As title, I guess I need to open a current account, bearing in mind they’re all shysters, which of the High St (not internet) banks is the least shyster of them?
HSBC have appeared to be the most friendly and helpful and look favourites.

I’ve been with Nationwide (building society) after i got annoyed by the tedious charges that Barclays made for everything little thing that went on in my account.
No problems with Nationwide whatsoever, i have a current account, savings and credit card with them now….had a personal loan in the past too which was also hassle free to set up.

Co-op.

Ethical banking, great customer service, English call centers. Ok they dont have that many branches, but you can use the post office to drop cheques in etc.

They are all ****. Go with the one that is nearest / easiest to get to.
(Natwest have been OK with me)

If you like HSBC why not go first direct. even though there a internet bank they are Part of HSBC so can do over the counter stuff in your branch. Also find them really good on the phone. Just ring the number and you get straight through to a real person never normally even have to sit in a queue

Co-Op. As above, plus if you want a loan, they’re easy.

PS: Why would you NOT want internet banking, it’s fabulously convenient and efficient. You WANT to spend Saturday time standing in queues and relying on out-of-date paper statements?

Genuinely puzzled.

About 10 years ago Natwest were realy gits with me and really peed me off but I never got round to changing. To be fair, recently they have really upped their game and actually seem very helpful (though that may be because I earn a lot more than then…)

The Natwest online banking part is good too.

They are all as bad as each other..

Currently have accounts with NatWest, Coop, and Lloyds. Wouldnt choose to open another account with any of them.

Another vote for Co-op here. (More specifically I use smile.co.uk, their online outfit, but it’s the same bank.) They’re good to deal with, been with them for years, never had a problem caused by them and they’ve successfully resolved several problems caused by others.

Interestingly, unlike most other UK banks, they didn’t pay their execs disgusting multi-million-pound bonuses for ****ing the entire global economy. So there’s that too.

I have been with HSBC for years. Keep meaning to change, as they aren’t great. Customer service is non-existent.

Plus with the introduction of the ‘Secure Key’ internet banking widget I can’t check my bank account or make payments as and when I want unless I carry it around with me.

Co Op for sure. I forgot about the ‘not bonus’ bit. Provided you aren’t an accidental overdrawer they are fine(not sure if all the banks have had to behave themselves a bit more on that front though)

Banking at post office, by internet and phone means we have needed to set foot in our branch just the once in the five years since we set savings account up for number 2 child, and that was because we wanted to get a lump of cash out to buy a car.

Co-op. Moved from Lloyds, who are an absolute disgrace for customer service contempt.

Yes, they are still a bank, and will still apply charges when you go overdrawn etc, but the most “human” of the banks I’ve had the displeasure of dealing with.

I also like the idea of ethical banking, the mutual concept and getting a share of the bank’s profits…

one that doesn’t charge you for your account.

I’m with Santander now.

First Direct are excellent. UK based call centre and when you call them virtually no waiting time (they normally pick up within a couple of rings and no queing). The website is very easy to use. Nothing bad to say about them.

I have heard COOP are good as well but havent used them.

IMO HSBC’s internet banking is pish compared to NatWest & Santander. The little HSBC login widget is annoying, though NatWest’s card reader thing comes a close 2nd in terms of inconveniencing you when you try to do anything remotely unusual on your account. Santander’s on line banking is OK but AFAIK they don’t do the faster payment thing yet, and for some reason you couldn’t do business banking credits over the counter and had to use the machine which they never had any envelopes for, so that was pish too.

If I could be arsed to change, I’d probably go with CoOp. Otherwise, what geoffj says…they’ll all [cliche]give you an umbrella when it’s sunny and take it away when it’s raining[/cliche].

Go with the one that is easiest for you to get to when you need to lodge a cheque, etc, etc. Are you going to open a kosher business account or chance a current for a while?

Not Halifax.

Oh and avoid postal accounts – they’re a bit shite. 😉

yeah hsbcs widget thing is extremely annoying. Barclays have just removed some of their nazi-ism – and only need to use their widget for payments to new people etc. I got a bit of a non-comittal answer from First Direct when I asked about their introduction of a widget so I’m steering clear of them for now as well

H

+1 First Direct

Santander = Pants

im with lloyds they are absolutely dreadful in every way,
hmmmmm might check out coop

Co-op here too. Never had a problem in 7 years online, in the branch or on the phone and they make the right noises re ethics.

Mr Woppit my little poppet,

PS: Why would you NOT want internet banking, it’s fabulously convenient and efficient. You WANT to spend Saturday time standing in queues and relying on out-of-date paper statements?

The internet banks, or at least the ones I looked at, only transferred you from an existing A/c. I don’t have an existing A/c in the UK to transfer details from.
I don’t know if it was a good or bad decision but I’ve gone with HSBC as the business banking advisor seemed the most clued up, of the ones I’d spoken to, and forthcoming with information. A decent bit of customer service gets the business.
Thanks for the info chaps and chapesses.
Now on to the next problem…

Ive got current accounts with FD & Co-Op. FD win it for me. £100 too for opening an account. (i can recommend you if you want 😉 Think I get £25 😀

Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go with Santander, A&L or any other of there subsidiaries. Evil.

Santander are not in contention as I think Emilio Botín is not the most ethical businessman in the world.
Barclays are class A, top drawer, market leading C**TS.
Nat West are out because the guy I spoke to a couple of weeks ago was, and probably still is, an idiot.
Internet banks in the short term are out too for reasons stated above.
For better or worse it’s HSBC, their logo is red too, which is nice.

+1 First Direct. Avoid Barclays