Banking Advice

Fallen god · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:23

So me and the GF are both with Barclays and have been since we where 16 (currently 24) and there just meh, she currently has some issues and its just a pain to get any sort of help, form after form to fill and its just getting stupid so we have decided to move.

Just here to ask for some advice, I've been reading around online and a lot of First direct seems to be good and smile.co.uk. I've been reading and looking around and I'm a bit lost so any advice will be good. I will also move my savings account over if that helps.

Basher · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:27

I've just moved from First Direct to Santander. The monthly cashback deal is pretty compelling.

G|mp · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:32

First Direct are excellent, if you ever need to call them, you speak to one person and they deal with whatever you need there and then.

Basher · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:49

The experience I had with FD was that when you rang, they were generally good but I only rang once or twice a year.

With Santander I'm getting £40-£60 a month cash-back. No brainer.

Bramill · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:50

I switched to first direct to get the £100 cashback, thought i'd end up moving again to get the other £100 if your not satisfied but I honestly can't fault them, never had any trouble getting through on the phone and you don't have to go through the usual press this number for so and so. I always get through to a human without having to queue.

I use Norwich & Peterborough for going abroad though as they don't charge for drawing money out, you get the rate set by visa which is almost identical to the exchange rate you see on XE.com, you just have to make sure you make at least 5 transactions a month to keep the account going.

ADT · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:53

Basher said:
The experience I had with FD was that when you rang, they were generally good but I only rang once or twice a year.

With Santander I'm getting £40-£60 a month cash-back. No brainer.

Sorry for going off-topic but may I ask what kind of account do you have with Santander? And how much do you have to spend a month to get this cashback?

I am currently with Santander as student and it's pretty poo. They used to offer gadget insurance but now its just a rail card which I never use.

Basher · 9 Dec 2014 at 16:57

ADT said:
Sorry for going off-topic but may I ask what kind of account do you have with Santander? And how much do you have to spend a month to get this cashback?

I am currently with Santander as student and it's pretty poo. They used to offer gadget insurance but now its just a rail card which I never use.

Sntander 123.

Cashback on household bills gets me about £10 a month. The more lucrative bit is the interest on the balance.

CleverBalls · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:00

Nationwide, they're a building society so their assets are more tangible than banks.

Basher · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:20

CleverBalls said:
Nationwide, they're a building society so their assets are more tangible than banks.

How does that help you?

opstrat · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:39

I really have to get the finger out and move banks.

my bank actually charges me 30 pence every time i withdraw money from a machine.

Fallen god · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:42

Thanks for the feedback guys. I had a quick look and it looks like the account is free as long as you make £1000 worth of transactions, does this include wages since I will just get paid into that account and cover things. Also I've never moved banks before how does that all work, I have a few DD (gym, phone, internet), and pay form work.

JonJ678 · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:48

No Natwest. Never, ever Natwest. I am yet to meet a more incompetent outfit.

That is all I have to offer here

Lima · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:48

opstrat said:
I really have to get the finger out and move banks.

my bank actually charges me 30 pence every time i withdraw money from a machine.

Lol who do you bank with?

Direct debits etc. get transferred by the banks OP. You don't need to do anything.

You will need to tell your employer your new bank account details, that's about it.

Destination · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:49

opstrat said:
I really have to get the finger out and move banks.

my bank actually charges me 30 pence every time i withdraw money from a machine.

Who on earth is doing that?

Basher · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:51

Fallen god said:
Thanks for the feedback guys. I had a quick look and it looks like the account is free as long as you make £1000 worth of transactions, does this include wages since I will just get paid into that account and cover things. Also I've never moved banks before how does that all work, I have a few DD (gym, phone, internet), and pay form work.

Yes it includes salary. The bank will move all DDs etc for you.

opstrat · 9 Dec 2014 at 17:52

Lima said:
Lol who do you bank with?

Direct debits etc. get transferred by the banks OP. You don't need to do anything.

You will need to tell your employer your new bank account details, that's about it.

Hikari Kisugi said:
Who on earth is doing that?

https://airdriesavingsbank.com/

Mak3R · 9 Dec 2014 at 18:09

Santander 123 is great. £2 per month fee but you get various cash back on bills, petrol and so on. Also varying interest up to 3% on your current account balance.

ANDARIAL · 9 Dec 2014 at 18:15

JonJ678 said:
No Natwest. Never, ever Natwest. I am yet to meet a more incompetent outfit.

That is all I have to offer here

Whats wrong with NW?
I been with them since i was 16.over 50 now never had any problems at all

LeeUK · 9 Dec 2014 at 18:23

I only like banks that print the sort code AND account number on the front of the debit card. Hate ones that leave either number off.

JonJ678 · 9 Dec 2014 at 18:24

Natwest are unable or unwilling to reliably distiguish between an account holder and a guy just off the street. This remains the case even once they are alerted to active fraud on an account.