Santander 123 account advice

[SXGuy]

Wife and I have a standard Santander joint current account which our Santander mortgage bills etc come out of. Santander have been bugging us for months to switch to a 123 account. After doing the sums, after charges we would get around 60 quid cashback a year. Not interested in the credit card. So will not Consider the cashback option on fuel and shopping. But I wondered if anyone knows anymore about this account before I decide to switch or not. Am I losing anything in the terms and conditions from their old current account and the 123 account? Or is it safe to switch?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Mate the 123 is awesome - I joined 2 years ago and love it.

In a nutshell, overdrafts on the everyday current account charge daily - not capped. The 123 is capped at £20 per month.

Each bill you pay earns cashback. See mine for an example - since September 2012



I have high bills though

[SXGuy]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

We never let ourselves go overdrawn for more than 7 days usually, I cant remember what the charges are but I know they are charged daily and capped at x amount a month. I could have got that wrong though!

Ok i'll talk with the mrs tonight.

Im guessing the account numbers/cards stay the same, just change the account type? or do they physically change the account number?

Can I switch to it via online banking or do I need to go in branch?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

We never let ourselves go overdrawn for more than 7 days usually, I cant remember what the charges are but I know they are charged daily and capped at x amount a month. I could have got that wrong though!

Ok i'll talk with the mrs tonight.

Im guessing the account numbers/cards stay the same, just change the account type? or do they physically change the account number?

Can I switch to it via online banking or do I need to go in branch?

Ok so the charge would be the same, ie £7 (£1 per day) but instead of paying upto £31 if you were OD for a whole month, you'd be capped at £20. Less than 20 days and you're no better or worse off.

With the 123 you don't get interest charged, just the flat £1 per day and the £2 monthly fee. So based on my free money as above, minus £48 for the fee - I am quids in.

Account number etc stays the same, you loginto online banking and then click bank accounts, 123 upgrade my account and it's instant. To the right, you'll see this once logged in

[SXGuy]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Thanks Niddy appreciated, will do it later.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

They also use internal scoring so you can edit your overdraft online logged in and it doesn't perform a search against you, so if you've currently got say £500 OD, click overdraft and then try to get say £600 - it'll approve with a OTP or say sorry we cannot do this online (ie you're already at the maximum limit they'll lend you).....

They update the feed around the 11th of the month, so anytime after that is good to apply if you need any increase in limit etc....

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

You can also see what cards they issue for you - if you click Account Services from the top tab, then head to 'Account Requests' (scroll down) - then click "Order a replacement debit card" you'll see if the card they have issued is online or offline as follows - if it reads DEBIT MFC Online then it's not the embossed card (like the old electron)

Obviously don't click OK - but this screen shows you whether they see you as a risk as if it shows an ONLINE MFC you may be declined products.








Anything else?

[amberashjess]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Hi Niddy

Ive just tried this upgrade as I've had a ex A&L/Santander account for seven years now. It gave me reference number and said it will let me know if they can upgrade me for a 123 account. I applied because I wanted to take advantage of the capped overdraft fee as I occasionally use it for a month or two.


My overdraft is £3330 but when I clicked to see what my debit card came up as it said X2X card? I'm not sure what that is? my card begins 4659.

I have three defaults left on my file due to come off in december this year but Santander have never offered me anything but my overdraft.I don't check my noddle report anymore on your advice but so I'm not sure if anything nasty has been put on my CRA files as I've had a lot of letters for defaults that expired and have been SB years ago.

[amberashjess]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Also forgot to add that I can use my card at the petrol pump without any problem. Also I believe fees have changed from today on overdrafts and there is no cap now for 123 account?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

4757 is the old electron style (online) card and 4547 is the embossed full card (offline) - is your card the red Santander card or an old A&L card?

The upgrade will occur, they don't credit check for that as existing customer, if it does decline just appeal using messages. It should show up on your online banking as 123 Current Account when it's done, which is usually the next day so look tomorrow.

Ref fee's I just seen this - thanks for letting me know!

Courtesy of MSE --> http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...up-affects-you

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Also forgot to add that I can use my card at the petrol pump without any problem. Also I believe fees have changed from today on overdrafts and there is no cap now for 123 account?

All santander cards allow this facility, even the offline none-embossed card allows it.

They now do various cards -

1. 4547 - Embossed Contactless Card (the full card with contactless)
2. 4547 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the full card but pre-contactless)
3. 4757 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the old electron but embossed to allow car hire in USA etc)
4. 4757 - None-Embossed Card (the old electron with black printed numbers none-embossed)

* Contactless is not available on MFC Online Cards.

I have all 4 cards due to banking errors and will load a photo for each shortly - so you can see how each card looks - all new cards issued will fall into one of these 4 categories.

The older X2X card is the same as the card 4 above

if it is a card with what is called an X2X code, that means full authorisation then if it cant be authorised it should be declined.

[amberashjess]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Niddy, mine is the red Santander card and it starts 4659, they upgraded my account a few years ago.Mine is embossed though. Nothing on online banking yet so will wait and see until tomorrow.

Thank you

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

Niddy, mine is the red Santander card and it starts 4659

What two digits precede the starting 4 digits - as that is what matters. Various banks (HSBC) etc all use 4659 which is basically abbreviated for debit card..... it's what follows that matters when you're going into older cards lol. But that said you may well have the upgraded card which they did back then (not now)....

Online banking shows is for definitive - if under the request new card option as detailed above you do not see the words Debit - MFC then it will be an online card which means all transactions must be authorised.

[amberashjess]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

04 are the digits
but online its say debit card xxxxxxx X2X. Santander I think are very cautious with anybody with a a default and cant wait to leave when my file is in better shape. It probably is a full authorisation card as they have only offer me insurance on their offer page for the last few years and it wont let me up my OD any higher. They don't trust on even though I have regular money going in each month. I have got a cheque book and a £3k plus overdraft from them, though.

On a receipt the Aid number is 31010 that I was told is offline!

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Santander 123 account advice

All santander cards allow this facility, even the offline none-embossed card allows it.

They now do various cards -

1. 4547 - Embossed Contactless Card (the full card with contactless)
2. 4547 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the full card but pre-contactless)
3. 4757 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the old electron but embossed to allow car hire in USA etc)
4. 4757 - None-Embossed Card (the old electron with black printed numbers none-embossed)

* Contactless is not available on MFC Online Cards.

I have all 4 cards due to banking errors and will load a photo for each shortly - so you can see how each card looks - all new cards issued will fall into one of these 4 categories.

The older X2X card is the same as the card 4 above

Image below - the cards are as follows:

Top Left - Card Type 1
(1. 4547 - Embossed Contactless Card (the full card with contactless))

Bottom Left - Card Type 2
(2. 4547 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the full card but pre-contactless))

Top Right - Card Type 3
(3. 4757 - Embossed none-Contactless Card (the old electron but embossed to allow car hire in USA etc))

Bottom Right - Card Type 4
(4. 4757 - None-Embossed Card (the old electron with black printed numbers none-embossed))