I'm switching to Handelsbanken

michaels

Faster payments?

jinkster

Faster than what?

Olipro

Faster payments is the name of an RTGS payment system, single payments of up to £10k can be sent via it and reach the beneficiary immediately.

gt94sss2

jinkster wrote: »

http://www.handelsbanken.co.uk/shb/inet/icentrb.nsf/vlookuppics/1_news_gf_2010_safest_banks/$file/gf_worlds50safestbanks2010.pdf - Try this link if your sceptical about how safe they are.

If you wanted safety, you would have been better off opening an account with HSBC/First Direct.

However, all surveys such as the one you linked too are flawed in some way.. for instance this one rates Santander as higher than HSBC - which is very odd...

Regards
Sunil

rb10

gt94sss2 wrote: »

If you wanted safety, you would have been better off opening an account with HSBC/First Direct.

... or Halifax, or Nationwide, or Barclays, or, in fact, anyone who is part of the FSCS.

huw01

rb10 wrote: »

... or Halifax, or Nationwide, or Barclays, or, in fact, anyone who is part of the FSCS.

Well isn't it only HSBC (Including First Direct of course as it's part of the HSBC Group) in the UK who hold more deposits than loans. I'm sure they pointed this out to me when I went in during the credit crunch when other banks were going belly up.

Degenerate

gt94sss2 wrote: »

However, all surveys such as the one you linked too are flawed in some way.. for instance this one rates Santander as higher than HSBC - which is very odd...

What's even odder is that it includes several of the German Landesbanks. These institutions were known to have problems long before the credit crunch and have been teering precariously since. The German government declined to offer a proper bailout and instead have done a good job of sweeping it under the carpet.

gt94sss2

rb10 wrote: »

... or Halifax, or Nationwide, or Barclays, or, in fact, anyone who is part of the FSCS.

I wasn't talking about getting your money back via the FSCS but as Huw01 points out the strength of the underlying institution itself.

HSBC being the only large financial institution in the UK and one of the few globally to lend less money then it has in deposits.. hence it has no need to have high savings rates - as it doesn't need the funds. A lower interest rate being another good indicator of less risk.

This is the same reason that Jinkster stated that Handelsbanken gave him, though its a much smaller institution.

I would be interested in how Jinkster finds Handelsbanken- its been mentioned on these boards very occasionally but like others I had the impression it was looking a very specific/asset rich client base.

Regards
Sunil

C_Mababejive

I'm not sure why there is so much confidence in FSA schemes.

All HM Government will do if a failure occurs is to print more money to cover it so in the end,we all pay.

Degenerate

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I'm not sure why there is so much confidence in FSA schemes.

All HM Government will do if a failure occurs is to print more money to cover it so in the end,we all pay.

As a depositer, would you rather lose your money or suffer a bit of inflation?