Poor communication and follow up
I don't have an automatic problem with funnelling everyone through an online portal except for when it's accompanied with sloppy service which was my experience. Communication was really poor - was like getting blood out of a stone and that classic thing when you ask 3 questions and get a reply with a partial answer to 1 question. There was a total lack of proactivity on their end. They use automation for follow ups but it's a really poorly tuned system that sends irrelevant messages at confusing timings, and puts them in the same chat window where you are talking with a human which often creates serious confusion. After asking for clarification on exactly what was required about 5 times and finally got an answer, I was directed to sign the mortgage deed electronically. They didn't confirm what reference I needed - it turned out it was one I received by text 4 months before and they didn't even prompt me that it would be that! I then signed digitally and they didn't get a notification that I had signed it and therefore, I hadn't signed it. Despite logging in to the land registry site and it showing as signed. They said only option is to do paper signing (which I try to avoid at every opportunity given its 2025). I did their homework for them and pursued land registry direct who confirmed it will be user error at the conveyancing end putting in wrong details for the notification. Anyway, typically archaic system plus poor customer service. Generally very inefficient. Should be super light touch but instead lots of wasted to and fro with people with poor communication skills. Clearly cheap for Santander otherwise they'd have no reason to use them.