I just found out that Alliance & Leicester are removing direct debit facilities from the liNked current accounts.

The only way to pay funds into your eSaver issue 2 is by cheque or asking your current bank to move money to he A&L account by bacs.

So it will not be possible anymore to move your money in or out by a mouse click.

This scares the hell out of me especially after the Icesave collapse debacle, you could look at your account but you could not touch it.

Dutchy1:

I just found out that Alliance & Leicester are removing direct debit facilities from the liked current accounts.

The only way to pay funds into your eSaver issue 2 is by cheque or asking your current bank to move money to he A&L account by bacs.

So it will not be possible anymore to move your money in or out by a mouse click.

This scares the hell out of me especially after the Icesave collapse debacle, you could look at your account but you could not touch it.

I don't understand this post. WHAT exactly do you mean? LIKED? SHOULD THIS BE LINKED? Surely you cant mean from current account to an internal linked account? You MUST have a current account to transfer online surely?

Yes, it should say LINKED, I was so shocked that the n slipped, sorry for that!

Yes you read this right, they are scrapping the Direct Debit facility with the LINKED current accounts with other providers.

It's hidden away at rear side at the bottom of the account acceptance letter, it says:

" Currently you can move money from your linked current account to your eSaver via A&L internet banking using the Direct Debit we have set up for you, HOWEVER, this facility will be REMOVED shortly, please refer to the enclosed leaflet for details of alternative ways to move money"

The leaflet explains that you have to send cheques or that you should order your bank to do a bacs ransfer to move your money to A&L.

Is this just relevant to esaver account or have they scrapped any incoming transfers on all/current accounts? Would be pointless banking online? Have you like me just opened esaver?

I have spoken to A&L AND CAN CONFIRM THIS IS NOT TRUE.

Eh, yes it is true, I have got it in writing and I have the A&L brochure to prove it, maybe they have not told their own staff yet, what would not surprice me at all given the mess their customer service is in.

The brochure is called 'Welcome to your new savings account' and the number is 4061400 SA0039/kj 09/08

I only opened an Esaver account so I don't know about the other accounts.

Oh dear I have just been accepted for an A&L esaver but I'm a tad worried. I have an internet current account with smile could I not just transfer money in and out of A&L without a DD? Mind you if their customer service is in a mess maybe I will just have to keep looking for somewhere else to put my money.

ok it does relate to esaver i have just checked my info. Sorry didn't realise that would be awkward if you don't have A&L CURRENT ACCOUNT. Silly not to because they pay good rate for reg saver and you can transfer to esaver. Anyone wanting to transfer out is not going to benefit due ton penalty withdrawals. The Abbey issue2 works the same. It is hard due to all the different types of accounts and need to read everything. My theory is watch the bank closely, don't be complacent, and definately have easy access. Fixed rate is a thing of the past for savers. Just make sure your money is making above inflation rate by changing it around if needed.

I can honestly say that A&L have been good and i cannot yet fault its customer services.

chezu2:

ok it does relate to esaver i have just checked my info. Sorry didn't realise that would be awkward if you don't have A&L CURRENT ACCOUNT. Silly not to because they pay good rate for reg saver and you can transfer to esaver. Anyone wanting to transfer out is not going to benefit due ton penalty withdrawals. The Abbey issue2 works the same. It is hard due to all the different types of accounts and need to read everything. My theory is watch the bank closely, don't be complacent, and definately have easy access. Fixed rate is a thing of the past for savers. Just make sure your money is making above inflation rate by changing it around if needed.

I can honestly say that A&L have been good and i cannot yet fault its customer services.

jUst to add, if you need to transfer money in it is easy by cheque. Just simply write a cheque and hand it over any post office counter. A&L PROVIDE THE ENVELOPES AND IT DOESN'T COST.

Should A&L not change the name into pSaver as you have to go to the post office to transfer your money by cheque and send it by post, how 1980's is that?
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It's not the condition I signed up for when I applied 5 Weeks ago, then again the account is still not up and running although they told me that it would be within 3 days.

....and to come back to chezu2's findings, the customer service department of A&L is still telling customers that the Direct Debit facilities will not be cancelled, how odd is that?

....and why is the Direct Debit facility cancelled so silently, could it be something to do with A&L's credit rating or has it something to do with cost savings or are there problems in the IT department?

It was quite clear when I opened my A&L esaver about 4 weeks ago that the facility to transfer IN to the account via DD on the A&L website would be terminated sometime in January. If your linked account is on internet banking you will be able to set up payments into your A&L account from that end (like a normal bank payment) with no trouble. Think of it as pushing money across rather than pulling it in.

You will still be able to get your money OUT via the A&L website as normal although you will suffer interest penalties.

Nothing to do with the credit rating of the bank - more likely to be easier administratively for A&L.

5 Weeks ago this was not the issue at all,there was no indication that the Direct Debit facility was going to be axed.

A&L even let me set up the Direct Debit and send me the confirmation, only for it to be cancelled by A&L 4 Weeks later without warning.

I only found out by reading the back side of the letter accepting my eSaver application.

So the Direct Debit was cancelled by the end of November without prior warning and without any consult.

For me the Alliance & Leicester pSaver is dead in the water, it has not only taken over 5 weeks and the account is still not up and running, the proof of identety was so extremely over the top that it was insulting, I have been told lies by the A&L customer services on 2 occasions, e-mail complaints where answered after more than a Week, only to tell me that I had to call customer services (6p a min) and they change fital conditions on the eSaver account without consulting or prior notice.

If A&L where running a plumbing business, they could be in for a visit of BBC's rogue traders.