktop site will be fine for that.
NatWest phone app isn't too bad. I'm moving mainly because I'm so fed up of never being able to talk to an actual person, but the final straw has been them suddenly deciding to do extra security checks on my incoming salary from overseas.

It's a payment that has come in every month for nearly 6 years. I understand that security changes and I'm pleased they check, but is has happened (randomly apparently) for the last 3 months. They seem unable to indicate that the payment is fine so it seems that every month my salary won't go in, I'll get a text to call them, I do so, pass the checks and then wait 5 working days for the money to go through. "We understand how frustrating it is for you, and I will escalate this. Someone will call you back". They don't understand, they might have escalated, and bollocks has someone called me back.

At least FD will be a new sort of misery.

I think we had three 40-50 minute calls with them to set up the account and get online banking etc. Which is ridiculous.

It took me about 10 mins to set up my account on the app. I can't set up online (desktop) until I get my card apparently.

I can't remember exactly what happened, but I left NW after 20 years after having a series of horrific experiences with them too.

As long as you're alright with manually downloading pdfs for transactions older than 3 months, they'll be fine. Their security processes are tight but quite efficient and by no means stupid.

They should at least be able to let you get at your salary.

What a joke that is.

quick question as I need to move.
How long does this process take?
Anything that can hold up the switch?

It took me 10 mins to go through the switch process (from NatWest to FD) on their App. This was yesterday. Today some paperwork has arrived (haven't opened it yet), and my debit card.
They said it takes about 10 (calendar) days for them to do their behind the scenes stuff so it should be in place around mid June.

They didn't make me aware of anything that can hold it up, but I am prepared for my overseas salary payment not to go through smoothly.

Thank you theorig.
Is this some central banking industry website or do you do it from a site of bank you are moving to or from.
And does the new bank have to take you on?
Apologies if being thick, haven't read enough.

Late to the party here but is there any way of keeping the old account open too?

Most reports say it usually works but you need to actively watch it so as to make sure every DD etc is actually transferred.

A list of DDs from the bank you're leaving is a useful heads up fro stuff you don't need to pay anymore...

Oh sorry, I forgot to reply to this, and the thread just got active again, serving as a prompt.
I did it from First Direct, the bank I was moving to. They took care of everything.
I don't think they have to take you on, I completed a New Account form as I would normally, so I presume it goes through the usual credit checks.

You're not being thick. Sure you can find all the info online, but bank stuff stinks so I'm happy to answer.

I don't think so, otherwise it's not a switch, is it. They want you to MOVE - hence a service to make it easier and a financial incentive.

I have a friend who has a bank account with a couple of DDs in, and moves it from bank to bank just to get the financial incentive (akin to moving credit card balances from different 0% interest accounts). She'll run out of banks at some point, but meanwhile she's getting a few hundred quid a year.

My change was done last Monday. It's been pretty smooth.
My Tesco click and collect got caught in the change as I placed the order at 11pm on the night before the change. They called and I sorted it out.
Then the swimming pool called and I thought I was being really helpful and smart by saying "oh you're calling because my card didn't go through?".
"Errr no, we're calling because the chemicals in the pool have gone wrong so your swim session is cancelled"

Anything that uses my bank card rather the SO or DD needs updating, but that's no different to getting a new bank card from the same bank.

One BIG thing is that I didn't realise (or consider I suppose) that I can't get electronic statements from my old account. I can order paper copies (FFS!) by jumping through flaming Cora hoops. I need them for my accountant. I'm praying he'll accept annotated paper ones for my accounts.

That aside, my heart skips as a happy beat when my First Direct bank shows each time I use my phone to pay for something.

Fingers crossed I actually get my salary at the beginning of July, which was the problem that prompted the switch.

thank you

Update.
My salary is paid about the 3rd of the month.
FD should have informed my employer of the new bank details.
As a back up, because my employer is in Hong Kong I sent the finance dept details of my new FD account.

Nothing worked!

My employer sent my salary to my old (now closed) NatWest account.

NatWest did not immediately forward the payment to my new FD account and for the FORTH month running it got stuck in NatWest security department, requiring me to phone to confirm who I am and what the payment is etc etc.

I've had to go through security checks for a payment on a closed account.
I received no response to the complaint that was raised on my behalf (the call handler could see the complaint on my record).

Another update (I keep phoning them).
One day I'll look back at this and laugh. One day.

So they've released the funds. Into the account I closed. WTF!
They said it would be sent back to the sender of the money. I told them I have an email saying any money paid into the closed account would be forwarded to the new account NOT sent back to the sender.

It's two different departments and while you would think it would be like 2 legs of the same body i.e. they would work together, especially in matters which overlap, they (of course) deny any knowledge of how different departments work.

TBF the people in the money checking department are very professional (mind you, with my bar of communication being Cora the bot) they wouldn't have to be particularly smart to impress me at this stage.

Latest update.
NatWest sent my salary back to Hong Kong rather than forwarding to First Direct. They can't tell me why.

Apparently the email from NatWest telling me that any payments into the closed account will be forwarded to the new account is generic.

Final message. I'll miss out all the blood, sweat and tears.

I finally got assigned someone with experience and knowledge who listened to me, upheld both my complaints and gave me some compensation (which wasn't my motivation).

This should draw a line under it. My employer has changed my details and the salary that went from NatWest security, then was released to my closed account, then back to my employer (which contravenes what the Switch agreement says) is now in my First Direct account.

I have just switched from one bank to another. The service is advertised as "seamless", it is NOT, I have spent many days trying to sort out the issues I experienced such as my beneficiary accounts not being notified (and even if they had been then they would have ignored them) and direct debits failing. In every case EVERY PARTY involved tried to blame the errors on the other party. I also complained to the Ombudsman who dismissed my complaint. I then complained to CASS who dismissed my complaint.
If you must switch (and I only did because my previous bank was horrible) do it manually, at least you are then in control to some degree.
I will never use the CASS service again. Do so at your own risk!