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UK Bank Account with Good Customer Service??
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Jan Pawlowski
Posted: 02 August 2021 21:34:26(UTC)
#51

Joined: 17/03/2021(UTC)
Posts: 2
First Direct is my only recommendation
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Rob B
Posted: 19 December 2022 10:16:59(UTC)
#52

Joined: 07/10/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,706
I really should be a good, long-term, buy and hold investor. Why? Well, it's only taken me 22 months to make the change. Over the summer I was sent a rather large hamper by HSBC for yet another basic failing (I won't bore you with the details). Nice box - now use it for transferring kindling from the garage!

Took the plunge and transferred from HSBC to FD. Process was painless from a banking perspective. Was suckered in by the £175 transfer bonus and 7% regular savings. The latter means decent interest on £300 (max amount) each month to kickstart my 2026 travel fund.

Only problem? Our friends at Royal Mail. Account paperwork done (03/12). Transfer set for today (19/12) - all done, all good. But still no bank card or PIN. Thankfully got a letter (17/12) with a telephone banking password. Phoned FD who took me through security checks and gave me my A/C and SC to set up the app. They answered in 20 seconds (already blown away with this level of service).
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bédé
Posted: 19 December 2022 10:26:06(UTC)
#53

Joined: 26/09/2018(UTC)
Posts: 7,895
Rob B;251105 wrote:
Took the plunge and transferred from HSBC to FD.

How do they differentiate themsleves. Probably only individuals, and that can change.
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Ramondo
Posted: 19 December 2022 10:35:12(UTC)
#55

Joined: 20/10/2018(UTC)
Posts: 701
I've always found Barclays Premier account excellent.
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Thrugelmir
Posted: 19 December 2022 12:44:33(UTC)
#54

Joined: 01/06/2012(UTC)
Posts: 5,338
Rob B;251105 wrote:
They answered in 20 seconds (already blown away with this level of service).


That's the model HSBC created. FD has always been telephone based. Caters for those that require such a service.
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MarkSp
Posted: 19 December 2022 19:04:35(UTC)
#56

Joined: 02/02/2020(UTC)
Posts: 2,201
I have Barclays (my mortgage) and Lloyds (historic)
Both are pretty poor except both have limited 5% and 5%+ cash accounts. Barclays is 5% and no strings to £5k, LLoys has 2 x regular saver accounts one is 5.25 the other 5

i wouldn't bother with either if I was starting fresh.

Of the app banks

I have tried Monzo and left again
I use Starling - I like the app - with chat and phone and Chase - chat and phone too. Both are excellent. Starling can provide kids cards that you can control and give a shopping card that can only be used in person and can only have 200 on it............it is great if someone else is buying stuff for you
Chase also has a 2.7% instant access account - no rules or restrictions.

Starling answer the chat really quickly with people who have English as a first language
Chase has failed me once but paid me sizeable compensation as the chat operator wasn't a lot of use. I didn't ask they gave.

nationwide was pretty good too when I tried them
santander were pants


One thing to bear in mind - long relationships with banks is good for your credit score which Is why I still keep the LLoyds.
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Daniel B
Posted: 20 December 2022 10:42:14(UTC)
#57

Joined: 09/04/2012(UTC)
Posts: 78
Over the years I've had current accounts with Nationwide, First Direct, Metro Bank, Starling, and HSBC. Most recently I decided to switch my main account from HSBC to NatWest to benefit from the £175 switching offer. To be honest I wish i hadn't bothered, and I'm now about to move everything to Starling (which until now has only been a backup account, mostly used for spending abroad).

Based on my experience, the only two I'd recommend are First Direct (mostly telephone based, but you can use an HSBC branch to pay in cheques and cash) and Starling (all app-based, but the customer service is excellent and quick).
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Pablo Martini
Posted: 20 December 2022 11:21:33(UTC)
#58

Joined: 20/12/2022(UTC)
Posts: 4
I finally tired of the Co-Op's poor service and terrible app. Switched to Chase and been impressed. Phone's answered instantly, app is excellent and 1% cash back.

Though they are not signed up to the current account switch service, which is a pain if you need to move direct debits.
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Harland Kearney
Posted: 20 December 2022 14:49:23(UTC)
#59

Joined: 23/03/2018(UTC)
Posts: 150
I've had a good experience with FD last night after accidentally canceling the wrong standing order (one to the savings bond) they were able to reinstate it just via live text for me, didn't need to call or anything. I say that because in my XP these live chats on most banks are just dropping off point to call them.
Calling banks over the smallest things like a 300 GBP a month standing order is a massive waste of time. Let alone the possibility that you cause further mishaps when speaking on the phone. I've had a number of terrible experiences with phone banking with multiple banks, I always feel like I'm being interrogated as well. Although I suppose that's unavoidable with all the scams & that banks are most liable for your F-up.

Nationwide & FD are my favs, I use them both. Nationwide is my main account, but FD is also used as a backup.

I had an extremely terrible XP one time with TSB, as some may know of the scandal in 2016 where accounts were given to the wrong people upon login. I believe this issue reached the house of commons. A bloke in Scotland was able to log into my bank & see all my details & use my money. My account was completely broken for about 3 weeks. I simply used nationwide from then on. I was given a hefty compensation let's leave it at that.
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Peter59
Posted: 20 December 2022 21:23:22(UTC)
#60

Joined: 06/10/2015(UTC)
Posts: 201
I`ve been with First direct as my primary bank for 25 years and had excellent service. Voice recognition means you talk directly without all the security stuff, but most things work efficiently online so a call is not needed. Based in Leeds it`s mostly a Yorkshire accent so you know you are dealing with a real human being. I see on this thread some earlier comments were negative based on very petty issues or what`s been read in the press. Experience beats opinion every time.

HSBC share dealing was always VG value without any ongoing charge except trading. It`s now £50/ yr.

Perhaps as it started as a phone bank they were up and running for the internet age before the others. HSBC does not have the same positive reputation which seems odd. What`s the rational behind creating another bank within a business? At the time it was part of Midland, so maybe they wanted to attract a different sort of customer. At 1.5m customers it`s still one of the smallest but linked with HSBC one of the largest globally.


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