Banks. Are they all scum?

[Tarmacsurfer]

I've been with Lloyds for over 30 years. A recent clusterfuck after a long line of such has finally persuaded me that my business is best taken elsewhere, and so after some re-organising of things I today went online to downgrade my "value added" account and start the process of winding it down.

It starts with the fact that I can't simply click a "downgrade" button. Oddly enough they are quite happy for me to give them more money a month without the need to deal with a bored voice on a phone, but oh no - you can't stop paying.

Call the number, go through a wincingly painful menu system (during which the hold message sweetly informs me "you can do it all online!") to finally reach an advisor. Explain what I want to do, the usual spiel of "why, what can we do" starts in response to my request to cut the account back and finally it transpires I need to speak to someone else entirely. The line is transferred and the process starts again, although this time I'm dealing with a Weegie with a cold. Suddenly the days of Indian call centres are but a halcyon dream.

It's not the best of starts, "I hear you want to apply to downgrade your account?" he says (I'm translating here, I'm fairly sure that's the gist of what was hacked down his headset). What the very fuck? Apply?! He then goes on to inform me that all data Lloyds holds is theirs to do with as they wish and if I continue with the conversation then I am tacitly consenting to this. You can probably see how this is going down hill quicker than Big Daddy on a greased fire pole

Upshot is, after nearly ten minutes on the phone and a lot of discussion it transpires that the only way to get anywhere is to go into a branch and deal with a countermuppet.



TL;DR Give me some hope here people. Tell me stories of banks that are actually decent, consumer friendly and reliable.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[panrider_uk]

Open new account elsewhere and set up a direct debit from Lloyds into new account to the value of any money going into the Lloyd's account.
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Wonko The Sane]

I wouldn't bank with Santander

I've given 2 enelopes with what is clearly a bank card inside to two different branches and informed them that the addressee has not lived at the house since I bought it in 2012

I've been writing 'return to sender, not at this address' for two years before getting fed up and finding time to go into branch.

Since all the above, I currently have 3 bank cards (I can feel them through the envelope) for the previous occupier of the house, all Santander because apparently they don't really care.
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[Tracey Suntan-King]

Is it one of those accounts where you get various insurances and what not?

If so, you should threaten action for mis-selling. Various banks have already had to pay out for mis-sold package accounts.

I'd write to Antonio, the CEO (find him at ceoemail.com) threatening action and while you're at it, demand all the fees you have paid already back.

I did this with RBS and got some (not all) back, cancellation of fees but continued use of the "royalties" account.

Oh and the answer to your question is.......YES
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Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're probably right

[nowhere.elysium]

My experiences of RBS have been pretty good, to be honest. Probably helps a lot that my local branch are decent bods, and I tend to deal with them or the website, as opposed to some bored call centre drone.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[iooi]

Who go through all that grief.

Simply use the 7 day switching service.

Choose your new bank. Fill in the forms. If you are lucky it's all online. But may not be and you will have to provide evidence of who you are (don't blame the banks... Blame the regulators) who say that banks need to know who they are dealing with.
I been a customer of the same bank for over 20 years and because of this. Had to prove who I am....
Gotta love how certain regulators can make stuff retrospective.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Andy_Pagin]

I'm with Co-Op bank, one of the few banks that isn't in some way in cahoots with the big banks. No bad experiences and their internet banking is fairly good.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Albigularis]

[Polarbear]

I've been with Nationwide for years and they haven't fucked me about.

Nat West were useless and fucked me around so I left them. Mention HSBC to my best mate and run for the hills, he hates them with a passion.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Joncrete Cungle]

Use the account switching service, it is a piece of pi$$. Have a gander round for banks that will pay you to open an account with them, study the small print, make sure you qualify for the free ponds and go get them free ponds. Rinse and repeat every 12 months.

[mentalboy]

[ride_to_die]

First Direct for over 5 years. Online banking is shit hot and the call centre is decent aswell.

I've had issues with Natwest and HSBC. Mrs is with TSB and rates them highly.
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I'm not here for a long time, I'm here for a good time.

[J4mes]

Been with Natwest for 18 years and not once had an issue with them!

[Error 650]

TSB are pretty darn good. Was with them before the amalgamation with Lloyds and reopened an account when they left Lloyds. Top bank to be fair.

The bank that likes to say YES!

[Paris2]

First Direct for the win.

Customer services wise, they are great. They just answer the phone and you chat with someone, no options or automated shit.
I've even had a laugh with one of the operators when I couldn't remember my password. "Almost" he kept saying
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Current Ride: Daytona 600

[JP7]

+1 for First Direct. I moved to them about three years ago after HSBC pissed me off for the final time. Ironically they're a subsidiary of HSBC but they have some idea of how to look after their customers. They win all the customer service reviews hands down. You can also get £150 for transferring to them if you use the Martin Lewis website.

It's novel to dial their number and they answer the phone straight away. No menus, no holding music, no being transferred across different departments. The person you speak to can generally deal with whatever it is you want, and they have been friendly and helpful without fail.

They've had a big influx of new customers though, so I'm curious to see how their service level fares.

[Alpineandy]

They are all useless but some are less useless than others.

I've had 36 years at Barclays without any major issues but I wouldn't especially recommend them. I've always held the opinion that I want to speak to a cashier about my money and my money transactions but they've started turning their counters into rows of machines with only one assistant trying to help 30 people. Like all banks they want me to bank 'on-line' (cheaper for them) but I keep pointing out to them that I could have done that with First Direct 25 years ago and saved myself a fortune in Barclays fees if I'd wanted to deal with a machine, and if I did decide to start 'on-line' banking then I certainly wouldn't use Barclays.

I also had Abbey National/Santander (mortgage) for over 25 years and would suggest you don't use them. They've caused me numerous problems since they became Santander but I gather their new customer deals are excellent.

Anyone tried the new Metro Bank?
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The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[iooi]

[Alpineandy]

[Kickstart]