Time for a new bank, who to use?
16 January 2009, 02:21 PM
#1
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Time for a new bank, who to use?
Barclays are complete and utter robbing barstewards and i've had enough of their disgusting lack of customer service.
I made the heinous crime of going £2.99 overdrawn on one of my accounts setup purely as a petrol account and all other accounts were substantially in credit at the time. The £2.99 was also put back into the account within 2 days which is when I noticed it. However Barclays have deemed it unacceptable behaviour on my behalf and charged me £22 for being £2.99 overdrawn for 2 days.
I escalated it all the way to head office on principle and still they have told me tough they are keeping my £22. The Financial Ombudsman is next.
So as they really couldn't give a **** about their customers and like to take money from them without permission I told them they can stick the £22 and I will be closing all my accounts and cancelling all Barclays related services I currently pay for (insurance etc) and going else where.
There probably isn't such a thing as a good bank, especially at the moment but who is the best of a bad bunch? I know people who have used HSBC for years and have had really good customer service from them. Also what is the easiest way to smoothly transition all your direct debits to a new bank without calling every company you have a direct debit with?
I made the heinous crime of going £2.99 overdrawn on one of my accounts setup purely as a petrol account and all other accounts were substantially in credit at the time. The £2.99 was also put back into the account within 2 days which is when I noticed it. However Barclays have deemed it unacceptable behaviour on my behalf and charged me £22 for being £2.99 overdrawn for 2 days.
I escalated it all the way to head office on principle and still they have told me tough they are keeping my £22. The Financial Ombudsman is next.
So as they really couldn't give a **** about their customers and like to take money from them without permission I told them they can stick the £22 and I will be closing all my accounts and cancelling all Barclays related services I currently pay for (insurance etc) and going else where.
There probably isn't such a thing as a good bank, especially at the moment but who is the best of a bad bunch? I know people who have used HSBC for years and have had really good customer service from them. Also what is the easiest way to smoothly transition all your direct debits to a new bank without calling every company you have a direct debit with?
16 January 2009, 02:23 PM
#2
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First Direct - will pay you to join them and pay you more and help you leave if you on't like them.
Utterly brilliant bank.
Caveat - I earn good money, have always paid my bills, never gone over my overdraft limit etc etc
Edited to say
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£100 if you like us
Switch your bank account now and we'll give you £100. Just transfer your salary/income of at least £1,500 per month within three months and we will add £100 to your account.
Only one incentive payment per customer or joint account relationship. This offer is only available for people who haven't previously experienced the delights of banking with first direct.
£200 if you don't
If, within 12 months you're not happy with us, you've paid in at least £1,500 a month for six months and you haven't tried us before, we'll give you another £100 and help you move your account. You'll also need to have used our Easy switch service, which means we'll have obtained details of your Standing Orders and Direct Debits from your previous bankers and arranged to transfer them for you. All other accounts held with first direct must be closed when you move accounts.
Utterly brilliant bank.
Caveat - I earn good money, have always paid my bills, never gone over my overdraft limit etc etc
Edited to say
---------------
£100 if you like us
Switch your bank account now and we'll give you £100. Just transfer your salary/income of at least £1,500 per month within three months and we will add £100 to your account.
Only one incentive payment per customer or joint account relationship. This offer is only available for people who haven't previously experienced the delights of banking with first direct.
£200 if you don't
If, within 12 months you're not happy with us, you've paid in at least £1,500 a month for six months and you haven't tried us before, we'll give you another £100 and help you move your account. You'll also need to have used our Easy switch service, which means we'll have obtained details of your Standing Orders and Direct Debits from your previous bankers and arranged to transfer them for you. All other accounts held with first direct must be closed when you move accounts.
Last edited by MattW; 16 January 2009 at 02:25 PM.
16 January 2009, 02:24 PM
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Several offering sign up bonuses etc. See here: Best Bank Accounts: Get £100 for switching and 0% overdraft...
They will switch over all your direct debits etc. for you.
Butter your toast
They will switch over all your direct debits etc. for you.
Butter your toast
16 January 2009, 02:26 PM
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First Direct don't have branches though do they? Sorry should have specified they must have branches you can go into. I hate automated phone systems, waiting on hold for ages and speaking to call centres and would rather drive into town and speak with someone face to face.
16 January 2009, 02:39 PM
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I have never had any problems with NatWest. They have given me a reasonable overdraft limit should I need to use it. And even rang me up once to say that one of my accounts was just about to go overdrawn, should they transfer money from one of the others?
Steve
Steve
16 January 2009, 02:41 PM
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First Direct don't have branches though do they? Sorry should have specified they must have branches you can go into. I hate automated phone systems, waiting on hold for ages and speaking to call centres and would rather drive into town and speak with someone face to face.
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16 January 2009, 02:45 PM
#8
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First Direct don't have branches though do they? Sorry should have specified they must have branches you can go into. I hate automated phone systems, waiting on hold for ages and speaking to call centres and would rather drive into town and speak with someone face to face.
16 January 2009, 02:49 PM
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Several offering sign up bonuses etc. See here: Best Bank Accounts: Get £100 for switching and 0% overdraft...
They will switch over all your direct debits etc. for you.
Butter your toast
They will switch over all your direct debits etc. for you.
Butter your toast
Cheers, looks like Alliance and Leicester will give me £100 for nothing
Don't know how good they are though, only they are part of the Santander group. Benefit is they are a partner with the post office and we have no cash machines in the village, only the post office to take money out.Thanks for the other replies so far.
16 January 2009, 03:33 PM
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Noticed when ringing HSBC the other day the message went on about their 'UK call centres'.
Presume customer power won for once!
I still bank with Barclays.I couldn't face changing bank even though they have seriously annoyed me in the past.HSBC seemed fine when we had a mortgage with them.Don't know about them as your bankers though.Aren't First Direct related to them?
Mind you,you could buy your own bank looking at the share prices!
Presume customer power won for once!
I still bank with Barclays.I couldn't face changing bank even though they have seriously annoyed me in the past.HSBC seemed fine when we had a mortgage with them.Don't know about them as your bankers though.Aren't First Direct related to them?
Mind you,you could buy your own bank looking at the share prices!
16 January 2009, 03:41 PM
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So Barclays have treated you like **** too then? I've been with them over 15 years and this is the first issue i've had. Customer service and banking history obviously means nothing to these goons.
16 January 2009, 03:51 PM
#12
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I like the sound of A&L due to the overdraft at 0% as I have a big one at the moment.
Currently with Halifax and they charged me about £95 becuase I went over one of my acounts by a couple of pounds writing a cheque using the wrong book and I hadn't noticed. They charge £65 for honouring the cheque and £30 for going over. I've been with them since I was 16 and we have 3 current accounts with them and two savings accounts.
Manager didn't give a f*ck. Naturally the dummy was spat out and I said "with that attitude I hope your branch is closed" and stropped off having solved absolutely nothing and looked silly for losing my temper.
How do you pay in cheques if there isn't a branch local to you?
Currently with Halifax and they charged me about £95 becuase I went over one of my acounts by a couple of pounds writing a cheque using the wrong book and I hadn't noticed. They charge £65 for honouring the cheque and £30 for going over. I've been with them since I was 16 and we have 3 current accounts with them and two savings accounts.
Manager didn't give a f*ck. Naturally the dummy was spat out and I said "with that attitude I hope your branch is closed" and stropped off having solved absolutely nothing and looked silly for losing my temper.
How do you pay in cheques if there isn't a branch local to you?
16 January 2009, 03:52 PM
#14
Cheers, looks like Alliance and Leicester will give me £100 for nothing Don't know how good they are though, only they are part of the Santander group. Benefit is they are a partner with the post office and we have no cash machines in the village, only the post office to take money out.
Thanks for the other replies so far.
Don't know how good they are though, only they are part of the Santander group. Benefit is they are a partner with the post office and we have no cash machines in the village, only the post office to take money out.Thanks for the other replies so far.
I asked about this last year. was with Lloyds for 15 years but after a series of cockups I decided to leave them. went with Alliance & Leicester because of the great switching service, the overdraft matching facility, etc
They have been pretty good so far, transfered all my DD's and standing orders. bank online or by telephone and they have a few branches around the place.
16 January 2009, 04:27 PM
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Again thanks for the replies. I've just got off the phone with First Direct and setup everything I need. They answered the phone in 2 seconds with no automated system so put that issue to bed. I get the £100 from them too for opening up the account and also free and interest free overdrafts on each of the accounts I opened. Plus free transfer off all dd's and standing orders.
Barclays can go stick it up their backside. I might keep one of the accounts open with them with 1p in it just so they have the costs of administering it plus can transfer into it if I need the money out at the post office.
Barclays can go stick it up their backside. I might keep one of the accounts open with them with 1p in it just so they have the costs of administering it plus can transfer into it if I need the money out at the post office.
16 January 2009, 05:22 PM
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Moved from Natwest to First Direct last year due to poor service etc. ... as above - excellent call centres, great online system, actually been a pleasure banking with them!
16 January 2009, 05:59 PM
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Avoid Lloyds TSB like the pox
rubbish cs - indian and UK based call and both utter ****e, even speaking to the so called branch left us with little confidence and they still haven't resloved the problem they created by paying a s/o two days earlier than the specified date. this is three weeks on.
Lloyds TSB - Rubbish, utter rubbish, each time you speak to a different person you get a different answer, no ownership of issues and they just do not care!
rubbish cs - indian and UK based call and both utter ****e, even speaking to the so called branch left us with little confidence and they still haven't resloved the problem they created by paying a s/o two days earlier than the specified date. this is three weeks on.
Lloyds TSB - Rubbish, utter rubbish, each time you speak to a different person you get a different answer, no ownership of issues and they just do not care!
16 January 2009, 06:06 PM
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Avoid Lloyds TSB like the pox
rubbish cs - indian and UK based call and both utter ****e, even speaking to the so called branch left us with little confidence and they still haven't resloved the problem they created by paying a s/o two days earlier than the specified date. this is three weeks on.
Lloyds TSB - Rubbish, utter rubbish, each time you speak to a different person you get a different answer, no ownership of issues and they just do not care!
rubbish cs - indian and UK based call and both utter ****e, even speaking to the so called branch left us with little confidence and they still haven't resloved the problem they created by paying a s/o two days earlier than the specified date. this is three weeks on.
Lloyds TSB - Rubbish, utter rubbish, each time you speak to a different person you get a different answer, no ownership of issues and they just do not care!
and I know who to speak to when dealing with our account.
16 January 2009, 06:08 PM
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They come across as a real mickey mouse operation when you have any dealings with them other than the 'norm'
Last edited by The Zohan; 16 January 2009 at 06:10 PM.
16 January 2009, 08:25 PM
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Barclays Bank Shares Plunge In An Hour: Gordon Brown Meets Bank Of England Governor Mervyn King | Business | Sky News
Aha that is why Barclays are stealing money off their customers then. Hope lots of other customers leave too leaving them in the ****.
As for the lifting of the ban on the short selling of shares what a ridiculous situation. Lots of traders made a bucket load today then
Aha that is why Barclays are stealing money off their customers then. Hope lots of other customers leave too leaving them in the ****.
As for the lifting of the ban on the short selling of shares what a ridiculous situation. Lots of traders made a bucket load today then
17 January 2009, 11:32 AM
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I'm with LLoyds TSB and had no problems at all with them, they get all my banking business now, was with HSBC and had no end of problems.
I don't think there is such a thing as a good bank though, they are all fine till something goes wrong then they are all as bad as each other
I don't think there is such a thing as a good bank though, they are all fine till something goes wrong then they are all as bad as each other
17 January 2009, 11:43 AM
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Nationwide seem to always get good things said about them, and unlike the others they dont charge you to withdraw cash abroad.
I'm with HSBC and haven't had any issues with them.
Remember you quite often have to say 'how long have you been with your current bank?' when applying for bonds and credit cards etc, so this is probably a factor on your credit rating, but can't see it being a big one tbh.
I'm with HSBC and haven't had any issues with them.
Remember you quite often have to say 'how long have you been with your current bank?' when applying for bonds and credit cards etc, so this is probably a factor on your credit rating, but can't see it being a big one tbh.
17 January 2009, 08:06 PM
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It is quicker for me to pay my credit card bill (in cash) at LLoyds than Nationwide.