Santander UK Reviews 

189
TrustScore 1 out of 5

1.2

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 53 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall, expressing deep frustration and disappointment with the company. Customers frequently complained about dreadful customer support, extremely long waiting times on the phone, and unhelpful staff members who repeatedly passed callers between completely different internal banking departments. Consumers also experienced suddenly blocked accounts without proper warning, unexpected fee charges applied without consent, and extremely frustrating verification processes that severely disrupted their essential and ongoing daily business operations. Some reviewers were happy with certain positive elements, noting that the telephone assistance generally remained acceptable and the overall account closure process proved entirely straightforward.

What people talk about most

Customer service

Reviewers express deep frustration and dissatisfaction regarding customer service. Consumers highlight long... See more

Service

Customers had negative experiences with service, expressing frustration over closed local branches and... See more

Payment

Consumers find payment to be frustrating due to widespread account freezes and blocked transactions.... See more

Customer communications

Customers consistently note negative experiences with contact, highlighting severe difficulties in reaching... See more

Price

Clients share negative opinions on price, expressing widespread dissatisfaction over unexpected monthly and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Changing the rules on fire banking for life. Seems crazy as they've had access to 20 year's worth of banking from my company while not paying interest. To introduce charges now while there are a hos... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The had an excellent customer service, but various parts of the service have become a law unto their own, very difficult to deal with. You'd think a complaints department would seek to improve or at l... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I wanted to open a business account. The amount of questions I was asked felt like I was taking a loan from Santander business. I needed to open an account so I can set up my direct debits with th... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rang Santander over two weeks ago to close my business account. Ok we'll send you the closure forms, Today, over two weeks later the WRONG forms arrive - change business details ones. Call the busine... See more


Company details

  1. Bank
  2. Financial Institution

Information provided by various external sources

Santander UK plc is a British bank, wholly owned by the Spanish Santander Group.


Contact info

1.2

Bad

TrustScore 1 out of 5

189 reviews

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1-star

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1.2

All reviews

(189)

53 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not use this Bank!

Do not use this Bank!!
Been asked to verify details which was done and the forms were sent first class recorded. Two weeks late they say they never received!! I have proof was delivered so then sit on the phone waiting for someone to answer my call.
Account has been Frozen so my Business is suffering.
Terrible Bank do not use.

29 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I am sitting here in shock and…

I am sitting here in shock and desperate. Santander business sent me a form to Thailand to fill in. It took 21 days. I sent it back. 30 days later the form has not arrived. Santander has frozen my account so Im in Thailand without a dime! I spent 1 hour 30 trying to get through to support yesterday. How can they treat people like this. Every penny in my account is earned and accounted for.

26 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

BUSINESS BANKING CHARGES-NO LONGER FREE

Have also received the letter to say that we are now to be charged £9.99 a month for our 'Free for life' Business account. Hopeless to try and speak to anyone. I found the 50 page pdf document online which they have mentioned-I never received this in 2023,only a two sided document which did not include charges going forward. Nothing has changed to our accounts-320,000 customers x £9.99 per month =£3 million pounds + every month for the Bank-I don't think Customer Service is involved here! Three months is not a long time to switch Business Accounts-their attitude is accept it or leave. I treat my Business Customers with respect, they DO NOT.

23 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I asked 3 times in 3 separate 'phone…

I asked 3 times in 3 separate 'phone calls for historical Business Banking account statements dating back over the last few years to be sent in the post. I was eventually sent an illegible sheet (one side of A4) with no recognisable dates, or any information on it that was legible or of any use. I have now had to write and lodge an official complaint.

19 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Tried to set up my Meta payments with…

Tried to set up my Meta payments with my Santander business account and it took Santander 4 weeks to eventually tell me (despite calling several) “ahhh we can’t make payments to META I’m afraid”
What sort of business bank is unable to pay the biggest advertising platform in the world 🌏
They are a JOKE - you are a JOKE Santander Business
DO NOT USE THEM.

18 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

"Free Business Banking Forever" was…

"Free Business Banking Forever" was their motto. It appears forever is on the past as Santander are now introducing considerable fees to my account. This loyal customer of over 30 years and not one penny overdrawn during that time will be transferring my account and funds to another bank.

17 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid this company like the Plague

Avoid this company like the Plague
I have banked with Santander business banking for 20 years and there have been 4 cases of me being able to use my account or payments coming in being stuck in cyber space. I am a sole trader and as such I can use my account debit card to buy anything without having to explain to an accountant or authority why . I like a bet on the horses and often use my debit card to bet at my local bookie . Of late I have had e mails from Santander regarding these transactions( one or twice a month) which I ignore but make me feel angry as I should not be made to feel bad about recreation bets .
10 days ago I won 8 k and my friendly bookie transferred it back to my card . I was overjoyed as 8 k is a lot of money to me and I was told it would be in my account within 24 hours. Well it never arrived and here we are 10 days later and it's , on hold , with Santander whilst they investigate. I kid you not. I have now spent 8 hours on the phone to the girls in business banking. Complaints have been raised , I have pleaded with them to put it in my account ( apparently the 8 k can be seen but not showing on my account) I have been asked many questions regarding this issue by Santander. I was even made to look a fool because Santander inferred my bookie had conned me and not actually paid me. That was nonsense
We are no nearer to being resolved and my advice to you all is close your account, you can NOT trust Santander

12 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Account Upgrade...??? I don't think so!

Just had a note from Santander that our business account will soon be upgraded! The benefit is enormous... it goes from costing no monthly fee, to £10 per month... and for the privilege, we will be paid no interest on the £5K- £20K they usually hold on our behalf and we will then have to pay extra to draw money or pay it in! Win-win (for them)! That is an ∞% increase for us and no benefit in return... and all for doing little more than paying a handful of automated standing orders/DD's and receiving odd payments on our behalf. Clearly they do not want our business... but I'm sure those extra charges will pay some impoverished senior managers bonus that came up with the idea! ...NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!

14 July 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

despite i been a happy customer for 20…

despite i been a happy customer for 20 years no as now it's all messed up due to fraud or scam concerns that i sent over 100 e-mail to santander bank they just ignored my complaints despite im registered deafblind there been so many probkem with darlington branch manager Matt he is upto to no good for his job he said no to as he said ''you can't have your money only for dad deals with it'' this is extremely embarrassing j lie to see this evil manager stupid manager be sacked asap he not been fair to me.

2 June 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Gone down hill

When we opened 8 years they were great for bussness banking really helpful. Now completly usless they no longer offer loans or face to face conversations time to go i think

3 June 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Of all the different banks I have dealt…

Of all the different banks I have dealt with for corporate banking, Santander are by far the most difficult to deal with. They show contempt for customers, and make it very difficult for us to concentrate on running our business but have the attitude that we work for them with the amount of paperwork and phone calls they create. Its all the same info the other banks request and need - they just make it super complicated, time consuming and convoluted

7 May 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

In 1989 I remortgagedworst Bank in the World with The Abbey…

In 1989 I remortgaged with The Abbey National, £75,000 , I wasn’t to know I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. Over the years Santander have made numerous errors in our account. Trying to evict us for a non existent arrears, our £75k was paid up over 20 yrs ago, there’s recordings of my conversations with Accounts & Recoveries dept from 09/11/2030 to Sprim 3021 when it was confirmed that this money was no longer owed.

I have been in contact with Steven Ovington Manager of Santander’s Head of Complaints who has these recordings and refuses to give them to me, he is covering the Fraud committed by his colleague Georgina Nelson who fraudulently altered figures and altered our account. She added figure for a loan that does not exist.

Her crim of Fraud is covered by her Msnager’s Perjury, Santander is a very very bad Bank.

They employ people like Ovington & Nelson, when I asked for a full investigation this was refused - why?

30 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Outrageous interest charges

I’ve had a corporate mortgage with Santander since 2006. My present manager is Stephen Sullivan - who I have no complaints about - he is efficient and comes back to me promptly when I have an issues or queries.
However, I’ve just had a discussion about renewing my banking terms early next year only to be told that the interest rate will be going up to more than 100% over bank base rate. I find this absolutely disgraceful. I was told this was non-negotiable and the monthly charges are getting ridiculous even though I’m in credit and I get no interest on the funds in the account.
I will be pulling funds from elsewhere to clear this mortgage within the next 12 months as I want nothing more to do with Santander after this experience.

1 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Business banking mess

Business banking. We sold our businesses, and changed our address. Didn't get the final statements. Called to rectify whilst on holiday in Spain. Agent..."couldn't do this, that or the other"....everything was no! Had to have paper copies of final account, change of address by letter, authoristion for accounts to be sent to accountant by letter..... etc etc. They couldn't explain why they had not changed details to the new address. Everything in writing - despite having the app, voice recognition etc etc. What a joke.

11 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Harrassment , threats and invasion of privacy

AVOID!! My account is going to be restricted because i refuse to supply them with 3 months paypal statements and 3 months ebay statements- surely against data protection law as they will have buyers and suppliers names on there . This is on top of a years worth of harrassment including filling a huge form in , then 3 months later asking more questions , then a sanctions questionaire , then 3 months later i had to do it again , then they claimed it hadn't gone through even though i have the email saying thanks for your info , so i had to do it again - each time requiring downloading a PDF , printing it off , scanning and uploading the print offs. I also caught them going through my facebook account and their answer to that and everything else is it's linked to your business and they are just following fraud and money laundering regs . When i said i am up to neither of these things they wouldn't say why the harrassment was being carried out. I am now going to the ombudsman. I suspect they want me off one of the old "forever free" accounts set up in 2010

17 March 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unprofessional bank avoid

Unprofessional bank avoid. Keep your cash safe and don't use or keep it with high street bank .
Blocked my account because I had student loan .left me missing my course
And without money to move around.
Do use any of this bank .
Their customer service take time to investigate or respond to any enquiry.multi billion bank investigate 4000 thousands pound coming into student account while .there people out there play with millions of pounds around and cheating the system. I will never use any high street bank .done

14 March 2025
Unprompted review

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