Santandare Takeover of RBS and NatWest....

EarthBoy

Lloyds had the black horse before they merged with the TSB, so there's no reason to think they will drop it when they sell off the TSB brand and go back to just being Lloyds Bank again.

pmduk

If you like RBS, then look at Natwest. However, how often do you actually use a branch? I've not been in one since opening my account.

bryanb

Just to clarify- Nationwide is a building society, not a bank.

scott_lithgows

Principality Building Society for your (Welsh) savings.

young_money_saver

RobHolyhead wrote: »

Hi all

Not a happy chappy today! Santandare have completed their takeover of RBS and Natwest, I have happily banked with RBS for a long time but no more my accounts are being moved over to a Spanish bank on their terms which will put 1.8 Million UK bankers out of pocket, This transfer will happen in the next 12 - 18 months and i want out before that time comes, Ive been looking in to Nationwide as they seem the most promising UK bank, can anyone suggest where i should move to? what are your dealings with the other banks? good and bad?

P.S If anyone suggests the Halifax i shall hunt you down and wash your mouth out with a bar of soap! :rotfl:

Thanks

Rob

just to clarify its Santander not santandare.

blueberrypie

RobHolyhead wrote: »

Not a happy chappy today! Santandare have completed their takeover of RBS and Natwest, I have happily banked with RBS for a long time but no more my accounts are being moved over to a Spanish bank on their terms which will put 1.8 Million UK bankers out of pocket, This transfer will happen in the next 12 - 18 months and i want out before that time comes, Ive been looking in to Nationwide as they seem the most promising UK bank, can anyone suggest where i should move to? what are your dealings with the other banks? good and bad?

It really depends on your definition of "good". For example, in choosing a current account, it's important to me that I have access to on-line banking, and that Faster Payments are reliable. I don't mind if the savings products are poor because I don't feel a need to have my savings and current accounts with the same bank. I want any problems to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. It's nice if they give me a bit of money but it's not essential (as I said, my savings are elsewhere anyway).

So when I was looking around last year, I discounted Nationwide immediately because of their FP implementation. I believe it's better now, but they're still a long way behind most other banks on that score.

For a variety of reasons I've current accounts with Barclays, LTSB, Halifax, First Direct and A&L/Santander (the latter to be closed shortly). First Direct stands out on customer service, but it will never be my only current account because I do need to be able to deposit cash sometimes. I like that Halifax pays me £20 every month (3 Reward accounts and a Clarity card). The Barclays current account came with my mortgage, and was handy when I was opening and funding an ISA with them a couple of years ago, but otherwise is never touched.

But your criteria are different to mine - e.g. I've never been into a branch for a "review". I glance at the leaflets and promotional material they send me and if it's not for a product I've already read about, I'll read them and see if it's something I'm interested in - but I certainly don't feel the need to go in and see them so they can try to sell me stuff.

scott_lithgows

young_money_saver wrote: »

just to clarify its Santander not santandare.

I thought it was Santan-dire or Satander.

MoneySavingNovice

scott_lithgows wrote: »

I thought it was Santan-dire or Satander.

:rotfl:

I was under the impression that it was Satandire

chambta

MoneySavingNovice wrote: »

:rotfl:

I was under the impression that it was Satandire

Or San-turd-er?

GillM

pmduk wrote: »

If you like RBS, then look at Natwest. However, how often do you actually use a branch? I've not been in one since opening my account.

What do you do about paying cash into your account? Or does the situation never arise? My mum gets her pension in cash (never had a bank account in her life) and so pays me her contribution to household expenses (she lives with me) in cash, which I periodically pay into my bank account.