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

mikekaren2

Even though I had a savings account & a credit card with them I have closed my account with them & made it clear that it is soley due to them imposing the banking fee. The guy from customer services tried to get me to stay with them, but as I explained to him there will allways be other banks that won't charge.
Just look at how banks have "U" turned over out of country call centers, ATM withdrawal charges, & lately the out of court refunding of excessive bank charges.
While I accept that other banks may try to charge for banking, if customers vote with there feet, they will "U" turn on this one as well.

nearlyrich

nollag2006 wrote:

Avoid First Direct - Full Stop

I am in court with them currently trying to recoup funds fraudulently obtained from my account while on hols in Turkey.

While they might offer wonderful customer service if you want a chequebook re-issued or an extension on your overdraft, they are piddle all good when you really need their help and some fraudster has emptied out your account !

They once called me to alert me to an unusual request for funds from my account....

Phoenix79_2

mikekaren2 wrote:

Just look at how banks have "U" turned over out of country call centers,

Out of interest, what banks have done this? I know insurance companies have but wasn't aware that a bank had.

annscullamus

I have been with First Direct for almost 20 years and will not be changing. I tried ringing up Alliance and Leicester yesterday and it took 4 calls and a great deal of frustration before I spoke to a rude customer 'services' (ha ha) in Liverpool. I ALWAYS speak to a real person straight away with FD, and they are always knowledgable and very polite. I also talked to the mortgage line at 10pm in the evening ! They told me I only needed one type of product with them to be exempt from the £10, savings, credit card or mortgage etc. Hurrah for a decent bank which I can ring at 4am in the morning if I want. I will be staying.

Miss_Behaving

annscullamus wrote:

I have been with First Direct for almost 20 years and will not be changing. I tried ringing up Alliance and Leicester yesterday and it took 4 calls and a great deal of frustration before I spoke to a rude customer 'services' (ha ha) in Liverpool. I ALWAYS speak to a real person straight away with FD, and they are always knowledgable and very polite. I also talked to the mortgage line at 10pm in the evening ! They told me I only needed one type of product with them to be exempt from the £10, savings, credit card or mortgage etc. Hurrah for a decent bank which I can ring at 4am in the morning if I want. I will be staying.

I've opened an account with them because of FD's charges but am now seriously considering staying.

I had to wait 9 minutes before getting through to someone who couldn't help me because I didn't have my 12 digit customer number - this was the purpose of my call, to find out the number as I needed it to log on to the website.

I was then given the 24 hour number of the Liverpool call centre and, after navigating through the menus and waiting for another 5 minutes, got through to someone who was very off-hand and said they'd send out the details - sorry it got overlooked!

I think I am definitely 'earning' my £50 referral fee in call costs and time taken to get the account set up.

farhad1965

annscullamus wrote:

I have been with First Direct for almost 20 years and will not be changing. I tried ringing up Alliance and Leicester yesterday and it took 4 calls and a great deal of frustration before I spoke to a rude customer 'services' (ha ha) in Liverpool. I ALWAYS speak to a real person straight away with FD, and they are always knowledgable and very polite. I also talked to the mortgage line at 10pm in the evening ! They told me I only needed one type of product with them to be exempt from the £10, savings, credit card or mortgage etc. Hurrah for a decent bank which I can ring at 4am in the morning if I want. I will be staying.

:T
I feel the same as you about First Direct. Been with them for over 10 years and their service is 110% all the time. I have savings accounts with them, so I wont be charged £10 and my input and balances are on average way over £1500 any way. Another vote for FD.

nollag2006

nearlyrich wrote:

They once called me to alert me to an unusual request for funds from my account....

They also called me, in a similar manner, after the event in Turkey, but still refused point blank to offer any help.

As I say, if you want a chirpy chatty person who will extend your overdraft in a heartbeat, then FD is for you.

Be aware though, that beneath the friendly exterior, they couldn't really give a tuppeny curse about you.

moneymode

nollag2006 wrote:

They also called me, in a similar manner, after the event in Turkey, but still refused point blank to offer any help.

As I say, if you want a chirpy chatty person who will extend your overdraft in a heartbeat, then FD is for you.

Be aware though, that beneath the friendly exterior, they couldn't really give a tuppeny curse about you.

I have to totally disagree with you here. I work at FD and every rep you speak to are there to do the best the can and to help the customer.

Of course sounds as if you go on the phone with an atitude and that does not help anybody.

mrcow

moneymode wrote:

Of course sounds as if you go on the phone with an atitude and that does not help anybody.

:rolleyes: In the good old days the customer was always right.

Giselle2

First Direct are planning changes to their T&Cs

They will be charging an Arrangement Fee of £25 for an 'Informal' request to increase overdraft facility.

That is there will be two ways to increase OD facility,
• Formally request it
• Informally request it – i.e. by authorising a payment that would mean you over step your limit


This just looks to me like a replacement for the overdraft penalty fees at FD with this so called arrangement fee. I am assuming unfairly high ‘arrangement fees’ can’t be considered illegal in the same way penalty charges can.

I can imagine the call -
Customer - oops I'm sorry I've gone over my limit by £5, please transfer some money from my savings
Bank - Well we thought you were informally requesting an increase to your overdraft, that will be £25 please.