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Santander: Loan reviews

Name: Loan
Rating: 2.45 (55 reviews)

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2.55

Based on 55 reviews, last reviewed 11th Mar 2025

100% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

27%

55%

Latest highest rating:

5

Quick and easy application approval. Quick and easy application approval. Bit fiddly to make overpayments Reviewed on: 11th March 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Hugely misleading APR% My bank is Santander and I checked how much APR a loan of 7k would be for a new car with them - was quoted 7.5% preliminary. Went through the eligibil... Read more Reviewed on: 24th January 2024

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Santander personal loan reviews on Smart Money People are honest reviews. If you're trying to determine whether this is the right personal loan for you, reading our Santander personal loan reviews can help you to find out what other people have to say. Smart Money People launched in October 2014 to help people like you to find the best personal loans. If you have used a Santander personal loan, we'd love you to write a quick review too.

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Santander Loan reviews (55)

Locked out trying to release funds

I was given my release funds code through the post I was waiting 2 days so not bad after getting accepted but then the trouble started,I was happy to receive my code so I go to put in my details to log in on my first attempt to be locked out,it tells me to ring them so I did thinking this be a quick fix but how how wrong was I, on the phone the bloke and he told me it was my fault am locked out and now I need to reapply,he will put me through to someone so i reapply to be declined now im appealing but have no faith in this bank what so ever,I would avoid this company at all costs,very poor standard to getting things done Reviewed on: 10th November 2020

AVOID!!!!!!!!!

They offer good rates to draw you in and then offer ramped up APR’a for no reason. Should be illegal... Reviewed on: 12th July 2020

Locked out.

Got locked out of the loan already approved just because I mistakenly typed a digit out of the released code sent to me by post. I was asked to called them, I did and was told that the loan has been cancelled and I would have to make another application after 28 days or so. Very ridiculous indeed. Reviewed on: 22nd May 2020

Trouble free car loan

From word go the loan has been hassle free. Also able to take holiday from payments while COVID-19 was ongoing. Reviewed on: 30th April 2020

Abysmal Support, Service and Communication

Locked out of account with no warning and told the only way to rectify is to call them. Called them but they wouldn’t talk to me as they told me my date of birth was not the same as that on my account. Absolutely mystifying considering I supplied a passport etc to open the account and I know the date I was born. This raises major concerns around whether they are complying with their anti money-laundering obligations as if they are not checking the detail of the ID’s provided when opening accounts then how are they verifying and transcribing the personal data contained therein? Where has the incorrect DOB come from? How was this verified by the bank’s internal processes and why has it not been simply checked and rectified against the existing data they already hold? What else have they got wrong and what could be the consequences? If they can’t get a DOB correct from simple documentation provided in support of opening an account, what on Earth are they capable of getting wrong? And not only this, but their shoddy internal practices do nothing to audit, verify or check they have appropriately complied with their legal obligations in transcribing/verifying the information provided. This is somehow left to the customer to do as a “third party that has failed security” by giving the correct information which they are unwilling to verify against their info. Had me questioning my sanity then their customer service constantly slopey shouldered me to various other departments (on hold for over an hour). Was told that they would not speak to me about anything (account, SAR, making a complaint, rectifying the issue with appropriate ID (passport I had to hand)) and that I should take time off to go to a branch to try and resolve it there. I have huge concerns over my personal data and how it is handled at Santander. The accuracy of the data is obviously incorrect and I have contacted the Financial Ombudsman and the ICO about the issue. Santander said that I was asking questions a fraudster would though I didn’t request absolutely any account information (I provided them all that on the phone (Including personal ID numbers, security numbers, pins) but again to no avail). I queried where I had agreed that a DOB (incorrect or otherwise on their system) was to be used as an access authorization given all of the other information I had to hand. I cannot understand how the DOB can possibly differ from the documentation I originally provided in setting up the account or why that data couldn’t be checked. They refused to check the account info against the ID used to set up the account for reasons unknown. Also refused to provide names of who I was speaking to or to take what I was saying seriously. I was only told that if I was locked out of the account (which I have never withdrawn from so it holds a very large sum of money) then I had either: > Entered the pin / passcode incorrectly three times (I have never used a passcode and only use a fingerprint for the app); or > A very large sum of money had been withdrawn from the account. .. I cannot ensure that there has been no fraudulent activity on the account because I have no way of accessing it but they have strongly suggested that my life savings may be gone. Makes for a fun day off work tomorrow trying to sort out their absolutely abysmal mistakes. They also said that it was unlikely that the branch will be able to resolve this kind of issue tomorrow! This is in a large ISA and this kind of ineptitude could potentially cost you a house! Totally dreadful. I cannot understand how banks can legally lock you out of your account without any form of communication (even a letter to the account holder or an email explaining that a password reset or similar is required). Instead I’m in the situation where I don’t know if I have lost all the money I own and I have had absolutely no help from Santander. Once resolved I will be closing this account. BEWARE. Reviewed on: 5th March 2020

Appalling process ! Never again will deal with this bank. Backwards thinking.

Got locked out because I mistyped my postcode, and they cancelled my loan! Did they really think I was going to re-apply and have a second hard credit check for the same loan? A terrible rate? Ridiculous. First, I got a loan approved with an extremely high rate, but accepted it. Did;t think anything about it. Followed their process. I got their acceptance code in post ( 3 days), but when I went to retrieve it online, I mistyped my post code, and got locked out. When I rang them they had cancelled my application.!!! That's right.... This meant I had to do another hard credit check if I wanted a new loan approval. How silly. I was beside myself. I then went to HSBC online and reapplied for the same loan. I got half APR rate! Cancelling an approved loan because of being locked out is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Obviously it requires that one must apply again and a hard search goes on the credit report. Hell no! Luckily, my bank, HSBC gave me a fantastic rate on the same loan. No questions asked. Took 45 seconds. If this is how Santander conducts their business, Shame on them. Glad I did not open that account! Reviewed on: 1st March 2020

Poor Customer Service

Trying to get in touch with this company using their free call number is impossible. I tried to call them on three separate occasions and different times of the day and was left hanging on for between 15 and 25 minutes. Reviewed on: 9th October 2019

Waste of time !

Santander customer, no mortgage on my home, with Experian rating of 999, £8k in saving and they declined my loan app, WTF!!!!! took out an AA car loan for £22.5k, process was painless, less info required and money in my account in 2 days Reviewed on: 19th March 2019

Lie ,poor communication, poor service

Shocking service . Applied for a loan . No credit issues . Said it will take 2 days however ended up taking 8 days and not one big of communication to notify me of the delay. Would never recommend and would suggest use another company Reviewed on: 8th March 2019

Got me my car

I was struggling to get credit for a car and they helped me, I'm very happy with the loan and repayments! Great service! Reviewed on: 6th June 2018

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