SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

Right.
I have been with LloydsTSB for over 15 years now and over that time I have accumulated bloody tons of charges but that is neither here nor there.
I feel the time has come to change my bank as they have been pretty useless over the last 2 years on various things, from standing orders, allowing debits to go through when the debit card has expired, lost paperwork etc.

Now for my next bank, I need the following:

1. A flexible overdraft facility (one that doesn't charge too much in interest)
2. Numerous branches if I need them, or else all banking will be done online and over the telephone
3. A bank that seems to treat the customers as customers and not account numbers
4. UK call centre

It will be a current account and will handle all my standing orders, direct debits etc and is not linked to any mortgage/savings accounts

So who do the SN massive recommend ?

davegtt

No charge for my overdraft facility with Yorkshire Bank although I hate their opening hours. Online banking is easy though

Lady T

I have a similar account to what you're looking for. I'm with natwest and have been happy with them.
I left lloyds for a shabby service too

Coffin Dodger

Best Bank Accounts: Get £100 for switching, or a 0% overdraft...

lozgti

I'm with Barclays,always have been ,mainly because I'm too afraid to escape.

The thought of changing bank fills me with dread even though it should be a simple task .

I just think they are all as bad as one another

Steve vRS

I could recommend First Direct. I've been with them for 12 years and have never had a complaint. Well, only once as they charged me for going OD but then paid me it back when I pointed out they'd wrongly advised me as to the timing of a money transfer.

Steve

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

From personal experience I would suggest HSBC. I have 2 accounts with Lloyds TSB and an overdue credit card. this is why I opened up another bank account, because any money paid into any Lloyds account will automatically be sucked and used to pay off said credit card.

Generally found HSBC to be good on the phone too, when I've either called them or been called. Mainly yanks that have called me a la Paypal, but the odd English dude too, but no Indians thus far.

Overdrafts are quite good too. I had a payment for my mortgage go out the wrong day and put me into an unauthorised overdraft. As I had a previously good credit history, it was agreed I woulc have this overdraft as an unofficial one. This meant a one off charge of £25 for admin costs, but I wasn't charged every day for still being over. Couldn't extend the over draft either or withdraw funds until it was brought back up. Payment went in for mortgage, account back into positive, all good and no extra charges.

Only have accounts open with Lloyds as I have 2 sizeable overdrafts I cannot afford to reimburse.

Matteeboy

I 2nd HSBC too - they have been really good to us.
Got current accounts, savings and a business account with them. All good so far. Own account manager (!) and always get straight through on the 'phone.

Stuck the excess in NR but that just stays put so no real idea of the customer service.

I have a tiny bit in Lloyds - they were my main bank for years until they charged me £35 for NOT using my credit card - now just use the account very occasionally as the numbers are easy to remember!

Shark Man

Funny that, I've done the opposite LOL.

The quality of people working at your local branch can make a big difference IMO. The quality of service person to person is alot better at my local Lloyd's than the HSBC.

Having an account in credit helps too

Whilst its a very busy branch, they've had a staff change around over the last two years and the people at the top running the place are now spot on. Quickly dealing and getting rid of the incompetents working beneath them that nearly made me leave (one fool posted company shares certificate out the safe via unsecured signed mail without my consent!! ). People there now actually go out of their way to sort out any problem, they don't fob you off (i.e to cancel my CC payment protection, it needed to be done via phone, so instead of fobbing me off, they take me into a room and do the phone call for me in my presence ). This is a stark contrast to how they used to be, where they used to always **** up and fob you off.

Whilst Lloyd's have improved vastly, HSBC have gone and done the opposite and gone down the pan. Whilst the branch has been tarted up with a load of fancy cubicles (of which makes it impossible to find anyone to serve you ), nobody goes out of their way and they prefer to just fob you off.


This is all face to face stuff: Both use ****e call centres though, but at least the ones for Lloyd's aren't Indian (having said that, been a while since I had one at HSBC too - thank goodness).

Also had fairly good dealing with Nat-west, but only if you have Private accounts that allow you to see their "relationship managers". Again this is at one branch, but another local branch is not as good.

I did use First Direct, but needed to do face to face dealings which made it awkward, thus the need to switch to HSBC - which didn't help much, seeing the local branch is crap.

Barclays, don't go there; especially if you want loans, and even more especially if its for business. And its not just me either, I know other people have been left out to dry because of them.

Matteeboy

It does seem very silly that you have to have a special account to be able to speak directly to the same person each time - in our case an HSBC Premier account (no we do NOT extra pay for it!!).

Oh well - progress eh?!

Jerome

I would highly recommend First Direct as well.

For the record I have had current accounts with:

Lloyds and Lloyds TSB
Natwest
Barclays (plus business account)
First Direct
Nationwide

I've had numerous problems with all of them except First Direct.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Another reason I left Lloyds apart from the CC hassle was the growing number of damn right ignorant Polish folk using the bank. I have no issue with different nationalities etc, and totally grasp they have to have accounts for wages etc, but the damned rudeness of some of these folk is shocking. Things like queing up and letting your mates in reminds me of dinner time at school Not moving out the way of the doors and having shouting contests with the staff who can't understand their native language. I would feel the same if HSBC was overtaken by the same folk, but for some reason every single Pole/Lithuanian/Iraqi/Turk/Portugese man/woman seems to use Lloyds TSB as their bank. Funniest thing being when they get annoyed as the staff can't speak 12 languages Weird

Just my 2p

ScoobyWon't

I've received nothing but an exceptional service from Abbey.

I do advise avoiding HBOS like the plague, however!

baser999

iTrader: (2)

I've been banking on line with the Alliance and Leicester for several years and had no problems. Although they don't have anywhere near the same number of branches as the majors, you can bank cheques/cash over any post office counter and this has proved useful. They'll also pay a small bonus to both of us if I recommend you so if you do open an account . . .

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

i second this bank never had one problem with them, online banking is very simple and easy to use. Also had a £2000 overdraft not used but i needed to pay about £8000 out and i wouldn't have all the money for about another 6 weeks so i went into my bank for a loan for £4000 so i could pay this bill, the bank turned round and said they could instead increase my overdraft to £4000 and then i wouldn't need the loan and then i could pay back as much or as little as i wanted, i think the interest on that was about £45 a month or there abouts. they were spot on for doing that imho.

Aaron

Silver Scooby Sport

iTrader: (15)

Chris a mate of mine who is a financial disaster moved his business from Lloyds and went to the Co-operative Bank and he now swears by them... if you have one local it may be worth considering looking into it.

Do Lloyds send you much junk mail ?

PaulC72

Well this is an interesting topic even though we are with LloydsTSB and we have to keep an account with them as my wife works for them I must say they are about on par with many of the other banks and stories I hear off mates.

I think the usual rule applies that the grass is usually greener {until you get there that is!!!}

I have often felt like moving banks just for a change as I have banked with them for many a year even before meeting my wife.

I would be intersted in hearing how you get on with a change and if it is made easy by the bank and by the new one too and what they seem like when you use them.

As far as your list of requiremnts go LloydsTSB provide them, we get them on our platinum account anyway afaik.

good luck with the new choice

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I also wish to leave Lloydstsb. I would be interested to see what is suggested in this thread. Also, I thought it would be easy to set up elsewhere, and usually it may be, but typically not for me.

I have nothing a bank will accept as either proof of ID, or address. So it's going to be a bit more hassle than I thought.

Torquemada

Another vote for First Direct here, great customer service, everythings done when I want it to be and any charges that have been levied against me have always been paid back as it's usually the fault of others taking money out at the wrong times. Plus I can just pop into an HSBC branch if I need to to anything in person.

Turbohot

Same here.

I hear that Barclays are toohats too. But I can't be @rsed switching and changing.

I hear too that they are all as bad as one another. So, I just let it chug, basically. :shrugs:

HankScorpio

I'm generally happy with Intelligent Finance but PITA to pay money/cheques in as you have to post it.

You'd think as a member of HBOS group, you'd be able to pop into a BoS or Halifax but no.

97TURBO

The Abbey for me I have current account, Savings and ISA with them and must say they have never let me down in terms of service. Mortgages are'nt great but otherwise i would defo recommend them.

Turbohot

Actually, Abbey told me that their business banking is free! I have an ISA account with them. I might take my business account from Barclay to Abbey. Barclay charge quarterly for just having business account with them. Then all the other costs on top.

PeteBrant

Smile. They are bloody great.

hodgy0_2

Banco Del Corleone

i've heard credit is available

late payment charges can be painful

foods good though

worth a punt

wiley

iTrader: (63)

been with barclays all my life, now have a premier account which i have benefits like travel insurance, VIP service and many many more

wiley

Scoobyols69

i would recommend barclays been with them all my life have not had any problems with them!

Shark Man

Not too much; HSBC and First direct combined send me a rainforest's worth

Although, it has appreciably tailed off quite a bit this year, probably all this "going green" malarkey.

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

Wow !!!

Some very detailed responses and certainly food for thought.
Thank you to everyone who took time out to reply

I do realise that after been with a bank for such a long time, that there is always the pitfall of thinking that some other bank will be better and the reality may not be the case, however I do need to change regradless.

So this week I am going to attempt to see how quick it can be done in terms of setting up an account, transferring all the DD's and standing orders and then obtaning a debit card etc. Should be fun !!!

Still undecided on which bank though ...

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Swissy,

TBH they're all as good/bad as each other. The best thing you can do is speak to local friends and family and get them to recomend a local branch.

I've had both great and terrible service from Lloyds. I'm still with them as it's all about the local branch. For example I had a massive argument (nearly came to blows) with the deputy manager of the main Plymouth branch years ago over being mis-sold payment protection on a loan, I was in the forces and he send a letter to my boss, who luckly for me, threw it in the bin as it was none his business. Then I moved to Bucks and had great service in my new local branch, so I decided to stay - that was over 10 years ago. Now I'm thinking of leaving again as they keep putting up my account fee - Platinum was £10, then £15, now £17 per month