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Santander clamps down on profanities in business banking: "We really don’t need Big Brother banking"

ended 17. July 2024

Santander yesterday announced that it will 'now stop any payments with profanities in the reference’ for its business banking customers (see screengrab taken from the App Store, below). Newspage asked business owners and mortgage experts for their views, bottom.

10 responses from the Newspage community

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Craig Fish
Director at Lodestone Mortgages
Why? What on earth is the world of banking coming to, when Santander thinks it has the right to decide what language adults use when sending payments? If this is allowed to happen, where will it stop? And so began nanny state banking.
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Ranald Mitchell
Director at bad credit mortgage specialists Charwin Mortgages
Santander has decided to clean up our banking references with an anti-profanity filter. Sure, they might be aiming to maintain a polite, professional environment, possibly due to some customer complaints. But let's face it, they're also taking the fun out of those cheeky messages we love to send our friends, as many business owners are friends with those they work with. While it’s great that Santander cares about decency, this move feels a bit like your overly strict aunt scolding you for harmless jokes. We really don’t need Big Brother banking.
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Ben Perks
Managing Director at Orchard Financial Advisers
But how will Gordon Ramsay make payments to people? Seriously, who cares. There are bigger issues in the world of banking than this. I can’t imagine this is rife and if something is particularly offensive it should be dealt with via Santander's complaints process. There's no need for Santander to turn into the fun police if people are having a cheeky gag between friends. I once had a client that sent several £1 transactions and wrote a funny short story to his wife in the references. Genius.
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Hannah Bashford
Director at Model Financial Solutions
Santander’s proposal to filter profanities in the business banking app is unnecessary and may have the unintended consequence of blocking business for some the Britain’s rudest named villages. Does that mean all holidays to Sandy Balls are cancelled?
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Michelle Lawson
Director at Lawson Financial
I'm not sure Santander have had to announce this or even do it? Everyone has had a bit of fun with this kind of thing over time and we do see bank statements with such comments. Although caution has to be applied from a lending and banking perspective, I feel this is a bit dictatorial and edging more to a nanny state.
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Dariusz Karpowicz
Director at Albion Financial Advice
I bet "nobody expected the Spanish inquisition!" springs to mind. It's surprising we're at a point where a lender dictates which words customers can use. What's next, no bank accounts for couples living together without a wedding? While maintaining professionalism is important, policing language in payment references seems a step too far. Let's hope this doesn't set a precedent for other banks to follow.
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Katy Eatenton
Mortgage & Protection Specialist at Eatenton Finance
I think lenders need to focus more on service levels than what references are used on payments. Apparently, NatWest also notify you if you’re spending too much money on certain food types. When will it end?
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Bob Singh
Founder at Chess Mortgages
In a move that would leave Ant & Dec scratching their heads, Santander have decided to ban profanities from business banking payment references. Presumably, using the power of AI, even saying things like “Thanks for last night" are off limits. This may lead many to switch banking where the banter can continue.
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Stephen Perkins
Managing Director at Yellow Brick Mortgages
I'm not sure how many businesses use profanities in their payment references. It's more likely a problem on transfers between friends. Many people don’t realise that a funny reference can cause problems on a mortgage application for both sender and recipient. Santander censoring and blocking payments seems a little heavy-handed, though.
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Graham Cox
Director at Bridging Hub
At first-glance this seems like an over-zealous reaction by Santander. But when you consider the vile comments left on social media these days, it can't be much fun for Santander's staff constantly viewing profanities on banking transactions. A sign of the times I guess.