Anyone know a telephone number for Alliance & Leicester which doesn't require you to use your phone PIN? I phoned them a while ago with a number that got me straight through with out using the PIN but I can't remember the number and they were very quick with helping too. Mind you that was for activating my new debit card but I'm sure the call was to current accounts and I'm sure it was an 01 number as well.

Thanks

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~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended

Have you looked on the database BalmPot? There are some 01 numbers there as well as some 0800 numbers. You have not mentioned which department you want. Have a look on the database.

The department I'm trying to get through to is current accounts. I've checked the data base and every number I've tried asks for your PIN. I'm tyring to pay the closing balance of my Halifax1 [Mastercard] and Halifax say they can't process bank transfers other than HBOS and some other bank for some reason or another. I contacted them again this morning but were no more helpful. The annoying thing is I've forgotten my PIN and can't reset it without contacting A&L over the phone.

I might have to resort to going to my nearest A&L branch if all else fails. I need to pay the closing balance ASAP. The only problem there is it's 4 miles form were I live and I'm not sure if I'll get there today and I was hoping I could do this today.

So, if you have a current account with A & L (now Santander) why don't you give Halifax (now LLoyds) a cheque?

The only thing there is it's take 7 working days for the payment to reach them. That's what it says on the back of my statement.

I think the best solution might be to call 0116 2011 000 [switchboard] later and see if they'll put me through to the appropriate department. I think the department I need is customer services.

By the way, I called the switchboard and they put me through to customer services but each time they did this I was cut off for some reason, the line seemed to go dead each time they put me through.  [smiley=huh.gif]

I ended up going to my nearest A&L in the end and what a palaver that was!  [smiley=sad.gif]

They told me I couldn’t pay my credit card bill at the A&L branch and that the only way I could do this was if I withdrew money from my account and that I’d have to go the Halifax to pay this off with that money as it’s a Halifax1 card.

Well I asked them if I could withdrew the money and they asked for ID because of the amount I was wanting to withdrew. I know this is procedure but what a hassle! I showed them the statement thinking it would be enough as it has my address on but they wanted something like a passport or drivers licence which I don’t normally carry and didn’t think I’d need too. In the end I just complained that I’d come all this way to pay the bill, that I’d have to go back to where I’d come from and made a point of standing my ground but they kept insisting that I’d need to show the appropriate ID. As I say, I stud my ground and eventually they gave in and withdrew the amount I needed from my account after asking the appropriate security questions. Boy what a hassle!  [smiley=angry.gif]

Banks these days have a tendency to make your life hellish!!

Anyway, once I was at the Halifax they accepted the payment saying it would be OK to pay the credit card bill as it was a Halifax card. Easy peasy!

The annoying thing is they [the clerk and the manager at A&L] explained to me that when calling A&L over the phone, and you’ve either forgotten or don’t have your phone PIN, wait a while as the announcement for the phone PIN will ask for this a couple of times then eventually you’ll be put through to whoever/whatever department you require. If only I knew this in the first place. Well you live and learn I guess.

The way I paid this is probably the quickest; it’s just a pain I had to go 4miles away from where I live to pay it. Plus the hassle of the security checks etc. If I wasn't so bothered about paying this on time I would've taken this in my stride instead of worrying and getting so irritated by the whole procedure.

[smiley=dankk2.gif]

Whhy don't you pay your credit card on line. I go into my current account on line and then click on 'transfers and payments' and pay that way. As you would say  BalmPot, easy peasy. I pay everthing this way from people who do jobs for me to all my credit card bills etc. The only time I visit a bank is to go to the ATM

I do internet banking now and again this way but wasn't overly confident paying my credit card bill this way. I think I'll try it this way next time though as it does seem hassle free nevertheless.

Bear in mind it takes four days to get its destination. (Don't ask why but it does.)

Many (most) banks operate the Faster Payment service for amounts under £10k. The internet banking payment gets to its destination the same day.

Thanks lompos.

The amount I managed to pay was about £2000 which was mostly supermarket spends for the year. My main concern about paying the amount on time was of course the credit I'd have to pay, and as you can see this could have been quite a bit if I didn't.

Payments via the Halifax branch go through as soon as you pay it in, nevertheless and as pointed out above, paying via internet banking should be hassle free so will be doing it that way next time. Or at least I'll try.

Thanks again