Abbey should wear ski-masks (Abbey National)

Member Name: James Lee

Product:	Abbey National
Date:	15/04/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: NOT ONE!!!

Disadvantages: EVERYTHING!!!

I have had an account with abbey national since I left school at 16 years old. Again, it was used to deposit EMA and I had a visa debit card so I didnt have to carry cash about with me. For the first 2 or 3 years I had no problems, the staff were excellent and the call centres we english!!! However when I started depositing my monthly sallary the problems began. I had 3 Direct debits set up, a personal loan, mobile phone bill, finance payment for my car. Each month my direct debits were schedualled to come out on the 28th, 2 days after my wages had gone in, and for the first few months this was seemless, then one month they bounced all of my direct debits causeing a £12 late payment charge on my load. I called abbey (offshore by this time), and they advised me I had no money in my account (this was on the 28th & payday was the 26th). I checked with my employer and they confirmed that my wages had been submitted to my bank. I then went into my local brach and they advised me they had had some computer system issues. I rang the call centre and they denied this catagorically. It transpired that they HAD had problems. I called back and they appologised and said they would wipe the charges, HAPPY DAYS!!....NOT!!! My next statement arrived and they had deducted the charges 2 days before I got paid. I was furious, so i went straight to lloyds TSB and opened and account. I then took all of my money out and deposited with lloyds. After some heated discussions with abbey they agreed to waiver the charge and I downgraded to a savings account. After a few months, I decided to give them another go as my local abbey branch is closer than lloyds. I kept the basic account and just had my wages paid in and my DD's taken out. Then something even worse happened. I went into the branch as usual to withdraw my money and the girl offered me a better current account. I was reluctant but they made it sound so esy. She took me to one side, opened the account and said my old one would be shut down. I then never heard anything regarding the old account for over a year, and suddenly a letter from moorcroft debt recovery landed on my doormat. Needless to say i was FURIOUS!!! I contacted them and they advised me I hadnt taken the correct steps to close the account and I owed them £205.29 in charges. After months of yet more letters and phone conversations they said i should have wrote in to close the account. I advised them their branch staff had told me the old account would be closed by them, to which i was actually called a liar. I have now admitted defeet and paid but feel very bitter about this. To rub salt into the wounds, they have now told me I need to go into the branch to close both accounts. Anyone fancy starting a group, abbey national victims or somthing.

Summary: Avoid at all costs!!!