feedback on various banks

slopemaster

I have recently tried to open several savings accounts and thought the differing experiences might be of interest;

Kaupthing Edge: efficient, quick and easy, account now open.

ICICI: what an epic! I have now given up. They kept e-mailing asking for a cheque when I'd already sent it. Then they asked for details of cheque, which I sent. Still said not received. Then I received it back from them in the post, saying minimum deposit is £1000 - website says £1. Couldn't get any straight answer out of them on the phone; they didn't seem to understand my questions. Then they were still e-mailing me saying no cheque received.... That is so scarily inefficient, I decided not to bother.

Royal Bank of Scotland. Thought I would open a savings account with them as I needed another one quickly, and already have a current account with them so it should be easy. On line form crashed 3 times. Mailed them. Reply said ring helpline. Rung helpline, they tllk ages to ask me loads of security questions, put me on hold for ages, transferred me to another number - then said 'oh, you can only open the account online'. Gave up on them too.
(Thry're useless with the current account too.)

Smile: as with RBS, not a brilliant rate of interest but I thought easy as I already have current a/c. Problems with online form. Rang them; they opened account quite easily. So OK.

Alliance and Leicester. My application appears to have fallen into a black hole; supposed to e-mail me but never did. Gave up here too; why should I chase them?

Ditto Birmingham Midshires - were supposed to e-mail password but never did.

So two out of five actually opened.
Kaupthing Edge and Smile.
YMMV

fleenio

RBS: Opened a tracker savings account in my local branch as I went to cash a cheque in anyway. Open instantly but CS rep did not have autourisation to open a higher interest aco!!!! for me. Now they keep hassling me on the phone asking me to go in and speak to one of the FA as they think I could do something better with my money (thankfully the calls have now stopped after I ha a few words). I think they were just trying to sell me something,pfft!

HBOS - opended a reward IAS 6.5% online (before the offer was due to expire) and it was opened within a couple of weeks. Just had one letter to sign and send back.

Kaupthing edge - This was the best by far, opened and operational within a week.

Now I'm looking to open another but not sure where to go, hmm.

evenasus

Always found Nationwide to be excellent.
Their online banking is very good.

Doomcow

nationwide - no probs with mortgage

hbos - yeah i agree.. i was on phone they said online only acct, so i tried and failed and then called and opened it on the phoen to be told i needed to deposit £100 at a branch to open the account and only then they would send out the forms to sign and when they got and processed them then i'd have my account (this full palaver took ages and only went to the bank cos its next to my work) - again, with op i thought it'd be easy already having said current acct and other accts with them, but no.

yorkshire - swift smooth, fast - a gem to bank with.

rbs - total failure of any customer service.

a+l - customer service totally smarmy and i felt like they could be bothered (maybe as i heard them say "bloody scot" as i was ending the call?) - wouldnt bank with them again.

natwest - will try these guys soon.. hope i see good feedback!

evenasus

Should have mentioned Norwich & Peterborough Building Society.
Just opened an online savings account with them, fast & efficient. Password etc sent, account up and running within a week. I didn't have to send anything by post either.

Wanted to open one with Coventry Building Society but they can't verify identities electronically. So they require two identity documents to be sent by post ie passport, bank statement, together with application form containing my personal and current account details. Not happy with that as it's wide open to identity fraud if intercepted on route.
Don't live anywhere near a branch or I could take them in.

I prefer to stick to Building Societies, rather than Banks.
Trying to reduce savings to the K35 in each organisation.
Not managed it yet...way too much in one place.:rolleyes:

misterh

I've had an account with RBS (city centre branch) for 30 years and never a problem. Helpful, efficient, polite, not pushy, etc.
My wife and offspring have accounts (small town branch) and have encountered several problems.
Am I just lucky? Are they unlucky? Or could there be a higher standard of staff in the bigger branches?

MagicBurd29

I have done virtually all of my banking online for many years - so following comments refer only to online systems and to callcentre customer service, not to branches.

ICICI: initially fine, but then discovered fundamental problems with their systems and with their attitude to security. Was very relieved to retrieve my money, after a struggle.

RBS: attempted to open a current account for small business, gave up after six months and c.50 phone calls. Utterly institutionally incompetent.

A+L: tried to open current account for small business, gave up after three months. Online system and security unnecessarily complex, and account conditions varied from what was on their website.

Smile: was with them some years ago, perfectly fine. And the Coop before that. I should have stayed!

Icesave: fine for my own accounts, but they've wasted a lot of my time messing up Power of Attorney applications.

Kaupthing: perfect. Very confidence-inspiring.

Sainsburys: fine.

Abbey: had a small business current account with them for a year, not impressed by response to queries and problems.

NorthernRock: fine.

NSandI: fine - application in progress.

HBOS: have personal current accounts and savings accounts, and my Mother's accounts under PoA, with them, for years. Their systems seemed to suffer as BofS and Halifax collided. Online system good. Have had to complain about errors on our accounts about once a year (most notably when they lost the entire proceeds of my Mother's house sale, for a week :eek: ) and now expect this level of problem. But have fair degree of confidence that problems will get sorted eventually, often with £50 compensation

Hope this is of help to someone.

A._Badger

Just to add my two penn'orth in case it helps someone. This weekend opened an account with Kaupthing Edge - amazingly quick and efficient- a model the others should study.

Lloyds TSB - have been a branch customer for decades. Always very good service. Went online with them a year or so ago (including fixed rate ISA transfer from a BS). No problems at all.

Sainsburys Bank: Two online accounts. Initial problems when they mislaid an in-store desposit . Poor telephone support over that but, since then, no problems.

Kent Reliance: Postal account, no problems.

Nottingham BS: A bit dozy and a worrying tendency to launch accounts with good rates, only to trim them back hugely, hoping you won't notice.

PayPal: Avoid at all costs! Premium rate calls to sort out fraudulent transaction, only to be connected to an overseas call centre where they do their best to dispute clearly bogus transactions. Absolute rubbish!

DocMartin

SOme really useful comments on this thread - thanks everyone. I'm currently in a similar situation of trying to open new accounts both online and in branches. I've always used Halifax and never had problems + their phone system is v.good IMO. Nationwide have been very efficient with everything. Anglo Irish ok but a bit dated and slow and lack of info. HSBC didn't have anyone who could help me open a current account!!! That one took some believing. I have avoided anything connected with Santander because of their reputaion for poor customer service. Bigger isn't always better is it? All very well offering a good rate or security but no good if you can't actually get at your money?

evenasus

Just a thought, is anyone else put off opening accounts with banks/building societies, where they ask for application forms and original identity documents to be sent by post?

I did read somewhere, that if you have lived at your present address, like me, for over 20 years. Then verifying identity should be able to be done electronically online.

chris1

evenasus wrote: »

Just a thought, is anyone else put off opening accounts with banks/building societies, where they ask for application forms and original identity documents to be sent by post?

I did read somewhere, that if you have lived at your present address, like me, for over 20 years. Then verifying identity should be able to be done electronically online.

Some seem to do it electronically with no hassle whereas others are stuck in the dark ages, or are infuriatingly restrictive - even to the extent of requiring original ID documents every time an existing customer wants to open a new account with them, even if it's only a week apart!