Avoid First Direct - They are gonna charge all customers £10!

VeryStressedMummy

I don't have a dormant account, I use it regularly. But I work part-time (two young children) and don't have much going in to the account - when I go back full-time there will probably be a good salary going in, but most likely it will be going to some other bank as I'll be looking to move my account.

livinginhope

I got this letter yesterday and am angry to say the least,we have had £1800/month paid in every month,bar 1,this was the month DH was made redundant,this would be the month we could least have afforded a £10 charge.I phoned FD and told them I don't understand why we would have to pay,we have a joint current account and DH has their CC,with £15 balance?,they said that although HE had 2 products,I only have 1 and to avoid the charge I would have to take out another product,he recommended a CCyeah,with our debt :rotfl: it's not as easy for some to change accounts elsewhere,we certainly wouldn't be able to open up with a different bank,I suggested to the man that if one month I only had £1200 paid in then I could just withdraw £300 and put it back in,he said 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT',why? it's my money,or are you going to start asking why I'm withdrawing money? he went off,came back and said there was nothing wrong with what I had suggested,I pointed out that they were basically 'cleansing the bank of the poor' it didn't go down well,and we agreed to say goodbye.

fallen121

I have a current account which is used solely to have my child benefit paid into. I can't have it paid into the joint account because it has to be an account in my sole name apparently. I don't even think we earn enough to qualify for the £1,500 a month thing, my husband is self employed so some months its good and other months there's not much money at all. What a nightmare. I am busy enough already as a Mum, I can do without all this.

mrsrsp

I think it's disgusting, it's charging those who can least afford it. My mum earns £600 a month and is living on the breadline how can she afford a £120 a year charge.

I as a teacher don't even pay that much money in a month into my account. I'm with hsbc if they bring this in I will vote with my feet!

mrcow

fallen121 wrote:

I have a current account which is used solely to have my child benefit paid into. I can't have it paid into the joint account because it has to be an account in your sole name. I don't even think we earn enough to qualify for the £1,500 a month thing, my husband is self employed so some months its good and other months there's not much money at all. What a !!!!!!!g nightmare. I am busy enough already as a Mum, I can do without all this.

Cahoot are offering £20 cashback for opening a current account through Quidco.

Why not have a look at them instead?

fallen121

mrcow wrote:

Cahoot are offering £20 cashback for opening a current account through Quidco.

Why not have a look at them instead?

This looks interesting, many thanks. Went to the Abbey this morning to ask about a current account but they wanted me to pay £1,000 a month in even though our mortgage is with them!

Being able to run a Cahoot account online will also be useful. If anyone here already has an account with Cahoot I'd like to hear what you think of them!

truth_2

mrcow wrote:

Great stuff, well when all the unwanted customers have been pushed out, FD can then start sacking some of these excess staff members that they have.

Money saving all round! :T

I don't think that post was particularly helpful and is disrespectful to first direct staff who are trying their hardest to appease customers whilst management make changes.

heatherw_01

I emailed them and they confirmed that about the charge, but I am yet to receive a letter.

I am not happy at all as I have been with them for years and years.

mrcow

truth wrote:

I don't think that post was particularly helpful and is disrespectful to first direct staff who are trying their hardest to appease customers whilst management make changes.

But perhaps these staff need to be thinking along these lines though? I'd be very worried if I worked for FD right now.

Any company who openly displays as little regard for their customers is surely not going to then bauk at the idea of additional cost cutting through cutting back on excess staff once they've suceeded in reducing their customer base?

Shy_Ted

There should be a few people eating humble pie and apologising to the OP, Mrs Jangles, for the stick she got when first posting about this charge.

Mrs Ted and I will be closing our accounts but at least we got £100 out of them in true MSE style :j

Ted