HSBC and First Direct are the same !!!!!!!s.

Mikhail

I applied to First Direct for a current account with a £1000 overdraft facility, I have no debts, no mortgage, no unpaid bills, regular high income, 7 years at the same address, Lloyds TSB Premier account, but I’m not on the electoral roll due to my nationality.

My initial application to FD was made via the phone, I’ve been told that they cannot make a decision immediately. A week later I received another call demanding much more private information regarding my investments, savings and ISAs in the UK AND ABROAD. I wish I sent them to hell, because I think it is not their business to put their nose in my private finance such as ISAs, etc.,
I did not apply for a mortgage or the most precious and advanced bank product for the super-rich; I only wanted a bank account with a £1000 overdraft facility, which I might only use while switching to them.

I’m still waiting for them to decide, they have checked my credit profile already three times that even affected my credit score from being ‘excellent’ to ‘good’ and I’m very angry, wish I never contacted them.

Entry Number: P1
Application type: Current Account
Searched by: FIRST DIRECT
Entry Number: P2
Application type: Unrecorded Enquiry
Searched by: FIRST DIRECT
Entry Number: P3
Application type: Identification: Generic Check
Searched by: HSBC BANK PLC

YorkshireBoy

Only the first search will impact (very slightly!) your file, because only the first will be visible to others searching your file. The second and third are both unrecorded enquiries.

You need to forget about CRA ratings such as good and excellent...they're meaningless words - much like the numbers you pay for (they call them 'scores').

There's a saying in this country..."he who pays the piper calls the tune". Accept that and you'll be fine.

meer53

You asked for an overdraft which is above the amount normally offered to new customers. Obviously they will look into your finances, you can't expect them to offer you this without doing any checks can you ?

Mikhail

meer53 wrote: »

You asked for an overdraft which is above the amount normally offered to new customers. Obviously they will look into your finances, you can't expect them to offer you this without doing any checks can you ?

£1000 "is above the amount normally offered to new customers" :rotfl:

Nationwide gave me 3K.

So you think it is normal for a bank to call you in the evening to ask how much your property in the UK and abroad is worth, then ask about your bank accounts and savings abroad, then continue asking about ISAs, etc. Don't forget that my employment details have been already taken in the first instance. Then run 3 (three) , not 2 or 1 but 3 checks(!) and for what? …a bank account with a £1000 overdraft facility.

They should make a bank account in this country a human right, as it is impossible to survive without a bank account, well it is possible but it will be considerably more expensive! In Russia for example banks cannot close or refuse banking services, they can apply high fees so people won't have a choice but to leave, but it never happened to my knowledge, apart from when HSBC closed its retail bank in Russia, so they have to apply this rule.

baby_frogmella

meer53 wrote: »

Obviously they will look into your finances, you can't expect them to offer you this without doing any checks can you ?

There's a huge difference between checking someone's credit file to see how well they manage their finances and checking everything from what colour underpants they wear to what they had for tea. A few years ago when i applied to open a First Direct account (self employed at the time), they asked me to send my last 12 months accounts to them!!!! That is after they credit searched me and asked for 6 months bank statements (i have a 100% clean credit record, pay bills on time, on electoral roll etc)
I told them to f*ck off and popped into my local HSBC branch who opened a HSBC current account for me there & then in 20 mins.

It seems a credit reference agency's records mean diddly squat to First Direct, they need to know every personal aspect of your life before they decide you can open a current account with them....jeez you'd think you were applying for an exclusive millionaires club with them:rotfl:

pmduk

First Direct are probably the most picky bank to open an account with.

nearlyrich

And once you are in they are the most fantastic bank I have ever known their customer servce is amazing.

meer53

pmduk wrote: »

First Direct are probably the most picky bank to open an account with.

You're absolutely right ! And the best.

Mags_cat

nearlyrich wrote: »

And once you are in they are the most fantastic bank I have ever known their customer servce is amazing.

Absolutely right. I switched my main accounts to them last year after opening an ISA with them and being very impressed with the service.

I won't be going anywhere now.

Mikhail

meer53 wrote: »

You're absolutely right ! And the best.

Why the best? Because of the customer service? I think the more time you need to contact the customer service the worst the services are …something to do with efficiency and modernisation.

American PayPal for example accepts cheque deposits via a mobile app and most banks even show the pending transactions for more clear and transparent banking.

Turtle

Mikhail wrote: »

Why the best? Because of the customer service? I think the more time you need to contact the customer service the worst the services are …something to do with efficiency and modernisation.

American PayPal for example accepts cheque deposits via a mobile app and most banks even show the pending transactions for more clear and transparent banking.

You are hardly in a postition to comment on their customer service when you're not a customer. The standard overdraft is £500 I think and they only do one type of current account, so I don't know what you're referring to when you say you're not applying for the account for the super rich, or whatever you called it.

I think you'll find a lot of people on here who will defend first direct, simply because they are streets ahead of everyone else. Obviously they're not perfect all the time, but they come out ahead of the others in polls and awards time and time and time again.