Carpetbagging - which b.s accounts to keep open?

talexuser

roddydogs wrote: »

"All" demutuals have "failed??

ok, ok... NR, B&B, & Halifax, two with nothing for shareholders, and the Lloyds shares a tiny fraction of what Halifax used to be worth. A&L now Santander, likewise share value, and Woolwich was taken over by Barclays was it? I seem to remember I got around 3K payout from the Woolwich which I had inside a pep, but again lower than peak. If you had all and kept them, the total return would look pretty lame now

claire07

I too have got a lot of small building society accounts opened many years ago in hope of mergers/windfalls and this year will be the time I finally close them. It was a hobby and I liked collecting them (sad I know!) and will be sorry to close them but OH keeps making comments about "the worst thing if you peg it will be the paperwork involved". So I will declutter the accounts and possibly just keep the Nationwide, National Counties, Coventry and a few others that are in fixed rate bonds.

1jim

To be honest I wouldnt keep the coop aco!!!! as I really cant ever see them demutualising....I know you should never say never but it is already a "bank" and is part of a much larger organisation shops/travel/cars/funerals etc....just cant ever see it happening imho

talexuser

1jim wrote: »

To be honest I wouldnt keep the coop aco!!!! as I really cant ever see them demutualising....I know you should never say never but it is already a "bank" and is part of a much larger organisation shops/travel/cars/funerals etc....just cant ever see it happening imho

The Co-Op will demutualise when official Labour party policy is to take away all social benefits and have no tax for millionaires! (this will obviously be the coalition policy for next year).

scott_lithgows

I,m with Yorkshire,Scottish,Newcastle,Leeds,Skipton and Nationwide.Keeping the lot for when the greedy Spanairds try to keep their market share up at santandire.

Would vote against demutualisation at Yorkshire and Scottish though.

happyshopper

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

Personally I'm not keeping WB, N&P or Brit but AM keeping Nat Counties

claire07 wrote: »

So I will declutter the accounts and possibly just keep the Nationwide, National Counties, Coventry and a few others that are in fixed rate bonds.

Out of interest, can I ask you both why you think National Counties might be worth keeping open? I was thinking about closing mine. Have had it since the mid nineties so am a bit reluctant if there's any chance at all of it bearing fruit, as it were.

Thanks very much,

hs

claire07

Many years ago when they had accounts with great rates and only one main office address I think they were rumoured to be worth the most if they were taken over, so I'm probably out of date in my thinking they're still worth hanging on to. When I've closed some of the tiddlers first I'll perhaps have a rethink whether there's any point in keeping National Counties now. In the past I never dared close any building society because I knew I'd be so annoyed if they were taken over afterwards, but I now agree those days are gone for the foreseeable future.

Peelerfart

WOW !,

I never thought I'd hear the word "carpetbagging" again in my lifetime.

1jim

Peelerfart wrote: »

WOW !,

I never thought I'd hear the word "carpetbagging" again in my lifetime.

I think you will hear it from time to time, just think we will see it happen in our lifetime:o

Old_Slaphead

happyshopper wrote: »

Out of interest, can I ask you both why you think National Counties might be worth keeping open? I was thinking about closing mine. Have had it since the mid nineties so am a bit reluctant if there's any chance at all of it bearing fruit, as it were.

Thanks very much,

hs

As Claire says - used to and occasionally still offers good rates, affluent part of country & highest potential payout for merger.

Not sure last one now applies but still a decent long shot for just £100.

Have dumped most of rest except for top 6 (and unless they're offering a good rate they only get £100 of my money) - got fed up with subbing CEOs lavish pay & pensions.