Cater Allen Reviews 

Avoid Cater Allen if you run a business or work as a contractor. I had a cleared payment land in my business account on July 4th and they have been holding it ever since with no clear explanation.

I gave them everything they asked for. The invoice, my contract, even a signed letter from the company that paid me explaining they use a Taiwan-based payment provider. All totally legitimate. Still nothing.

It’s been over 10 days now and I cannot access my own money. I’ve called them multiple times and get the same vague excuses. No one can give me a straight answer or even a clear timeline.

What’s worse is when I contacted the Financial Ombudsman, they told me Cater Allen is not even showing up as a registered bank under the FCA. That’s terrifying. This is people’s money and they are operating with zero accountability.

Because of their actions I’m now at risk of missing payments and defaulting on financial commitments. I run a legitimate UK business and this is beyond stressful. I’ve done nothing wrong and they are just sitting on the money like it’s theirs.

If you care about access to your own money or basic customer service, stay far away from Cater Allen. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour.

Awful company, awful service!

I would not recommend to anyone at all!
This company does not care about anyone’s needs, regardless of knowing what difficult situations people are in when they need to change the trustees/take money out for emergency’s.
Was informed by a member of staff it can take up to a working week to change the trustees on the account once they got all the forms back. A few weeks later this was still not done, when reaching out it was confirmed the trustee needed to send ID for the application to complete. We reached out and asked if this had been sent to the trustee, to which they confirmed they had not reached out. (This was four days later). So the paperwork was sat there for nearly another week! Bear in mind they knew the circumstances that I needed MY money as an emergency!
Best thing I ever did was shut down my account, and I recommend that everyone else does the same!

This bank is stuck in the past and does not realize that things have moved on a bit in banking. I tried to find out when they were going to offer an app so I could do my banking on my phone. No one could tell me and they didn't even know what I was talking about. Santander need to put them out of their misery. I'm moving my account to a digital bank. I would not recommend them to anyone. Goodbye Cater Allen!

I’ve been a loyal business customer of Cater Allen for over 10 years, with a history of straightforward domestic transactions. However, I was shocked by their handling of my first international payment—a small, legitimate (less than £100) transfer from a verified EU-based client.

Despite answering all of their compliance questions promptly and transparently, the bank has withheld my funds for over a week. Worse, they provided NO TIMELINE (i.e., the delay could be INDEFINITE), no clear communication, and no accountability. Staff were unsure of their own procedures and unable to explain what was happening. Multiple phone calls only led to the same response: “I don’t know.”

This experience made it clear that Cater Allen does not care about its customers—long-standing or otherwise. Their processes are outdated, opaque, and agonizingly slow. Their customer service is unhelpful and disorganized. It’s clear they are not equipped to handle anything even slightly more complex, such as a basic international transaction. Compared to modern banks, they offer no real benefit.

I would not recommend this bank to anyone. For those whose applications were rejected, consider yourselves lucky. I’m writing this review in the hope that it spares others the stress and frustration I’ve endured.

This financial institution is terrible. Me and my wife tried to open an account but after a month of them asking for the same details, which we kept providing, we had to tell them they wouldn't be suitable for us! Both me and my wife have good incomes, we fulfil all their criteria but alas, after they asked us for the EXACT value and amount of annual withdrawals for a third time I had to tell them I'd look else where for banking services.

I have been a customer for over ten years. It is a simple account and is fee free for which I am grateful. The online banking isn’t too bad and does what you need for a small business. Happy with them.

I’ve had a savings account with Cater Allen for many years. I’ve reached the end of the line and switched my savings to another bank. If you want terrible customer service, no branches, low deposit rates, no app and 1980’s internet banking then stay with Cater Allen. As for me, I’m off and won’t be coming back.

Have you actually read the reviews slating your online system? Your call centre experience is awful and to try and avoid that by doing it online gives its own problems.
Your online system is simply the worst online banking system I've ever had to use (and I've used several tens of other systems).

Please don't put up your standard rubber stamp reply and get your finger out and get a new online system instead.

I was hanging on the telephone for 35 mins waiting for Cater Allen to pick up. No answer so I gave up in the end. Terrible customer service.

Terrible Service from Cater Allen Private Bank – Avoid at All Costs!

I am extremely disappointed with the shocking service from Cater Allen Private Bank. Without any prior warning, they decided to block my 16-year-old business account simply because one of their letters was not delivered to my address.

They did not bother to call or send an email to notify me—basic steps that any competent bank should take. I only discovered that my account had been blocked when I attempted to make a crucial VAT payment. Had I not proactively called them to investigate, my direct debits would have been rejected, potentially harming my credit score.

This level of incompetence is completely unacceptable. A business bank should understand the consequences of blocking an account without warning. The lack of communication and disregard for their customers is appalling.

As a result, I will be switching my business account to a more reliable bank—one that actually values its customers and understands the importance of proper communication. I strongly advise others to avoid Cater Allen if they want a bank they can trust.

I've had few business accounts with Cater Allen for the past 10 years and despite the below average facilities and customer services, kept using them mainly because I couldn't be bothered switching accounts. Two weeks ago one of my three accounts was blocked without any prior notification because of a letter that couldn't be delivered in 2023! This was allegedly followed up with a call in 2024 (which came through as a spam) and an email that I never received in 2025. The speed of service everyone hopes for. :) Lastly my account was blocked and I had to find out from clients who had their payments returned as there is no simple notification on the exceptionally old online banking interface of Cater Allen to advise their clients of such important issues. According to their customer service es team everything was done in accordance with their policies and there is no reason for me as a client to be pissed off. No need to mention that I already started the process of switching my three accounts to another bank.

Seems Cater Allen has been abandoned and starved of investment by its parent bank Santander UK. As per other reviews no app, website is old, clunky and has limited functionality. Faster payments? you got to be kidding, Cater Allen hang on to your money for days before it 'clears'.

Been with Cater Allen many years but never looked at the reviews on TrustPilot and agree with a lot of the comments. The only positive is ‘free banking’. Negatives mount up:

1. No app - they been working on it for years
2. Making online transactions: £2200 payment, put in my details to authentic then 2nd factor OTP test authentication and even then transaction failed. Called and was told random alert pffft!
3. Decided to move to Monzo and was trying to use the automated transfer of DD, standing orders etc but been told ‘your old bank does not support ‘Current Account Switch Service’. Therefore now I have to manually set up DD, SO etc. Pathetic!

All in all a complete clunky service stuck in the 1970s/1980s.

The online service is atrocious. I have been trying to change my personal details without any success. There is no way to do this simple task online which I find archaic to say the least. The phone number stated for numbers outside the uk doesn’t work. The customer service is a shambles

Score should be (-1) if an option! Unable to connect for urgent transaction query. Connection cut-off 3 times. Santander, as an alternative helpline, not much better. Long wait - unable to transfer to CA, although letters regarding account come from a generic department within Santander. How is this "organisation" approved as a suitable Financial Service?
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Sadly, after the generic Corporate Cater Allen response to my initial review, and my email follow-up to Cater Allen dated 22 Nov 24 and 03 Dec 24 requesting resolution, as I had been requested, I have still received NO RESPONSE at all. What a sad example of a Great British Corporation.

Waited 31 minutes, kicked off phone 3 times, no one ever answers this out if hours emergency number.

1980's bank with paper statements, no branches, no app, rubbish web site and rude phone staff. Completely disinterested in dealing with a fraud on my account. Avoid at all costs.

Like some of the other reviewers, I remember the time when the customer call centre was excellent. Tried to pass security using info on latest statement (middle July). However, this was deemed too old, and so have to wait for Aug statement to pass security. Just as well it wasnt urgent.

I have been with CA for many years, but looks like time to change.

I've had a CA business account for 11 years.
It was marked as dormant two years ago, as i had not completed any contract work.

Contacted them mid-July to re-activate account
(Depositing money to it does not re-activate it).
Now the 12th August; they were supposed to be sending (another) letter last week; not received.
THREE weeks and account still cannot be used.

Convoluted and outdated process; deliberately incompetent staff.
CA, you have no comprehension of the word 'business' and have no right to use it for your 'service'.

I have been with Cater Allen for nearly 30 years and have been very happy with the service they provide. Allthough it would be nice to have an app and a more up to date online platform this isn't a major issue as other reviews on here suggest, and not really what this bank is about or for. I have found the customer service to be consitently good over the years and very quick to respond, and I get what I need from the bank as a service (no fees, private banking service, and foreign currency accounts with easy transfers). I also have day to day bank accounts with Santander.