Best Current Accounts Discussion Area

CopperPlate_2

Well if you ever manage to get an account open with cahoot it will be a small miracle. They have to have the worst customer service I have ever come across in ANY financial organisation. They are beyond words.

If you ever get the application form sent to you, again, a pig will have just flown past your window and you will not have noticed it because you will have collapsed in a stunned heap at actually having eventually received it probably about 12 weeks after you completed the online application. Avoid. With barge poles. Don't get sucked in with their tempting offer of a gazzilion % interest: no amount of interest compensates for incompetency.

Rant over. Needless to say this is all based on personal experience...

CopperPlate_2

If the alternative was cahoot or a biscuit tin I'd be eating the Jacobs now to empty it.

CopperPlate_2

sparkymark wrote:

Nationwide launching c/acc today paying 4.25% on balance up to £3k (7.75% overdraft) min. credit £1 k a month.
Stick that in your pipe big 4 (+ Halifax) LOL

Yes and even though I am transferring from smile to NW - they have cut their rate of interest on their E-saver account by about 0.25% which isn't great is it...?

innovate

lauraj wrote:

What are Cahoot like?

I have had my main current account with Cahoot since July last year. Opening the account was entirely painless and the interest rate for credit balances isn't bad at 3.9% for a current account with chequebook.

Can pay cheques in at Post Offices, and have yet to find an ATM that doesn't accept the Cahoot card foc.

Customer service has been very ok when I needed them - have to add that I am perfecty ok with web service that may take 24 hours to respond - I do not have a requirement for Branch service.

The online facilities are a bit basic, but transfers from and to the Cahoot savings accounts are instant, and I can set up/manage DDs and SOs as well as bank transfers as and when I like.

To date, no DD, SO or bank transfer has failed, and I never had a problems with the [VISA] debit card at ATMs, in shops, or on the web.

There is no minimum monthly pay-in requirement, and I got a £500 overdraft without even asking for an overdraft (£100 of the overdraft is interest-free, anything above this is so high I don't recognise the numbers!!!)

Interest rates are amongst the best for current and savings and loans accounts. They also do the unique WebCard which is very useful, though not accepted on all Internet shopping sites.

Is Cahoot my only account? Hell no. Are Cahoot amongst the better banks? Definitely, IMHO.

sashanut

Hi there

I wonder if anyone can help out. I was very interested in the A&L Premier account as they could offer 0% interest on overdrafts. I just applied (joint application) online & almost immediately got an email entitled 'Good News'.

On reading it however, I think it isn't good news at all! :mad: Here's what it said:

Thank you for applying for an Alliance & Leicester Premier Direct Current
Account.

I am sorry, but we are unable to offer you a Premier Direct Current
Account at this time. We would, however, like to offer you a Current
Account, with all the benefits of a cheque book and Visa Electron card
which you can use at any cash machine in the UK.

Am I right to be depressed? Apparently they will send me all the 'forms via First Class Post ' & I just have to sign them. I can't even find any reference to their 'Current Account' on the website........

Hope some kind person can enlighten me!

lauraj_3

To sashanut,
I had an Alliance and Leicester account for about 6 months last year and had nothing but trouble. They have the worst customer service I have ever come accross. In my opinion they are a useless bank and I would say don't touch them with a barge pole! I've been with Barclays the rest of the time but I am in the process of opening an account with First Direct as they seem to be the best all rounder.
Is the account they have offered you the one they call 'Young Worker Account'? Are you age 16-24? That's the only one I could find that wasn't premier -

http://www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/currentaccounts/index.asp?page=yw-curr-acc&ct=curracchome

But my advice would be, the interest rates were the only good thing about the remier account and I would rather put up with rubbish rates than suffer their appauling customer service and rubbish on line banking website..

sashanut

Thanks for the advice Lauraj - no, I'm not a Young Worker so it can't be that account they are offering me! I suspect it is their bog standard account with whopping interest & no priveledges at all though, I think they are taking me for a ride. All I was interested in was the 0% O/D with the same limit that your current bank has set...What puzzles me though is that they are sending me the papers through the mail before ever finsing out if I want the thing or not. Perhaps they figure I am so desperate for a bank account (not) that I will sign up whatever the rubbish they send. I'll post what they do send when it eventually arrives.

Frank1in

Hi,
This is my first post as I have only just started to get money savvy through this website. I m looking for a new current account and savings. I am currently with the HSBC Graduate account, for both, they are okay but I think I can do better.
What would you recommend? I don't want a credit card, don't have any at the moment and in a previous post someone mentions that you can only get the £50 cashback with the Lloyds TSB premier account if you also take the credit card?

I am hoping to save £500 a month in my savings account so obviously an ISA first but what would you all recommend after that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks
Frank1in.

poppy25

Can anyone let me know what first direct are like?

Ive been with Barclays for about 7 years now but have never been happy with there service, i really want to change banks but the only one that seems to appeal to me at the moment is first direct but before i apply i wanted to know some general opinions on them.

thanks

lipidicman

I dont use FD a lot, went with them for the bribe. However, every time I have phoned they have been incredibly helpful and cheerful. By far the best phone service of any bank I have ever used.