First Direct Service Guarantee - £100 for closing your account

puddings_2

gingerkitten wrote: »

I've been with First Direct about 16 years now, ... To be quite honest it would take an awful lot more than £200 to make me leave.

I am very pleased that you are happy with FD so I suppose it's irrelevant that they won't offer you an awful lot more than £200 if you leave.
In fact they won't offer you £200 or £100 either.
As an existing customer of 16 years, if you are unhappy, what you get is a big fat zero if you leave.

If the roles were reversed and the Halifax offered people £200 in the same way, maybe I would stay loyal to them while you take advantage of their generosity?
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This is MSE and FD's offer is money in your pocket if you want it. All you need to do is jump through a few hoops to get it!

49er

Well, I really like FD but I'm leaving anyway.

In fact, I would have stayed and not claimed the leaving incentive, but for an issue about overdraft charges. I went over my overdraft once in the 11 months I've had the account, for which they charged me £12. Fair enough, I thought. But because it happened less than 6 months ago, they want to charge me a further £25 just to review (ie continue) my existing overdraft facility! They essentially want to charge me £37 for going over my overdraft limit once. Unacceptable. I spoke to them - very nice, as ever - but they wouldn't budge.

It made me think and to be honest, the online is a bit clunky and isn't any better than my other bank. Given the old account is still open, I have decided to switch back.

frog_bounce

puddings wrote: »

I transferred £1501 pm into the account using a normal BACS transfer.
I didnt receive the opening £100 because of it, until I argued that I was self employed and therefore could pay myself whatever I wanted. They agreed and gave it me.
I ran it for 7 months before closing, just to be on the safe side.

And tinkerbell, I agree with you, 1stD is good. I never intended to use it as a proper account I only did it for the cash bonus. Apart from the pain of depositing cash, their service was excellent.

For people depositing cash I'd recommend Alliance & Leicester or any other bank that you can pay into conveniently at your local post office.

I am self employed so could i pay my self £1501 a month and get away with it?

Also how do i open the account, get the £100 bonus and not transfer DD's?

thanks

frog_bounce

am i right in thinking that i can...
open the account get £100
deposit £1501 each month, then take it straight back out again.
after 7 months close the account and get another £100

it says on their website about "easyswitch"??