After too many years of being mucked around and ripped off by barclays, I want to change bank.
Everyone has nightmare stories about one bank or another but just want some general recommendations.
Only need the account as a day to day current account.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
Neal

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9bae92f6-1faf-11de-a1df-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Raglep7H

(i am biased though)

I have nothing but excellent service from Smile (part of co-operative).

Rachel

Generally, the online banks get good reviews for service. Bear in mind that every single one of them will end up charging for banking services (money transmission, atm withdrawals etc) in due course, so things will be changing.

Copy & Pasted from elsewhere…

Halifax Reward Current Account. (NOT the Ultimate Reward one)

You must be 18 or over.
You must pay in 1000 GBP/month.
If you do, and your balance stays above 0 GBP for the month, they’ll pay you 5 GBP.
No fees.

You can have three accounts.
Hubby/wifey can have three accounts.
It doesn’t matter where the 1001 GBP comes from. (standing order from another Halifax account is fine)

So if you have 1004 GBP you’d like to save, go open three Halifax accounts. Plonk 1002 GBP in account A, and 1 GBP in accounts B and C. Set up a standing order from A-B, B-C, C-A every month. (allow time for them to clear) Halifax will pay you 180 GBP/year, or a shade under 18% interest on money that you can access instantly should you need it. Get the wife to sign up and you could get 360 GBP/year (but check how long payments take to clear/that you won’t run into bank holiday/weekend type problems – I haven’t done this, mine just go on the 2nd/12th/22nd)
It works.
I had a Halifax account anyway. When I heard this I opened two more.
I’ve been getting an extra £10 a month for over a year.

First Direct.

End of.

I would not recommend first direct. $35 if you go over your overdraft and another $35 to review your overdraft. Also charge $10 a month if you pay less than 1500 in a calendar month. We did use as our joint account but all the bank holidays would Dick around with payments in and we kept getting charged. Often payments were taking over a week to appear. Moved to Lloyd no issues money appears almost straight away

Never had a problem with Nat West in over 20 years. Nothing to write home about, but then never had a problem.

Have my business account with them too and even get a phone call from my BA manager to check things are ok occassionally and if I need more funds etc, which contrasts to a small business owner I was talking to who uses Barclays and they treated her like shit.

As above first direct awesome customer service every time

I’ve been with smile for about 10yrs now. No issues, and without exception the people on the end of the phone have been helpful and entirely competent. Never gone past the overdraft limit though so no idea on charges if you do.

thegreatape – Member
I’ve been with smile for about 10yrs now. No issues, and without exception the people on the end of the phone have been helpful and entirely competent. Never gone past the overdraft limit though so no idea on charges if you do.

+1

The smile staff that I have dealt with have been efficient and friendly. The account setup and day-to-day use has been simplicity itself.

Matt

I’ve never had any problems with my HSBC account. I had a Natwest one for a while (needed for a job) and they weren’t as good. Halifax on the other hand are a bunch of shits in terms of messing up standing order dates and then charging for it.

+1 for First Direct

first direct here too – been a customer for 20 years and the service has been brilliant throughout.