Current Accounts

[Haggisman]

How often do you guys contact your banks?

With internet banking I can't say I contact any of them more than a couple of times a year and they are all fine, just depends who you get (and I have 7 current accounts) so personally free money > customer service I don't use.

That's just what I was thinking as well...

I've spoken to Halifax twice in the last 10 months, once to open the account, once to sort the issue with the incentive payment, first time took about 20 minutes (and was a call back following me going through the process online, so no "on hold" time), second about 10, plus 5 minutes on hold..

I can't see saving 5-10 mins on hold/year being worth £60 to be honest

 

[Street]

How often do you guys contact your banks?

With internet banking I can't say I contact any of them more than a couple of times a year and they are all fine, just depends who you get (and I have 7 current accounts) so personally free money > customer service I don't use.

I think over the years I may have contacted a bank a couple times at most so I've gone for the accounts that pay the highest interest.

I've spread my money out over a few accounts to get the interest and bonuses.

 

[postbox]

I'm with LLoyds for Joint and Santander for personal, Santander have improved massively on the rare occasion I've had to go in and sort something in recent years, including being in a French airport whilst someone had cloned my card, sorted in minutes. Lloyds have always been on the ball as well when visiting their branches, including important CHAPS payment I did last year for house buy. Customer service is important but so is making my money work a little and I've made a nice little pot (better than any ISA I have) from the 123 account. saying "this bank or nothing" is a little dramatic tbh.

 

[tcfreer]

I've had no issues with Co Op Bank personally - been with them for 10 years, pretty easy to deal with and easy to get hold of if I need to.

There online is getting there aswell, pretty nice new layout and easy to use - IMHO

 

[snappyfish]

With Lloyds and Santander,Santander gives 3% on balances up to 20k with 2 direct debits going out.

 

[platypus]

First Direct UK based support staff, excellent customer services, wouldn't consider moving away from them for £250 not alone £125

I second this, they are excellent.

 

[The Running Man]

First direct screwed up my mortgage so first house fell through. Then nearly botched a second time, so switched to Santander for bank and mortgage. Plain sailing since. Was earning 50 a month interest before i paid out my deposit.

Santander put fee up tp £5 per month but cash back on direct debits and mortgage almost doubles that and i earn about 30 quid in interest.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Been with Barclays for as long as I can remember. I've never had any serious to warrant a move tbh.. Everyone has experienced a problem with a particular bank at some stage so it's difficult to compare because they are all global banks with limited choice today.

 

[mrk]

Been with Barclays for as long as I can remember. I've never had any serious to warrant a move tbh.. Everyone has experienced a problem with a particular bank at some stage so it's difficult to compare because they are all global banks with limited choice today.

Same here. Been with them 15yrs+ and this year joined the blue rewards program for £3 a month as you get £7 back minimum each month depending on what Barclays services you have with them. Staff in my local branch have always been super helpful too, and the ones where they have no manned counters any more (Portsmouth branch), the automated machines work seamlessly.

Everything just works and there's no hassle with them, so I have had no reason to consider changing. The £120 odd incentive from Halifax to switch is nice, but I'd rather keep my happy experience with Barclays instead of the short term financial bonus to switch over.

 

[Freakbro]

The thing I do Mrk is use old dormant second accounts (open one if you don't have any!) then just use the switch service for the £100+ incentive, you don't actually have to use the new account

When I cba to get around to it I'm going to do the same with 1st Direct, and then leave after a few months just to get both amounts

 

[Basher]

I left FirstDirect about 18months ago and it's one of the best things I've done. So much better off with Santander. The support is great and we get a chunk of cashback (about £100) every month.

 

[mrk]

Wait so you can simply leave after a few months of dossing about with the free money incentive? I always thought you had to properly switch over

 

[Freakbro]

Wait so you can simply leave after a few months of dossing about with the free money incentive? I always thought you had to properly switch over

The leaving incentive is unique to 1st Direct, but sure with all the switching services all you need is an account to close when you open the new one.

You don't actually need any D/D's on it to move - though I generally put £10 in so there's some cash to move.

I like abusing the banks for their free cash....they got plenty of it with the Quantatitive Easing, so I'll have some of that thanks

I have 7 current accounts, but still only actually use 1 as my main account, the rest are used as 'savings' accounts.

 

[mrk]

Sounds like a bit of faff is involved. My faff buffer has not emptied yet since December>February!

 

[Freakbro]

haha true....it is a 'bit' of faff...but not much

Think though, that ~£250 would go towards more carbon fibre bits.....mmmm.....carbon fibre

 

[marmalade]

Santander the only good thing about it is the advertising They lost an Isa and were only contactable via call center. None of the local branches have managers just key holders with complaints they too just contact the same call centers that the customers do and some a those are Indian call centers without actually going to India!!! - you gorra lauff. In the end I wish that I had sent in the bailiffs to their HQ - rather than accept their £100 - but luffly advertising you could almost believe them! Only reason I came to Santander was they took over a BS. the Nationwide is probably as good as it gets - just have bogstandard account that cost out - no fees

 

[mrk]

haha true....it is a 'bit' of faff...but not much

Think though, that ~£250 would go towards more carbon fibre bits.....mmmm.....carbon fibre

There is only 1 thing visibly carbon, and that shall remain as such

 

[shadow_boxer]

Going to be switching too in the next couple of months to Santander. At the moment with Lloyds and never had any trouble with them to be honest. Online banking is straight forward and the mobile app works well. Decent service on the telephone too. Sadly their interest rate on the current account and linked savers is too low.

 

[Peerzy]

Wait so you can simply leave after a few months of dossing about with the free money incentive? I always thought you had to properly switch over

I've earned over £1000 in the last 24 months by switching bank accounts.

My main current account (the one my salary is paid into and real direct debits come out of) hasn't changed once in this time.

 

[mrk]

Hmm perhaps I do need to look into this then. 1000 in 24 months is pretty amazing^