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Santander: 123 Current Account (discontinued) reviews

4.16
Based on 1,237 reviews, last reviewed 1st Mar 2025
500% increase in 5 star reviews
in the past 90 days
100% decrease in 1 star reviews
in the past 90 days
See only 5 star reviews
55%
See only 4 star reviews
27%
See only 3 star reviews
8%
See only 2 star reviews
4%
See only 1 star reviews
6%

Latest highest rating:

4

Better than the Edge for my circumstances I went from a current account with no benefits to this one. I would always get around £20-30 back in interest and cashback which always more than cove... Read more Reviewed on: 1st March 2025
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edb

Latest lowest rating:

1

So hard to set up an account. So hard to set up an account. Couldn’t believe it. I had to wait in a physical bank twice for over an hour. And they kept sending me letters that were... Read more Reviewed on: 28th November 2024
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Ralp b

About this product

The Santander 1|2|3 Current Account is no longer available to new customers.

Santander 123 Current Account (discontinued) reviews (1237)

Review of the Santander, 123 Current Account (discontinued):

Good rewards, but not as high interest as in the past

4
Good rewards and improved banking app, but not as high interest as in the past. Reviewed on: 8th November 2018

Very good bank

5
Always there to help you comes highly recommended Reviewed on: 30th July 2023

Profiteering by withholding my money

1
I have been a loyal customer at Santander UK for around 20 years. I felt betrayed by them from the following event. On 3 July I received a large sum of money from my pension fund into my current account with Santander UK. I called them to transfer some to my saving account with another bank I had opened and deposited from Santander already. They carried out a number of checks with me to prevent fraud, and also asked me to call the bank to make sure the account is genuine and protected by FSCS, which I did. However, I was told that they would withhold my fund for up to 72 hours for further review (did not specify what exactly). I was under the impression that only the amount of money I intend to transfer out was withheld, so I moved more money into this account the next day in order to transfer out to my other saving accounts by myself. To my dismay, I could not move out any money at all from this account (very conveniently, I could pay in). Nobody told me this! As a resuly, I had more fund stuck in this account. I called them the next day and was told again the fund would be released and I would be able to transfer money out within the next two days. After 72 hours (on 6 July), I called them again because the fund was still in my current account without earning any interest. I was told that the "up to 72 hours" promise was a mistake and the truth was that there was no timescale for the fund release because my case was in a queue for the back office to process (for further checks) and there was absolutely nothing they could do to make this process faster. They would not let me know what they had done for the last 72 hours and what checks would be needed that had not been done with me already. I felt hopeless, betrayed and distressed because of the uncertainty. I was told the back office would contact me if needed. Nobody from Santander did call me. I was on holiday abroad from 30 June and came back home on Sunday 9 July. Having not received any call from Santander and having a large sum of money stuck in the current account, I called them on Monday 10 July. I was told at first the same old story about the queue and no timescale. I told them that I felt they were making excessive and unfair profit by deliberately withholding my money at the expense of my interest and that I would contact the press with my story and make a complaint to Financial Ombudsman Service. All out of a sudden, the queue at the back office disappeared and the reviews were no longer needed, they transferred my money out and I could move out money myself although the pay-in window for some of my accounts was closed. I asked them why my account was suddenly unblocked but did not get a straight answer. I strongly believe that there was no queue and no reviews were conducted for the seven days, and Santander was profiteering by withholding my money. If I had not made the call to push them, the fund would be stuck in my current account with Santander for a long time. Reviewed on: 28th July 2023

Account frozen without informing me

1
How can I complain and get compensation for what you done with Me? You freeze my account without telling me now I can't pay my bills ..how can I survive this? You want be happy when your bank will close your account one day.. Reviewed on: 16th July 2023

Great returns

5
A great way to have a pay for service that more than returns the cost through paying you back for paying by direct debit. Also interest on the money in the account. Reviewed on: 15th July 2023

Awful

1
Closed a 123 account 26 days ago. Still waiting for the funds to be returned to me. They claim to have sent two cheques. Neither have arrived. Next step will be to the Financial Complaints Authority to recover the money they have that belongs to me. Go elesewhere. Wrost bank I have ever dealt with. Reviewed on: 10th July 2023

Good experienced working hard

4
Good experience, I feel happy and comfortable with staff Reviewed on: 2nd July 2023

Never let down

5
Always reliable. Been with them for many years. Reviewed on: 26th June 2023

Great account

5
I love an account with no transaction fees Reviewed on: 20th June 2023

Grateful

5
Excellent company, never any problems Reviewed on: 19th June 2023

Santander employee acting like a fraudster

1
A person recently phoned me, who claimed to be Santander employee and asked me to state my Date of Birth "to pass security". At that point I had no way of knowing, whether this really was a Santander employee calling me, or a fraudster fishing for my personal information. Guess my surprise, when a few weeks later, I learned that this really was a genuine Santander employee !? I complained to Santander about this practice, but they have the audacity to defend their practice, and do not want to change their security policy. This sets a dangerous precedent. If Santander acts in a way, that customers can not distinguish a genuine Santander employee from a fraudster, this is exactly what the fraudsters want, because it helps them to clear out people's bank accounts. Reviewed on: 17th June 2023

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