Any better current accounts that RBS out there ?

[Gonzo]

Interesting that First Direct is a firm favourite but are their cash machine cards widely usable in the the UK and abroad or are you limited to their machines ? don't they conduct business over the phone mostly.

First Direct used to issue Switch/Maestro debit cards but have recently changed over to Visa Debit. I never had issues with using the Switch card to withdraw cash abroad.

FD cards can be used without charges in HSBC or NatWest (probably some others) cash machines without charges in the UK.

FD have no high street branches but if you have to do any counter transactions, these can be done at HSBC.

[TimberWolf]

WHS - been with them since we moved house 8 years ago (moved mortgage to them as well at the same time) and think they're great. Very little by way of hard sell, and the few people that I know who have had problems with them speak of how well they have handled the situation.

There was a TV programme a couple of years back that showed the inside of a FD call-centre where people actually seemed to WANT to be there and working, and it looked quite a fun place for a call-centre.

I sometimes worry that their parent company HSBC is a bit crap and or dodgy though.

In some unrelated Daily Mail based HSBC news: HSBC bank clerk who stole £120,000 is found hanged in suicide pact

[The Wikir Man]

I moved my personal banking to First Direct in the early days and would thoroughly recommend them.

EDIT: It was here

Not so much of a discussion really just a few people saying how great First Direct are.

WHS - been with them since we moved house 8 years ago (moved mortgage to them as well at the same time) and think they're great. Very little by way of hard sell, and the few people that I know who have had problems with them speak of how well they have handled the situation.

There was a TV programme a couple of years back that showed the inside of a FD call-centre where people actually seemed to WANT to be there and working, and it looked quite a fun place for a call-centre.

[TimberWolf]

The Co-operative Group has seen profits surge as it attracted thousands of bank account customers disillusioned with Britain's big banks.
Co-op profits surge as customers desert UK's bigger banks

We might as well have saved some money and let them go bust.

[Jeebo72]

Some backoffice monkey at RBS just made a decision to cancel a cheque of mine paid out to someone who doesn't mess about. The reason: "Your signature didn't match with what we had.", I haven't changed my signature in 20 years or so that I've been with RBS and never had a cheque get invalidated - also its a regular payee via cheque and I make regular payments to him.

Worst thing is that the reconcilliation guy never even bothered to contact me properly - no voicemail etc., he just sent a letter, if had been on holiday I would have been fliped with legal action for a default payment that was not my fault, I just wouldn't have caught it in time.

I've written a letter of complaint; question is: are there any better alternatives out there for current accounts ? Lloyds, HSBC etc ? or not really.

I left RBS for first direct and they are excellent. Cater Allen brilliant too. Feel I shouldn't be saying this though, as I've got lots of RBS shares!!!!

[Xenophon]

Yes.
First Direct and Cater Allen.

Snap.

Both are thoroughly recommended by me.

[TimberWolf]

Interesting that First Direct is a firm favourite but are their cash machine cards widely usable in the the UK and abroad or are you limited to their machines ? don't they conduct business over the phone mostly.

To Gonzo, no the wierd thing is I use my cheque book regularly but infrequently but always the same amount to the same (old boring) payee so I don't know why RBS thought that something was strange, sounds to me like the chimp never bothered checking my transaction history which would have half validated it. He didn't bother to call and leave a message when I didn't answer, so I only knew about this 4 days after the transaction should have gone through.

Word of warning: I would never go Santander / Abbey after a little episode 5 years ago where a blunder (by them where they had mis advised me and done something wrong) sent all my business account money straight to Her Majestys Treasury Solicitor, I had to go to the High Court to get the money back and Abbey Business (Santander) didn't lift a finger to help me at the top level (spoke to one of the chief underwriters) and to add insult to injury they tried to cheat me into signing a form that stated there would be no legal recourse (I would not be able to sue them) provided I signed their offer to pay my phone bills for the inconvinience, the missing amount ran over £200K and I was bouncing off the walls. Thankfully I got the money back but I had to pay the legal fees (which were suprisingly cheap) but it was nerve wracking.

I've got a FD Visa Debit card that works in any cash point machine of any bank that I've tried without charge. I can check my FD balance using a Barclays cash point machine if I want. Most business is conducted by Internet, but their phone based service is great if you need it, i.e. prompt and helpful. From what I hear of other banks (and my own experience with Barclays) they are like an oasis in a desert of Bob based service awfulness and con artists. Cater Allen possibly excepted.

[eliquant]

Interesting that First Direct is a firm favourite but are their cash machine cards widely usable in the the UK and abroad or are you limited to their machines ? don't they conduct business over the phone mostly.

To Gonzo, no the wierd thing is I use my cheque book regularly but infrequently but always the same amount to the same (old boring) payee so I don't know why RBS thought that something was strange, sounds to me like the chimp never bothered checking my transaction history which would have half validated it. He didn't bother to call and leave a message when I didn't answer, so I only knew about this 4 days after the transaction should have gone through.

Word of warning: I would never go Santander / Abbey after a little episode 5 years ago where a blunder (by them where they had mis advised me and done something wrong) sent all my business account money straight to Her Majestys Treasury Solicitor, I had to go to the High Court to get the money back and Abbey Business (Santander) didn't lift a finger to help me at the top level (spoke to one of the chief underwriters) and to add insult to injury they tried to cheat me into signing a form that stated there would be no legal recourse (I would not be able to sue them) provided I signed their offer to pay my phone bills for the inconvinience, the missing amount ran over £200K and I was bouncing off the walls. Thankfully I got the money back but I had to pay the legal fees (which were suprisingly cheap) but it was nerve wracking.

[worzelGummidge]

Yes.
First Direct and Cater Allen.

[NotAllThere]

I had a phone call from 1st Direct once, querying my signature. But it was mine. And it had already "cleared" from my account.

The ones my wife signed with my signature always went through without problem.

[Clippy]

My thoughts are on the thread Gonzo linked to but wanted to re-iterate to stay away from Santander after having to deal with the yesterday for a mysterious £25 charge that appeared on my bank statement.

Without boring you with the details, true to form, they were as unhelpful as ever and this was in my local branch who tried on several occasions during the conversation to try to fob me off onto their Indian call centre to sort out rather than sort out there and then!

When I asked the lady at the branch if she'd ever spoken to them she smirked!

T0ssers!

[Gonzo]

Are you still paying for things by cheque?

How quaint.

Wasn't there a thread about personal current accounts a week ago or so?

I moved my personal banking to First Direct in the early days and would thoroughly recommend them.

EDIT: It was here

Not so much of a discussion really just a few people saying how great First Direct are.

[eliquant]

Some backoffice monkey at RBS just made a decision to cancel a cheque of mine paid out to someone who doesn't mess about. The reason: "Your signature didn't match with what we had.", I haven't changed my signature in 20 years or so that I've been with RBS and never had a cheque get invalidated - also its a regular payee via cheque and I make regular payments to him.

Worst thing is that the reconcilliation guy never even bothered to contact me properly - no voicemail etc., he just sent a letter, if had been on holiday I would have been fecked with legal action for a default payment that was not my fault, I just wouldn't have caught it in time.

I've written a letter of complaint; question is: are there any better alternatives out there for current accounts ? Lloyds, HSBC etc ? or not really.