“This complaint is not actually regarding Santander but it's customers. I worked for this company for over one year in England, recently leaving, now it's time to finally share my opinion. Never in my life have I had to deal with such ignorant and blatantly idiotic members of the public, genuinely half of my day in the office was sitting in disbelief that some people had the ability to breathe yet alone operate a bank account. Let's put something straight; if you go receive charges for having insufficient funds? Not the banks problem, we simply store your money, we aren’t responsible for whether you have enough of it or not. Can't be arsed completing security with us over the phone? Take a hike down to branch then because we can't be arsed listening to you and your uncooperative warped views of how the world should revolve around you. Locked out of your online banking? You made an error, it is YOUR fault. Deal with the consequences.
Honestly some of the complaints on here and other sites really do show how thick and entitled the British Public can be, half of your issues aren't in control of the bank and we physically CAN'T do half of the things you are requesting.
Here's another truth bomb, if you have ever phoned/emailed the company and talked to me or one of my colleagues like a piece of dirt on your shoe? Congratulations, you're now the most talked about asshole in the office that day.
Thank god I no longer work there, yet I'll still continue to bank with them because I have more than one brain cell in my head and know how to bloody do it.”
“f.... ass holes . took money from my account. i made complain. and they decline it without investigating. they doing inside job. and when you make complaints. they gonna simply ignore you.”
“Did you know Santanter uses a premium rate number to contact their branchs. The happily give it out when making appointments, when challenged the say there is a free phone number via head office which you could have used but it was not given to me on my appointment card. I complained about this.
They then wrote to me saying it was my choice to use it to ring the branch. When challenged they could or would not give me an answer as to why they need to charge for accounts spend fortunes on crazy advertising and then charge you to contact them. They then send me a letter summarizing my complaint and get it completely wrong. Clearly their customers are only numbers. I await their next installment on this subject.”
“I can’t believe how ignorant customer service is. I contacted them because my father had some issues with his card and the women called JENNY started screaming at us like we were some stupid people just because we couldn’t understand exactly what she was saying. Horrible bank, told my dad to switch to another one and he is going to!”
“We had a pre arranged appointment to set up a joint savings account and an account for our son that we could both pay into. 55 minutes into the appointment, having been told this is possible it was announced that only one of us can access the savings account already set up. The member of staff was not only rude but spoke over us at every opportunity with lots of sarcasm. An appalling service from an appalling bank!”
“On hold for 40 mins to customer service. Finally get to talk to someone and they tranfer me to another department on hold 30 mins and no answer.. joke shop of a bank.....”
“This company is an absolute disgrace. I was recently scammed out of £365, now I know it was my fault but Santander were as much use as the plastic frying pan. I reported the scam within minutes of realizing I'd been scammed they asked for details and said leave it with us. A couple of days later I phoned them and they said funds had been secured. After a couple of weeks hearing nothing I phoned again at which point they told me they were waiting to hear from the recipient bank and I should not have been told funds had been secured. Anyway it is now almost three months on and when I phoned two days ago I was told my case had not even been allocated to anyone but would be within the next 30 days. They are a complete waste of time and I shall be changing banks asap. Steer well clear of this shower.”
“I Honestly sometimes think to myself "Do they actually know what they are doing?" Over the phone they are an absolute disgrace, i once needed help from them and instead of them trying to help i got passed about on the phone between people on every occasion and was always put back through to the same person i started with. I even got Bombarded with calls on a Sunday and Fathers day as well so instead of enjoying the day i was having to sort out these calls which in the end i had to just unplug the phone as i was getting sick and tired of it when i had already told them i would call back or go in to the branch on the following Monday. They really are the most Awkward people i have had to deal with they just don't seem to understand anything you tell them and whoever ordered them to make a call on Fathers day should really be ashamed of themselves. A soon as my problem is resolved i will definitely be switching Banks after all this time i have wasted with them i should really start charging them by the hour to speak to me. Don't even get me started on the letters they send out. i once received 5 copies of the same letter (i thought we were supposed to saving the planet by cutting down on paper) each coming one day after another when i had already called to acknowledge i has received it, also guess what the letter was wrong anyway the action what the letter explained was something i didn't even ask them to do. So not only are they not doing what i ask them to do they are throwing in extra things themselves....It's like they are trying to annoy me quite honestly. I really can't tell you enough to avoid this bank at all costs.”
“I have to give a star because it won't allow me to give zero which is what this bank deserves. Had a transfer of £100 from my mum they are holding the money for no reason!!! Apparently to do further checks really? Mind you its not the first time she transfers to me. I was left on hold for 1 h waiting to speak to the complaint department! When asked to speak with a supervisor or manager apparently there was none. I will definitely change the bank ASAP it's been only issues with Santander very little help or none when calling customer service!! Avoid this bank!!!!!”
“As we are aware a few years ago the banks had to be bailed by the government. This was largely due to poor lending decisions. On speaking to an assistant manager this week at Santander it became clear that lessons have not been learnt. They have a very muddled criteria for overdraft facilities where higher risk customers will get an extension and those in a low risk situation will not!!!!!”
“I have a security issue with a new debit card and called Santander where I was put in the queue for security to be cleared. After 1 hour and 30 mins waiting on the phone I gave up. I had already tried to contact Santander in the morning but again had to wait and gave up. I have business accounts also and will consider changing banks.”
“Dear Santander. Communication is poor, When rarely I need help it is usually not available and your team have a great way of saying NO.
Even closing the account is difficult and says it all, no regrets moving my funds to a nicer company.”
“This is a bank that very clearly refuses to help when you get into financial difficulties - let's just say they don't care - they fall back on "well you got yourself into this (even if you didn't). Quite happy to allow charge after charge to build up.
Certainly a faceless company happy to fall back on "policy".
Might be great having a free bank, but when things take a turn for the worst, this is NOT a bank you want on your "side".
Pretty disappointed by Santander and their draconian policies.”
“Avoid business transfer... We transferred our internet business account from RBS to Santander but when finally completed the santander internet banking was view only access. We could not pay anyone! 48 hours later, 2 hours of phone calls, a fax and still no access! NOT good enough Santander! Customer services unable to help and couldn't care less attitude. Totally outdated system of transferring and setting up new business accounts - Avoid transferring to Santander business unless you want to annoy all of your suppliers and staff!”
“Blocked debit card without good reason. Kept me on phone for an hour then demanded I present id at a branch otherwise visa card would remain blocked. Refused to give reasons for blockage.”
“Poor customer service experienced as senior citizens - went into branch to arrange changing our 123 accounts into a joint account but were told on the info/help desk that would have to sort out direct debits ourselves - total lack of awareness as to assisting less savy OAP's. Will change to a service provider who provide a more sympathetic approach to elderly customers.”
“No idea how to support elderly citizens wanted help in amalgamating our two accounts to a joint account. We were told we had to do it ourselves. Will therefore have to close account and transfer to our bank who were most willing to assist.”
“Have had no access to online banking for FIVE WEEKS now, despite Santander conceding that the fault is at their end. After numerous attempts with their staff to get me back online; their final comment was to say that "we still cannot understand what is going wrong at our end"!
I declined their derisory offer of £50.00 to appease me and for my "inconvenience" and have advised that I shall be closing my 123 accounts.
I rang them this morning in an attempt to arrange a meeting in Bluewater, in a last ditch offer of an "olive branch if my problems could be resolved. Their response was that this could not be arranged until the 10th. April 2019. I found this to be as insulting as the offer of compensation made to me, which I declined.
My ratings of your Customer Services are as follows;..... Counter Service in Bluewater 10/10; Backroom service in Bluewater 4/10; Service from Mr. David Fleming in Belfast 8/10, despite being hampered by severe constraints on your "system". However, 10/10 for his patience!
Overall rating of my experiences over the past five weeks 3/10.
If you put any great value on your sanity, I would strongly suggest that you "SWERVE" Santander and take your custom elsewhere!
Santander:......... please, please do not offend me further with you hackneyed platitudes; they have become ineffective!”
“The emergency 24hour number says the office is closed and no-one picks up the international number - been on hold for 40 mins listening to music. Shocking customer service. I had my wallet stolen and needed to cancel cards. All other banks had this sorted in 10 minutes. Still can’t get through to a human at Santander!!!!”
“DON'T use this bank. I'm at sobbing at home because of their treatment of me, then justifying it by saying 'it's our policy'.
I own and rent out a large caravan in Pendine sands. Last year I took a deposit from a gentleman for his holiday this August. I gave him my phone number and my details. He then lost these details, so to contact me he went into his bank saying he couldn't contact me and that I must have scammed him. My card was stopped and my account locked. There was no pre warning, email text or anything, and the only reason I knew was because I tried to pay for diesel and my card wouldn't work, forcing me to call them for an explanation. I found his number on my bookings and called him. He was extremely embarrassed and said he'd call his bank right away, which he did. Santander then called again and I updated them. They said they'd lift the block when I could prove I'd given the service paid for. How do I do that when he's not taking the holiday until August?
I've just called again. Once again I was asked for proof I'd provided the service so I had to say AGAIN what had happened. I was told it's policy to stop a bank card in this instance. I feel this is very wrong as this could have been sorted out easily without this. I'm really desperate. I'm going on holiday to Cyprus with my two elderly parents on Sunday. How will I pay for anything? What can I do? I still can't use my account.
The one thing I WILL do is this... Change banks. I've been a loyal customer of theirs for almost 20 years. Such appalling treatment doesn't deserve my custom.”
