Metro bank - new customer review

Hazzanet

I've used Halifax, HSBC, Natwest and Lloyds all without charge.

alanq

carousels wrote: »

I read somewhere on the Metro Bank site (and please correct me if I'm wrong!) that it would charge me to withdraw money from UK ATMs if they are NOT special Metro Bank ones.

I assume that you are referring to:

Withdrawals from Metro Bank ATMs are free, however, you should be aware that there are some ATM owners who may charge for withdrawals - there should always be a warning on the screen before they do so, giving you the option to cancel the transaction

https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Non-menu-pages/Fees--Charges/

I interpret that as saying that, as with most other other banks, the bank makes no charge for cash withdrawals but the owner of an ATM may do so.

carousels

Cheers, alanq - for clearing that up.

Yes2550

Consistently awful experience with Metro. I transferred 1 ISA account a year ago, andafter endless (too numerous to mention here) mistakes and poor process, theygave me significant compensation. Mylist of issues/complaints covered 1.5 A4 pages. Yes, for a simple ISA transfer!! When I went to close the ISA, I was unable to do this online, their callcentre advised me to go to a branch, did this (special trip, several miles) andspent most of an hour with 4 different people trying to close the account. They eventually did after 2 days (they saidtheir computer systems do not work properly+ printers did not work), but theystill have to refer to their ISA centre for final closure. It is quite clear they have poor computersystems and the staff are poorly trained and/or not very bright (sorry, butthis has to be said). I gave them thebenefit of the doubt, but their glossy image simply covers a bank which issignificantly worse than the existing banks.

Yannis.

reclusive46 wrote: »

They've obviously issued you guys and an online only card. This means the card won't work when the card can't be authorised (Like a toll) or when the full transaction amount isn't authorised (Like a pay@pump).

Hi reclusive46,
Would you be so kind to give a little more in depth explanation on that as I haven't heard of it before.
Thanks

heloid

Yannis, there are 2 sets of Visa/Mastercard credit card types and you are issued 1 or the other depending on how risky the banks think you are.

Offline card: Means it will work with a point of sale machine that isn't connected to Visa/Mastercard to check if you have available credit. You get these if the banks trust you a bit more. If you were so inclined you could run up a £6000 charge when you only had £1000 available credit. Toll booths and petrol stations generally aren't always connected to the internet or mobile network, someone or an automated service connects them routinely to download the transactions and charge your credit card.

Online card: The bank trusts you a little less and essentially you can only use it on point of sale machines that can check your available credit then and there. This is the vast majority of shops, all ATMs etc.

John_Pierpoint

My wife had the details of "our" credit card stolen, in the days before "verified by VISA" etc and the scumbag just ordered things over the internet for several hundred pounds until he overreached himself and ordered something worth about £350. The retailer got hold of our telephone number and phoned to check the delivery details.
As well as causing chaos over Xmas the ongoing effect for the next three - six months was that if we tried to use a machine such as rail tickets, pay at pump, etc.
the card would be declined. Even some retailers would be asked to phone and confirm, even though the PIN was new, correct and anyway it had never been compromised. It wasn't a Metro card, but I guess all providers use this "we don't trust you" facility.

You have been warned.

richardmk

All good things come to an end...
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Personal/Using-your-Debit-or-Credit-Card-abroad/

Doc_N

richardmk wrote: »

All good things come to an end...
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Personal/Using-your-Debit-or-Credit-Card-abroad/

Still fee-free within Europe, though - for now.

Just as well - it's the only reason many of us even keep Metro accounts open! There's precious little other reason to stay with them!

reclusive46

Doc_N wrote: »

Still fee-free within Europe, though - for now.

Just as well - it's the only reason many of us even keep Metro accounts open! There's precious little other reason to stay with them!

It'll only be free in Europe as MasterCard and Visa don't charge fees to issuers for transactions in other EU countries.