1st direct? Horrible. Glad I've binned them!

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ixat
ixat Posts: 42 Forumite
First Anniversary Combo Breaker
edited 23 December 2014 at 12:08PM in Budgeting & bank accounts
No interest on their current account but they offer of a 5% regular saver if you open the current account. (Read all the small print if you got a couple of days to spare). You'll get a carrier bag FULL of printed blurb that you'll never get to read - so you won't understand it....Paying-in at the Post Office or their awful branches and you'll have to complete a paying-in slip by hand - very nineteen sixties style (maybe they have better arrangements if you're a major drugs dealer...but I ain't). They got plenty of expensive phone numbers for you to phone, hang-on, push buttons and generate income for them.

Don't believe what they tell you on the phone; I work nights and asked if they had ATM's I could pay cash into at night (like Santander, TSB, Lloyds etc. Despite their assurance, they DON'T.

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

There must be better out there
«13

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  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 44,584 Forumite
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    5% regular saver

    6% last time I looked.

    You can use HSBC branches to pay in.

    And if you want to pay in cash or a cheque at Barclays, HSBC, Natwest etc you fill in a paying in slip.... Why is this such a problem?
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
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    You were looking to leave them nearly 6 months ago. Have you only just got round to it? Or is this just a nostalgic rant about what you did back in July?
  • mrmajika
    mrmajika Posts: 987 Forumite
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    edited 23 December 2014 at 12:09PM
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    ixat wrote: »
    No interest on their current account
    Correct. Although I was aware of this at the point of applying.
    ixat wrote: »
    but they offer of a 5% regular saver if you open the current account.
    Incorrect. It's 6%
    ixat wrote: »
    You'll get a carrier bag FULL of printed blurb that you'll never get to read
    Incorrect. I did not receive a carrier bag. They're legally required to provide you with T&Cs.
    ixat wrote: »
    Paying-in at the Post Office or their awful branches and you'll have to complete a paying-in slip by hand.
    Incorrect. There's no requirement for competing paying in slips at the post office.
    ixat wrote: »
    expensive phone numbers for you to phone
    Incorrect. 03456 100 100 is local rate and free for those on inclusive plans.
    ixat wrote: »
    hang-on, push buttons and generate income for them.
    Incorrect. There is no push button option. You are connected straight to an adviser. 9 times out of 10 this is without queuing and within 10 seconds.
    ixat wrote: »
    I work nights and asked if they had ATM's I could pay cash into at night
    Incorrect. My local branch offers this.

    (Text removed by MSE Forum Team)
    Whilst my posts do not constitute financial advice, I am always, without fail, 100% right! :D
  • EarthBoy
    EarthBoy Posts: 3,049 Forumite
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    edited 23 December 2014 at 12:09PM
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    ixat wrote: »
    No interest on their current account but they offer of a 5% regular saver if you open the current account. (Read all the small print if you got a couple of days to spare).

    It takes about 30 seconds to read the conditions of the Regular Saver, which, as everybody else has pointed out, is 6%.
    ixat wrote: »
    You'll get a carrier bag FULL of printed blurb that you'll never get to read - so you won't understand it...

    A couple of letters/leaflets does not fill a carrier bag. You will only "never get to read" these if you can't be bothered to do so and for no other reason.
    ixat wrote: »
    .Paying-in at the Post Office or their awful branches

    They don't have any branches, they never have done, so you must mean HSBC branches. What's so awful about them?
    ixat wrote: »
    and you'll have to complete a paying-in slip by hand

    Just like you have to do at some other banks.

    (Text removed by MSE Forum Team)
  • firefox1956
    firefox1956 Posts: 1,548 Forumite
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    Been with FD since they first started.......never really found any problems with them.
    Glad somebody else has taken the time & trouble to take the OP to task.......
  • saveallmymoney
    saveallmymoney Posts: 325 Forumite
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    I'm with First Direct and although i've been very pleased with the account and mortgage the website and mobile app leave a lot to be desired, i'm not really interested in talking to my bank on the phone.

    I pay in through HSBC without a problem.

    When i'm done with my Mortgage I will move back to Barclays (which i already use for my business account).
  • guesswho2000
    guesswho2000 Posts: 1,703 Forumite
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    Can't say I agree with OP, I've had nothing but good experiences since opening my FD account earlier this year.

    The public consistently vote them top in MSE's opinion polls, and FD are clearly quite confident in their good service, as they will pay you to leave if you do so after switching and it's not for you!

    Yes, some of their products aren't the greatest, but nowhere is perfect.
  • JethroUK
    JethroUK Posts: 1,959 Forumite
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    ixat wrote: »
    ...
    There must be better out there

    Statistically there isn't

    I'm a thousand years old and banked with the world at some stage or other - shifted every cent i have to First Direct about 20 years ago and never looked back

    First Direct not coincidentally have an unrivalled record of customer service/feedback

    but....

    you can please some of the people all of the time....and all of the people some of the time...

    but you caint please all of the people all of the time
    ixat wrote: »
    ...1st direct? Horrible. Glad I've binned them!

    they are probably popping the corks as we speak :rotfl:
    When will the "Edit" and "Quote" button get fixed on the mobile web interface?
  • renegade
    renegade Posts: 1,282 Forumite
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    I have banked with First Direct for years and they are the best IMO.
    There technical help is second to none,access via internet is the fastest,queries sorted immediately by friendly staff.
    I would not change, I have nothing but praise for them.
    You live..You learn.:)
  • JimmyTheWig
    JimmyTheWig Posts: 12,199 Forumite
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    I agree with the OP about paying in money at HSBC. Why do they still use paying in slips? As well as taking longer it must be more prone to error than handing over your debit card.
    I choose to pay in to Halifax or Santander, then transfer the money to First Direct if that's where it's going, rather than pay in at HSBC.

    But otherwise I can't fault the account or the bank.
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