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This is light-hearted and not serious (I mean, it's not a joke, but it doesn't have big consequences), but I thought I'd complain about my bank as I was wound up yesterday morning, mainly to see if they offer me £50 or something.
I bank with the Co-operative. I've had a 'privilege' account for about a year - at a cost of £113 per year. What an idiot. I thought it would get me a no interest overdraft (which I wanted to use a year ago when I bought a new car - we're back to decent savings levels again now)
Anyway, I phoned to cancel yesterday, and said I wanted a normal account. They said they had to put me through to someone who would talk to me about "the best current account for me". I said fine, but then they couldn't put me through. They said they would ring me back. I said I would be out and they can't, but that they know my request.
The customer services person could not deal with it, apparently. However if I want to change TO a privilege account from a normal account, they can! go figure.
Anyway, I wrote this:
I may not be anywhere near Niddy's level, but any excuse to complain. I bet I get a fobbed off "sorry, we've done it now" reply!
I bank with the Co-operative. I've had a 'privilege' account for about a year - at a cost of £113 per year. What an idiot. I thought it would get me a no interest overdraft (which I wanted to use a year ago when I bought a new car - we're back to decent savings levels again now)
Anyway, I phoned to cancel yesterday, and said I wanted a normal account. They said they had to put me through to someone who would talk to me about "the best current account for me". I said fine, but then they couldn't put me through. They said they would ring me back. I said I would be out and they can't, but that they know my request.
The customer services person could not deal with it, apparently. However if I want to change TO a privilege account from a normal account, they can! go figure.
Anyway, I wrote this:
Customer Feedback
The Co-operative Bank plc
4th Floor
Miller St
Manchester
M60 0AL
7th June 2012
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Reference: Account number xxxxxxxx; sort code: xxxxxx
I am writing to complain about the service I have received. My complaint has three parts.
1) I do not believe that the privilege account status my current account has was suitable for my needs, and this was not made clear when I transferred to privilege account status.
2) The process of converting my account back is cumbersome, in contrast to the process of converting to privilege account status.
3) Related to the above, I was unable to do this today.
First, just over a year ago, my account was a ‘normal’ current account. I wanted to extend an overdraft facility. I telephoned and made clear that as a result, I would be looking to move to a privilege account because I surmised this would reduce charges and overall, taking into account the fee for a privilege account, this would be cheaper with reference to the overdraft alone.
I was wrong. It was not cheaper, as I had mistakenly assumed there would be no fees for the overdraft under a privilege account, and as you will see from my account, I did not need the overdraft for very long. Nonetheless the overall charges and interest for the overdraft were not significantly lower (certainly not the in excess of £100 that I have been charged in privilege account fees over the last year. Your advisor did not point this out to me, but allowed the transfer. I believe I made it abundantly clear why I was choosing the privilege account route, and I believe that an advisor interested in the best account for my needs would have pointed this out. Nonetheless the advisor transferred the account.
Second, today, having over £x in my savings account I clearly have no need for such an overdraft facility nor a privilege account. I phoned your customer services department at about 9.15am to cancel the privilege account. I was surprised to find that I had to be transferred to someone to “discuss the best current account for your needs”. In this case, I do not wish to do this; I just want to go back to a normal current account.
Nonetheless, I accepted it. Maybe the co-operative bank were going to listen to my needs (which are far more simple than before) and ensure they do not provide me with a service that I do not require and will listen to what I actually need. In the first point above, you have clearly failed to do this, so maybe your procedures have changed. Nonetheless, as I made clear to the customer service advisor, I know that I just want to go back to the normal current account that I held for in excess of 15 years with you. It seems unnecessary that when I am purchasing (IE spending money with you) the customer services advisor can deal with it, but when I want to cancel that purchase, they can’t!
Third, today when I tried to cancel the person was unavailable. I was asked for a phone number to call me back. This is most unsatisfactory to me as I am going out today with my daughter (something that is being delayed while I write my complaint to you as it is fresh in my mind). I said to the customer services advisor that I was unhappy with this, and was very clear that I wanted a normal account. She said she could not override the process. I reflect on this that a bank with such a process appears to be making it difficult, via their systems, from cancelling the product.
I informed the customer services assistant that I would call back myself, but on reflection, I look at First Direct’s Customer Service ratings (higher than the Co-operative Bank) and the fact that I have now been frustrated with the customer service you offer on several occasions. I have noted today that Halifax offer £100 plus £5 a month if I transfer to their current account, while First Direct offer £125. In those circumstances, plus the content of this letter, is it any wonder that I am looking at transferring? That’s a rhetorical question.
In short, I would like (1) for my account to be transferred immediately to a ‘normal’ current account with no charge. (2) for you to explain why taking out (buying) a product is ‘easy’ with minimal advice, but cancelling is not easy and comes with additional ‘advice’ and (3) to reply to each of the other aspects of my complaint.
I also believe the first and third aspects of this complaint could form the basis of a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which I may do in addition to transferring my account. In the meantime I await your prompt response before taking any action.
Yours faithfully,
xxxxxx xxx
The Co-operative Bank plc
4th Floor
Miller St
Manchester
M60 0AL
7th June 2012
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Reference: Account number xxxxxxxx; sort code: xxxxxx
I am writing to complain about the service I have received. My complaint has three parts.
1) I do not believe that the privilege account status my current account has was suitable for my needs, and this was not made clear when I transferred to privilege account status.
2) The process of converting my account back is cumbersome, in contrast to the process of converting to privilege account status.
3) Related to the above, I was unable to do this today.
First, just over a year ago, my account was a ‘normal’ current account. I wanted to extend an overdraft facility. I telephoned and made clear that as a result, I would be looking to move to a privilege account because I surmised this would reduce charges and overall, taking into account the fee for a privilege account, this would be cheaper with reference to the overdraft alone.
I was wrong. It was not cheaper, as I had mistakenly assumed there would be no fees for the overdraft under a privilege account, and as you will see from my account, I did not need the overdraft for very long. Nonetheless the overall charges and interest for the overdraft were not significantly lower (certainly not the in excess of £100 that I have been charged in privilege account fees over the last year. Your advisor did not point this out to me, but allowed the transfer. I believe I made it abundantly clear why I was choosing the privilege account route, and I believe that an advisor interested in the best account for my needs would have pointed this out. Nonetheless the advisor transferred the account.
Second, today, having over £x in my savings account I clearly have no need for such an overdraft facility nor a privilege account. I phoned your customer services department at about 9.15am to cancel the privilege account. I was surprised to find that I had to be transferred to someone to “discuss the best current account for your needs”. In this case, I do not wish to do this; I just want to go back to a normal current account.
Nonetheless, I accepted it. Maybe the co-operative bank were going to listen to my needs (which are far more simple than before) and ensure they do not provide me with a service that I do not require and will listen to what I actually need. In the first point above, you have clearly failed to do this, so maybe your procedures have changed. Nonetheless, as I made clear to the customer service advisor, I know that I just want to go back to the normal current account that I held for in excess of 15 years with you. It seems unnecessary that when I am purchasing (IE spending money with you) the customer services advisor can deal with it, but when I want to cancel that purchase, they can’t!
Third, today when I tried to cancel the person was unavailable. I was asked for a phone number to call me back. This is most unsatisfactory to me as I am going out today with my daughter (something that is being delayed while I write my complaint to you as it is fresh in my mind). I said to the customer services advisor that I was unhappy with this, and was very clear that I wanted a normal account. She said she could not override the process. I reflect on this that a bank with such a process appears to be making it difficult, via their systems, from cancelling the product.
I informed the customer services assistant that I would call back myself, but on reflection, I look at First Direct’s Customer Service ratings (higher than the Co-operative Bank) and the fact that I have now been frustrated with the customer service you offer on several occasions. I have noted today that Halifax offer £100 plus £5 a month if I transfer to their current account, while First Direct offer £125. In those circumstances, plus the content of this letter, is it any wonder that I am looking at transferring? That’s a rhetorical question.
In short, I would like (1) for my account to be transferred immediately to a ‘normal’ current account with no charge. (2) for you to explain why taking out (buying) a product is ‘easy’ with minimal advice, but cancelling is not easy and comes with additional ‘advice’ and (3) to reply to each of the other aspects of my complaint.
I also believe the first and third aspects of this complaint could form the basis of a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which I may do in addition to transferring my account. In the meantime I await your prompt response before taking any action.
Yours faithfully,
xxxxxx xxx
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