Grrr! What's wrong with banks these days?

fortythree

Or should I say 'what's right with them?' :mad:

Today was the day I decided to start keeping my money in a sock under the bed! We've had the banking day from hell!

Today, we tried to open an account for DS with the Halifax. I'd checked with the branch to see what we'd need to open it and was told 'come in whenever you can with these bits and we'll open an account'. Got there today with all the paperwork and was told that no-one could open an account as 'the advisor' isn't free. I couldn't work out why we'd need advice when we knew which account we needed. (?!) But they wouldn't open the one we wanted, we were told to make an appointment to come back another day. So we left and decided to go to the Portman BS instead - they were lovely!

Then we went to HSBC to pay cheques and coins in. They've refurbished the bank. The counters are now upstairs. The pay-in-machine downstairs isn't working. I get in the lift, it's too small for the pram and the door sensor isn;t working, so the door starts to drag the pram sideways in the lift. There's no 'open the door' button, so I have to lift the pram onto 2 wheels to stop the pram (and possibly my baby son) being mashed up. Get to the counter feeling shaken, to be told that they can't take the cheques I want to pay in as they're in joint name and my account is a sole account (I've done this before without a problem). OH has to come upstairs to countersign cheques. I'm on the point of exploding.

On leaving the bank I see the RBS have opened a branch. I go in to have a look - maybe I could use my other account and transfer money if HSBC is such a problem. BUT - they don't have a counter at all!! I ask the guy about it and he waxes lyrical about this new counterless system they're trialling where you put the money in a paying in envelope and put it in a 'letterbox' (ie not a paying in machine.) I ask the guy how I pay coins in. He looks stumped. I laugh and leave.

Do you ever get the feeling banks don't want our money anymore? :rotfl:

Ahhh! I feel much better for that! Thank you for reading, if you managed to stay awake!

_Andy_

I'm afraid this is all part of HSBC's CEO's vision of the bank being a 'retail outlet'. Hence the counters upstairs. Pay money in? Whatever next? Would you like a mortgage, a loan perhaps? Sit down, have a cup of tea!

mpython

Banks do want your money - they just want to take it in as cheaply as possible - hence discourage coins, cheques etc.

The interview/ advice isn't really meant for you, its their way to assess how valuable you will be to them in the future, so their liklihood of selling you insurance, mortgages etc etc in the future.

aeuerby

A friend of mine tried to open an account with the halifax for her son and was told the same thing. No advisor.
She told them that was fine and would take her sons money somewhere else.

Guess what? Suddenly an advisor was found and an account opened.

Mark7799

fortythree wrote:

Or should I say 'what's right with them?' :mad:

Today was the day I decided to start keeping my money in a sock under the bed! We've had the banking day from hell!

Today, we tried to open an account for DS with the Halifax. I'd checked with the branch to see what we'd need to open it and was told 'come in whenever you can with these bits and we'll open an account'. Got there today with all the paperwork and was told that no-one could open an account as 'the advisor' isn't free. I couldn't work out why we'd need advice when we knew which account we needed. (?!) But they wouldn't open the one we wanted, we were told to make an appointment to come back another day. So we left and decided to go to the Portman BS instead - they were lovely!

As has been said on other posts, they are looking at how much they can make from you/DS

Then we went to HSBC to pay cheques and coins in. They've refurbished the bank. The counters are now upstairs. The pay-in-machine downstairs isn't working. I get in the lift, it's too small for the pram and the door sensor isn;t working, so the door starts to drag the pram sideways in the lift. There's no 'open the door' button, so I have to lift the pram onto 2 wheels to stop the pram (and possibly my baby son) being mashed up. Get to the counter feeling shaken, to be told that they can't take the cheques I want to pay in as they're in joint name and my account is a sole account (I've done this before without a problem). OH has to come upstairs to countersign cheques. I'm on the point of exploding.
If they accepted this before, that was the problem. Cheques should only go into accounts with the names of the payees. They may have been breaking their own rules even by letting your OH sign the cheques

On leaving the bank I see the RBS have opened a branch. I go in to have a look - maybe I could use my other account and transfer money if HSBC is such a problem. BUT - they don't have a counter at all!! I ask the guy about it and he waxes lyrical about this new counterless system they're trialling where you put the money in a paying in envelope and put it in a 'letterbox' (ie not a paying in machine.) I ask the guy how I pay coins in. He looks stumped. I laugh and leave.

Do you ever get the feeling banks don't want our money anymore? :rotfl:
They don't - unless it's in a profitable way for them
Ahhh! I feel much better for that! Thank you for reading, if you managed to stay awake!

Amazed that people still think they are doing the Banks a favour by putting their money into them (This is not a dig at the OP). Banks don't want to do anything unless there's a clear profit opportunity for them out of it.

Llyllyll

It's not just banks - it's anywhere that has employed the 'dreaded consultant' to modernise the way they do business as opposed to using some common sense.

Take HMRC for instance - they want your money but when you walk in to an enquiry centre you're told that they can longer accept payments and to go to your nearest post office. Should you turn up and have the ordacity to ask for some personal help in filling in your SA return, you're directed to a bank of phones where you can ring their call centre, only to be given some (in general) bad advice.

IMO consultants are the scourge of modern society, however they are not as bad (or as stupid) as the people who actually employ them :mad:.

grex9101

ordacity indeed! :rotfl:

hjb123

But if they wont accept coins what are we meant to do with them?

Mark7799

hjb123 wrote:

But if they wont accept coins what are we meant to do with them?

Most of the 'traditional' banks (Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest) will accept coins if they are properly bagged and you have an account with them. There are a few other threads around on the boards about supermarkets who operate coin counters but they may charge for the purpose.

regularsaver1

To be fair I feel for the advisors - if they arn't free how are the advisers going to be magically free for you. Sometimes they don't have the chance to breathe

It is only the advisers that would be authorised to open the accounts - (do not receive advice anyway) and are authorised to key id. - not everyone would be

Should not have been told that you can come in any time really - it is odd, but childrens accounts seem to take longer than any adults accounts application when I did mine

Regarding coins - coinstar in supermarkets is good. gives small donation to charity

Jnelhams

What I find annoying is that so many banks etc hide behind Money Laundering regs. In fact the Bank Of England, simply requires that the bank is satisfied that you are who you say you are, it does not require, Passport, Driving Licence and your Cycling Proficiency Certificate / Scouts badge.

I find it easiest to open an account online, send off the proof and a number of accounts just want a cheque in your name (no copies of birth certificate, fingerprints, blood or left arm)