Business Bank Account - CRUNCH and Metrobank

[Sausage Surprise]

I joined Cater Allen when my HSBC free banking period came to an end. However I'm leaving them now, as I cannot stand their concept of "Faster Payments" which take at least 48 hours. Will probably try Metro as I can easily keep £5k in the current account.

Set up payment 14:00 Tuesday, in your account 14:00 Wednesday. I make that 24 hours.

[Tim UK]

I joined Cater Allen when my HSBC free banking period came to an end. However I'm leaving them now, as I cannot stand their concept of "Faster Payments" which take at least 48 hours. Will probably try Metro as I can easily keep £5k in the current account.

[JonNorris@Crunch]

Anyone have any opinions on this that would be useful?

If you wanted to sign up with us you'd have to go through the whole accountant professional clearance rigmarole to transfer over from your current accountant, then do it the other way around to transfer back. Sounds like a lot of hassle just to save a few quid on your banking!

Have you considered signing up with us and... staying?

[Kenny@MyAccountantFriend]

By going through certain accountants (such as ourselves) when setting up a Metro bank account you can get your first year bank fees waived and only then pay the bank charges if you have less than 2k in the account as opposed to the usual 5k.

The offer as far as I am aware is not available in branch, but I could be wrong.

[meridian]

I'm with Santander and happy enough, but I signed up when it was free forever with Abbey. I'm not sure if it's still free.

One year free, then £7.50 per month.

[fool]

They were just excited to have you as a customer.

I find the staff at both Metrobank and CA helpful.

They were script following, if they would have just skipped it and told me the fees, they'd have had a customer. I might still go back, but that was my local branch so not sure yet.

That said, cater allen actually have good customer service, I just don't rate their user facing technology.

[SueEllen]

As it would happen, I looked into metro the other day, but the shaking of 5 peoples hands and the tour of the branch made me feel uncomfortable, otherwise I'd have probably signed up as cater allen is a bit tulip to be honest.

They were just excited to have you as a customer.

I find the staff at both Metrobank and CA helpful.

[fool]

I would agree with this, I've heard CA are dropping any commission payments to accountants so I guess they will all drop them.

I can't see why you can't approach Metrobank direct if that is who you want to bank with.

There's a monthly charge unless you have over £5000 in the account. I assume this is what he's trying to avoid, but I found the OP a tad unclear.

As it would happen, I looked into metro the other day, but the shaking of 5 peoples hands and the tour of the branch made me feel uncomfortable, otherwise I'd have probably signed up as cater allen is a bit tulip to be honest.

[Waldorf]

I suspect most accountants won't be recommending CA any more, as their new account handling admin isn't the best and in many cases requires a lot of intermediary intervention, and now they have changed their commission rates to 0% there is no motivation to go through that pain.

I would suspect the CA brand will close and be subsumed into Santander in the next few years.

I would agree with this, I've heard CA are dropping any commission payments to accountants so I guess they will all drop them.

I can't see why you can't approach Metrobank direct if that is who you want to bank with.

[teapot418]

I'm with Santander and happy enough, but I signed up when it was free forever with Abbey. I'm not sure if it's still free.

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

I suspect most accountants won't be recommending CA any more, as their new account handling admin isn't the best and in many cases requires a lot of intermediary intervention, and now they have changed their commission rates to 0% there is no motivation to go through that pain.

I would suspect the CA brand will close and be subsumed into Santander in the next few years.

[regron]

Was going to go through the recommended Cater Allen through contractoruk but I need an intermediary and my accountant doesn't have a relationship with them.

Why does your accountant need to have a 'relationship' with the business bank of your choice ?

So looked at crunch accounting - just set up an account with them and then use them to set up the account with cater allen then cancel the crunch account.

I am sure there will be a minimal fee (at least 1 or 2 months) to pay, even if you did do this.

Did you ask why they are no longer recommending Cater Allen ? I use Nixon Williams who I have found to be excellent and they deal with Cater Allen and will set everything up for you.

[zishan555]

Business Bank Account - CRUNCH and Metrobank

Hello all, I have a business bank account but the fees are going up and I don't wnat to stay with them so looking around. Was going to go through the recommended Cater Allen through contractoruk but I need an intermediary and my accountant doesn't have a relationship with them. So looked at crunch accounting - just set up an account with them and then use them to set up the account with cater allen then cancel the crunch account but they've just told me they're not directing new customers to cater alen anymore (as of today actually) and using metrobank instead.

I alreayd bank with metrobank and have found them to be great. If I sign up with crunch then i'll have access to creating a fee free business bank account with metro rather than the standard pay for version.

Anyone have any opinions on this that would be useful?

Also does anyone know if there's a way that I can open a new business bank account with metro bank wihtout going through a firm like Crunch? ie a way to do it directly? save me some hassle.

That's all.
~Z