Is First Direct a hard bank to get in to?
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Deleted_User wrote: »They're quite picky. There's also been something of a backlash against them in recent years, as their customer service, to be fair, isn't what it used to be.
But I still rate them as a decent bank.
How good was it before? It is pretty stellar now IME?0 -
Stellar - are other banks nasty to you in London town? :rotfl:iAMaLONDONER wrote: »How good was it before? It is pretty stellar now IME?0
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I take it you switch after you open the account?
I applied to open an account this afternoon and was accepted and told documents will be sent out to be signed,once that was done the
actual account opening date will be 3 weeks (November 15th).
I then tried to process the switching service but it did not let me,when I phoned they said its best to get the account opened before switching the Halifax one over,is this what others experienced.
I originally thought the switch would take place at the same time as the opening of the account.
Thank you.0 -
Doctor_Duke wrote: »I am on my second regular saver and opened both online with no hassle! Mind you they seem to think I have banked with them for years. I have had my 1st Account for just over 2 years but they remember my previous account that I switched away. They have a long memory.......
I had the same issue. I once had a FD account back in the early 90s. When I opened an account with them recently (for the regular saver) they wanted to know security answers from the previous account which I had absolutely no idea on. It took a while but we got there in the end - then a month later they came back asking for docs to be presented for ID. These were to fill in gaps in their details as checks weren't so comprehensive 20 odd years ago!I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
& Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
Its an incredibly difficult bank to get into as they don't have any branches . HSBC I can walk into easy, electronic doors too
B****ger somebodies already done that one.....0 -
I take it you switch after you open the account?
I applied to open an account this afternoon and was accepted and told documents will be sent out to be signed,once that was done the
actual account opening date will be 3 weeks (November 15th).
I then tried to process the switching service but it did not let me,when I phoned they said its best to get the account opened before switching the Halifax one over,is this what others experienced.
I originally thought the switch would take place at the same time as the opening of the account.
Thank you.
I entered the details of the account I wanted to switch during the FD application process. When I phoned to do something on my account (may have been to activate the Debit Card) they asked if I wanted to be put through to the switching team, I declined as I didn't have time. Later that week I got notification that the switch was being processed anyway.
When you first ring them after getting your welcome pack/Debit Card you will either be prompted or you can ask to be put through to the switching team.0 -
I most certainly was put through to India by First Direct.
Their initial customer services is based in Leeds or Hamilton but then your call goes into the wider HSBC network if those people can't solve it.
HSBC branches look nice but they make you order and use a cheque book for withdrawing cash. Their automated deposit machines have issues with Scottish bank notes (even in Scotland). Strange since HK has the same currency setup as Scotland.Jlawson118 wrote: »You can deposit within HSBC branches anyway. And well my views on their customer services comes after hours of being on hold to HSBC just to get put through to somebody in India, or passed from pillar to post with Halifax today to close my account down, or even tell Lloyds my card was lost, and they don't send me a new one because I didn't ask them to when I reported it as lost.
Hell, First Direct is a god send compared to all these other banks0 -
Regarding the £1k a month pay in to avoid the £10 monthly charge.
Can you pay in the £1k via faster payments from say Santander any time in the month.
But more importantly can you withdraw it again the same day via faster payments and still comply with their T&C?0
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