The Abbey National patented chocolate fireguard (abbeynational.co.uk)

Member Name: Nolly

Product:	abbeynational.co.uk
Date:	19/01/03 (233 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: it's there

Disadvantages: sloppy, inefficient, amateurish

I must admit from the outset that, although I am blessed in many regions- looks, intelligence, attractiveness to the opposite sex and a whole raft of others that modesty forbids me mentioning- I am not great at managing money. That is the reason I got a wife. They may be costly to run, and may make unreasonable demands on my time and body (after 2 kids? If only!), but they are generally better at keeping the good ship Nolly afloat every month.

I moved my current account to Abbey National 2 years ago, as I wasn't totally happy with the service I was getting. I was surprised by the courtesy, helpfulness and speed in which they got me sorted. They gave me a card, a cheque book and a PIN number and I was a happy man!

So what has the service been like? Well, I am more than happy with the counter service- the branch assistants are welcoming and always seem to be interested in each client which, when you have an ego the size of mine, is a great thing. You can pay in and withdraw cash just by flashing your 'multifunction debit card', which is very handy indeed. The network of cash machines (or ATMs as they are called nowadays- I remember the times when TSB called theirs 'Speedbank'- a teensy bit ironic, I feel) is huge, and you can withdraw from any other member of the LINK network.

Well, that's the up side, and it has been brief, yet thorough, but very brief (yes I know I said that twice but feel that it is a bit short- I'm saving up my words for a long-winded rant). So what, I hear you ask, are the minus points for Abbey National?


Well, the first thing is statements. I get paid on the last day of the month, as do a lot of people. I have given up asking Abbey National to redate my statements- my statements run from the 16th of the month to the 16th of the month- all of which is as useful as a chocolate teapot in keeping a close eye on your finances. The bank is very swift and adept at withdrawing money, b
ut paying in seems to take a little longer (who gets the interest I hear you ask). Abbey National has a very clear charging list, and I have, on one or two occasions, fallen foul of it. However I have been charged £30 on occasions because a direct debit could not be paid even though the funds came in by transfer on the same day- they seem to debit accounts at 9am and credit them at 4pm- it gives them 7 hours of interest. I have contacted the phoen banking department and complained, and have the charges reversed, but the statements still shows 'Refused Direct Debit Charge' and then 'Refund of Direct Debit Charge' - this will bode very well when you send a mortgage lender 3 months' worth of statements- why the hell can't they just scrub it? Why do they have to charge then refund?

The main gripe I have is with the 'e-banking' arm of the bank. My wife keeps her money at the black horse (the bank, not the pub) and can, online, acces statements, request instantaneous decisions on overdrafts, loans, can pay bills instantly, can transfer money- all at the click of a button. I use the Abbey National e-banking system....


Can you keep a check on your balance? Yes, but you can't view online statements. You can see the last 40 transactions, but only the name and the amount- not what your balance was at the time of each. It will say what your actual and working balances are, but if there is a difference, it won't say why (you know, 'the £15 difference is because your direct debit should come off in the morning' or 'we are in the middle of cashing a cheque on your account so you'll bloody well have to wait!')

Can you pay bills, set up transfers, transfer money and get overdrafts and loans online? Well, yes and no- you do the typing, but it is no more than a glorified message service- it is done by a clerk on the next banking day- not exactly instant online banking, just a posh message and m
emo service!

The website is, frankly, amateurish, and should be restructured before too many people die laughing.

I hope someone from Abbey National reads this as they calim to be a modern bank who react to the needs of their customers. I feel at the moment they just pay lip-service to the needs of customers.


I would suggest that the best way of getting the abbey habit at the moment is to bugger a monk!

Happy banking!

Neil

January 2003

Summary: