Experience open Bank A/C with Metro Bank

adindas

Dear All

I understand that the only way to open a current Bank A/C with Metro Bank is by visting their offices in London.

What I want to know is how difficult to get those current A/C with debit card Visa/Master which could be used for ATM withdrawal abroad based on your own experience ?.

If you travel abroad a lot quite often, do you think it is worthy to acquire one ?

I understand that this is a good subtitute for NW current A/C post November 1st, as there is no loading fee for foreign currency, as well as no ATM withdrawal fee. The debit card carry Master/Visa logo so the wholeseller Master/Visawholesale exhange rate will apply for cash withdrawal abroad, am I correct ?.

Is there any other issue that you see after opening the current ac, for instance account fee, charge for closing account, etc ?

How is your experience using their debit card abroad, is it as good as NW debit card ?

Thank you for your valuable information

ADINDAS

benjus

I opened one a couple of weeks ago... I was quite impressed. They were open until 8pm, but couldn't see me immediately so they gave me a buzzer thing that would ring when it was my turn and told me to go next door to Pret and have a coffee (on them). The staff seemed very nice and friendly.

When my turn came I presented the required photo ID and 2 proofs of address, they did a quick credit check (for a standard current account with overdraft) and set up the account immediately - they even printed the debit card and gave it to me. I asked for a cheque book, but that was the only thing I had to wait for in the post.

I took the card with me on holiday to Italy and it seems to work just as well as the Nationwide debit card. I used it in several ATMs, a few shops and the motorway toll machines. One ATM rejected it but there were no problems anywhere else (although I couldn't get any of my debit or credit cards to work with the self service petrol machines).

There don't seem to be any charges for normal account use, so I'm very pleased with it so far and I think it will be a good replacement for my Nationwide account. The only negative point is that their online banking site is not exactly the greatest in the world and it looks horrible. I hope they tidy it up a bit.

Donnie

I didn't realise they had online banking. Thanks for the update.

adindas

DEar benjus or other members

Could you please shed the light Metro bank a/c that allow people to withdraw money and foreign purchashing without fee/charges.

It seems to contradict with this post N0.87 by bubieyehyeh
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/36339071#Comment_36339071

I also have read about cumberland BS that is function like NW, is anyone has experience or confirm about this ?

ADINDAS

benjus wrote: »

I opened one a couple of weeks ago... I was quite impressed. They were open until 8pm, but couldn't see me immediately so they gave me a buzzer thing that would ring when it was my turn and told me to go next door to Pret and have a coffee (on them). The staff seemed very nice and friendly.

When my turn came I presented the required photo ID and 2 proofs of address, they did a quick credit check (for a standard current account with overdraft) and set up the account immediately - they even printed the debit card and gave it to me. I asked for a cheque book, but that was the only thing I had to wait for in the post.

I took the card with me on holiday to Italy and it seems to work just as well as the Nationwide debit card. I used it in several ATMs, a few shops and the motorway toll machines. One ATM rejected it but there were no problems anywhere else (although I couldn't get any of my debit or credit cards to work with the self service petrol machines).

There don't seem to be any charges for normal account use, so I'm very pleased with it so far and I think it will be a good replacement for my Nationwide account. The only negative point is that their online banking site is not exactly the greatest in the world and it looks horrible. I hope they tidy it up a bit.

benjus

The account I opened was the standard current account with a full debit card and overdraft facility (even if you don't request an overdraft, you can still go into unauthorized overdraft, hence the mandatory credit check).

It's the first one on this page ("Current Account") - https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/personal/metro-bank-accounts/

I don't know anything about the Cash Account. I don't think there's anything to stop them allowing international withdrawals on a Cash Account (Nationwide's cash account used to allow international withdrawals), but whether they choose to allow it or not is a question of their policy.

adindas

I think this clarity the matter. What bubieyehyeh was writing in this post
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/36339071#Comment_36339071

is probably the cash account and not the Standard current a/c therefore it can not be used overseas without charge.

Your account is Standard Current Account.

If we apply an a/c for overseas use we need to specifically apply for "Standard Current Account" and NOT cash account.

Thank you for your info. It will help us to clarify the matter

ADINDAS

benjus wrote: »

The account I opened was the standard current account with a full debit card and overdraft facility (even if you don't request an overdraft, you can still go into unauthorized overdraft, hence the mandatory credit check).

It's the first one on this page ("Current Account") - https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/personal/metro-bank-accounts/

I don't know anything about the Cash Account. I don't think there's anything to stop them allowing international withdrawals on a Cash Account (Nationwide's cash account used to allow international withdrawals), but whether they choose to allow it or not is a question of their policy.

adindas

Could anyone shed the light where could we find online T&C which clearly mention that a specific Metro Bank A/C offer the same level of benefits with NW for purchase and cash withdrawal abroad ???

It is only with this we will be sure that it is as good as NW debot card...

ADINDAS

Donnie

benjus wrote: »

I opened one a couple of weeks ago... I was quite impressed. They were open until 8pm, but couldn't see me immediately so they gave me a buzzer thing that would ring when it was my turn and told me to go next door to Pret and have a coffee (on them). The staff seemed very nice and friendly.

When my turn came I presented the required photo ID and 2 proofs of address, they did a quick credit check (for a standard current account with overdraft) and set up the account immediately - they even printed the debit card and gave it to me. I asked for a cheque book, but that was the only thing I had to wait for in the post.

I took the card with me on holiday to Italy and it seems to work just as well as the Nationwide debit card. I used it in several ATMs, a few shops and the motorway toll machines. One ATM rejected it but there were no problems anywhere else (although I couldn't get any of my debit or credit cards to work with the self service petrol machines).

There don't seem to be any charges for normal account use, so I'm very pleased with it so far and I think it will be a good replacement for my Nationwide account. The only negative point is that their online banking site is not exactly the greatest in the world and it looks horrible. I hope they tidy it up a bit.

Can you give us some actual transaction amounts, so that we can compare the exchange rates on the day; in order to ascertain if there are any deductions?
It might stop adindas from posting on the subject for a day or two.

benjus

Here you go:

07 SEP 2010 ATM Cash Withdrawal 15:51 £205.61 £0.00
27/08/10 19:09:47

0.82244
07 SEP 2010 Card Purchase 15:09 £3.53 £0.00
30/08/10 13:16:00

0.8209302
07 SEP 2010 Card Purchase 09:58 £36.39 £0.00
30/08/10 10:21:44

0.8270454
02 SEP 2010 Card Purchase 09:02 £22.33 £0.00
30/08/10 08:59:20
ESSO MERICO SS 379 BRINDISI 72100 ITAITA EUR 27
0.827037

benjus

As you can see, there's a fair bit of fluctuation - 3 of those transactions were on the same day (30th Aug) when the average exchange rate was 0.82240. However, it took between 3 and 8 days for them to arrive on my statement, so it's quite hard to determine exactly when the currency conversion took place and what the prevailing rate at the time was.

Donnie

It's a bit difficult to decipher what you have posted. There is only one Euro amount.

Perhaps you could space them, so that we can see each transaction, together with the Euro amount and which belongs to the correct transaction.

Perhaps you purposely removed the purchase places. That is fine, but it would be good if you left the Euro amounts intact.

Nevertheless, at first glance there doesn't appear to be any deductions.