First Direct Service Guarantee - £100 for closing your account

mrmajika

Horace wrote: »

I agree, I think that FD are fab, far better than The Halifax or HBOS as it prefers to call itself or even Lloyds TSB or Barclays or Natwest. Their internet banking is the easiest that I have used and their customer service is second to none. Beats me why people would want to leave them unless they are just plain greedy and are so desperate for £200:rolleyes:

I moved to FD and agree they are very good at what they do. I claimed the £100 for joining, but don't plan to leave.

In saying that, I won't have a go at people for claiming the £200 and leaving; I don't think it makes them greedy or desparate and feel it's unfair to make the accusation.

I am sure that you would do the same to an institution you didn't feel such a strong allegiance to.:beer:

PROLIANT

So whats this then, open an account then close it a few months later to bag a £100 scam?

sarahs999

I've been with FD for about 13 years now and I'm happy with them - though not as happy as I was originally. When they were first around they were such a new concept, with 24/7 phone support - back then banks were these mysterious places where you had to make appointments to do really simple things. Banking's come a long way in that time and I really think FD led teh way. However, when they were taken over by HSBC (or became more closely aligned, I can't remember the details) a few years ago their service became notably worse. The phone service is still good but it took a LONG time to get them to stop sending me junk mail I didn't want, and they began to get quite mean with their interest rates - as someone's already said, no interest on current accounts in credit. THey also have a whacking rate for being more overdrawn than £250, which I always am at the moment, and I know Alliance and Leicester would be better, but I just can't face moving everything over. I guess that's what they rely on. Still, having watched my husband battle with Lloyds I know there are far worse places to bank.

GrumpyOldMan_2

They don't like giving their money away.

I have had my salary credited for the last 7 months.
I was paid the £100 joining fee but when I tried to leave today, they said that I didn't qualify for the leaving fee due to the service guarantee.
I told them that I didn't like the website, it was to confusing and that I had had problems with the secure messaging feature.

They said that this wasn't reason enough and that I hadn't gone through the complaints procedure.

They refused to budge but agreed I had qualified in all other respects.

Bad show First Direct.

mathew1971

I spoke to First Direct today to clarify the T&C`s.

I was told the £100 if you leave (Service Guarantee) would only be paid for genuine reasons of bad service. I asked what under their T&C`s constitutes a genuine reason as surely this is very subjective! By this point the advisor was getting pretty stressed and stated that the account shouldnt be opened to just in order to gain the £200 incentive. I pointed out that by offering the incentive people were well within their rights to open an account for that reason only.

It very much appears that First Direct are trying to get out of paying even before people open accounts and that anyone who plays them at their own game will not be paid.

For that reason i am not going to touch them with a barge pole.

I would also suggest that this account and specifically its problems be ammended on the best buy current accounts article on the main site.

YorkshireBoy

mathew1971 wrote: »

I would also suggest that this account and specifically its problems be ammended on the best buy current accounts article on the main site.

What problems?

mathew1971

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

What problems?

Problems with First Direct not paying the incentives promised..........suddenly its not such a good deal.

YorkshireBoy

mathew1971 wrote: »

Problems with First Direct not paying the incentives promised..........suddenly its not such a good deal.

Really?

Closed my account this week, and successfully claimed my £100 leaving present.

That's £350 in total...

£100 for joining
£150 for referring 3 other MSE members (although I rebated £75 of this to my referrees)
£100 for leaving

Have to say my experience of their 'incentives' has been extremely positive.

Still, if you don't want to go for it that's entirely your prerogative!

puddings_2

Plain greedy and desperate for £200. Yes that's me.

I'm self employed and havent drawn a penny in wages since July, so £200 is very welcome indeed.

abol2008

I just thought I'd contribute to this thread myself as I've just received my £100 leaving cheque.

It all started about 7 months ago when I read the post regarding the First Direct promise of £100 when you've paid 3 salaries into your account and the £100 if you were unhappy left before the year was up (as long as you've paid 7 months salaries into it). I thought I had nothing to lose...

So all I did was open an account with FD and change my salary details at work (I did this online; it only took me 30 seconds). After the second (?) salary had been paid it I got the £100 bonus. I never changed any of my Direct Debits to the FD account as I was happy with my current bank (HSBC) and wasn't looking to keep my FD account. On the same day my salary got paid into the FD account, every month I'd transfer all the money (apart from £50 or so) to my HSBC account. This was done instantly as both banks are part of the same group.

So no problems at all. After 7 months I rang to cancel my account and try to claim the £100 with the excuse of their poor (0%) interest on the current account and the fact that I received my balance text message at 6am on a Saturday; I am not sure that would have qualified for the closing £100 bonus.

I had forgotten my telephone password though and as I wasn't calling from a registered number they locked my phone AND internet access!!! When I went home I rang them again (this time from a registered number) and had a go at them for locking both my phone and internet accounts. I told them that if they hadn't locked my internet account I would have been able to update my details and put my work phone on there! So I told them I was really unhappy about their security actions and I wanted to close down my account!

Make sure you mention the £100 when you are closing down your account(s) otherwise you will not get it!

Cheque came in the post 1 week later!