The Best Graduate Accounts 2006/7 Discussion Area

jiffk

is there anything to stop someone opening more than one account to use the interest free overdrafts as a free loan?

JayDee_2

Has anyone managed to get the full £2750 overdraft offered by Halifax. I requested this when opening an account and was told my credit score would be no good. Suprise suprise for a young student. They did offer me a Credit card which is the worst form of borrowing. How did this account get top place in the Best Buys if it is almost impossible to get the top overdraft rate

lclayton

I have been with Halifax since...well forever really. I managed to get a student account from them no problem, and they've always increased my overdraft each year with no prompting (and reduced it at my request!).

When I graduated my account changed to a standard current account, without informing me, and I'm being charged between £5-15 a month interest on my overdraft. I'm in full time work, I'm just finding it hard to get out of the 'wages go in - rent goes out' circle.

I've just read on their website I'm entitled to retain the student account for a year after I graduate. Will I have left it too late? I graduated last June. I wonder what my chances are of getting the charges back? does anyone have any advice?

mrsP_6

I WOULD NOT in a million years recommend the RBS as a student, graduate or current account. Since opening my RBS student account 4 years ago (after being conned by freebies at fresher’s fair) I have had nothing but trouble with them. 1st there is the huge charges which you pay if you go over your over draft limit, the incompetent staff they have at the branches, the opening hours, which at my branch are 9.30am till 4.45pm, mon-fri with hours taken off randomly for training time, which is no good if you work 9 till 5. then there was the mistake they made with the year I graduated, they said it was 2004 and I didn't graduated till late 2005, which by the way, adds loads of charges on and puts you in a stupid situation where they don't believe you have not graduated and will not believe you till you show them your graduation certificate, which of course you don't have because your still a student, doh, this then causes loads of charges to your account, even though all the time your student loan is going into the account. Then when you do graduated and you want to do any form of change of details, like if you get married and change your name and address you have to go to a branch, which are extremely hard to find unless you live in Scotland or don't work normal 9-5 hours you just can’t do. And if you have a cheque you want to pay in, yes of course you can post it to them, whether it gets there and they lose it is another issues. I am now absolutely gutted that the RBS apparently has the best graduate account and even if they have I’m moving to the Halifax, which if you have savings and a mortgage with them seem to offer a good deal anyway, because I have never been witness to such bad service, that of course is if you can find it.

sorry to waffle on, but i hate the RBS with a vengence, i have wasted so much money on petrol and parking to try to sort my details out since i graduated and got married that i have to tell the world hot I feel!!!!!!

geekinaseat

Hi all,

I would recommend Barclays Graduate Additions account to anyone wanting a large interest free overdraft.

It charges a fee £5 per month but for this you get free breakdown cover, mobile insurance and card protection and you also get a £3000 interest free overdraft.

I have just signed up for this account and calculate that simply on the freebies I'm saving £35 per month and then on top of that whatever I can make out of the 3k interest free overdraft (maybe this years ISA allowance) :beer:

rach09

i have read an article in the last week that hsbc are cancelling all graduate accounts and will be charging a certain amount each month to those who wish to keep a this account open with them. This is in effect from august an i pretty much doubt they are going to inform their customers about it! i don't know which bank is best to switch to but i sure won't be paying a bank, who have been so unhelpful so far, by staying with them or giving them any more money!

happysacs

are you allowed more than one graduate account?