Bank or Building Society???

BurntOut

Been with the Ulster Bank for Years but am considering a change.
Just don't like them anymore.
1 Reason:
Can't use my Switch Card in Ireland or abroad (you have to have their credit card BAH!!)

Any recommendations (alot of peops seem to be with the Halifax).

I currently have a current account where my wages get paid into just over £1000 a month (so looking best deals), dont get any interest at all.
and,
an account I call my mortgage account but really is a savings account (but nothing ever gets saved in it , it just has all my monthly outgoings in it:rotfl:)

Any advice greatly appreciated Guys:T

IvanOpinion

I don't think there is any right or wrong answer to your question. I had problems with the Ulster Bank a few years ago and decided they did not offer me the service I needed so I switched (to the Abbey) and have never looked back. I think if you look on chatboard you will find complaints related to just about every bank and building society.

Look at your finances and how you handle them. If you are prone to going overdrawn you will want an account with low charges or possibly an authorised overdraft. If you keep a few bob in the account at the end of the month you could look at connecting one of these high interest rate accounts. Do you need a branch or are you happy to handle your finances online? What other services do you need?

To me, online banking and a branch open on Saturday morning was important ... your requirements may be different though.

Ivan

savingstill

Ulster Bank have a TRAVEL cashcard which works in any CIRRUS machine anywhere in the world...

BigAl94

And the Switch card will be upgraded to be used anywhere later this year I believe

rjh090384

THE ULSTERBANK TRAVEL CASH CARD CHARGESD YOU A FORTUNE THOUGH. i am with nationwide and have been my whole life. i love them and have never had any problems

Polly

I've been with Nationwide for many years and cannot fault them. Their debit card, I think, is the only one you can use abroad without incurring any fees whatsoever. I do have to travel ten miles or so to my nearest branch but as I do 99% of my banking online, it has never been a problem.

ginger_nuts

I used to use Abbey but they charge a fee for use abroad .Now I use Nationwide.I have used Nationwide card in USA ,Holland ,and Southern Ireland ,it saved me a fortune .I think Nationwide are the only Bank/Building society not to charge for use abroad .

JoseChungsDoomsday

I agree with nationwide, it also tops that chart with first direct when it comes to good customer service.

No luck with them go to halifax

jetboy

I switched most of my business from First Trust to Alliance & Leicester. No regrets. I get buckets of interest on my current account where FT where paying virtually no interest and then charging a monthly fee! My wife swapped from Ulster Bank to Halifax..she was being ripped off rightly by UB. Unfortunately NI banks still havn't got the message.

thetope

Nationwide all the way.... been with them 18 months, cannot fault them. It's so great to not have to worry about changing money when going abroad, and not getting ripped off when you go over the border. Can't recommend them enough.

JoseChungsDoomsday

also can say another good thing about the halifax - they have a call centre in belfast!