First Direct overrated

Flo_Rida_2

Hi,

I thought I'd post here as there seems to be so much love for First Direct but my experience with them has left me wishing I hadn't bothered.

I have just remortgaged with FD and all is now complete. The latest error from them is getting the mortgage payment account details wrong - something which I know they will sort out but every time I call them it takes 15-30 mins of my time and I have now had to call them more than 10 times at least - not including initial applications. If I didn't double check everything they did I would now be in all sorts of trouble.

So far they have:

Got our name(s) wrong, even though they were carefully spelled out
Set up unwanted bank accounts x 2 and attempted to switch my account without any authorisation or agreement.
Setup incorrect phone & web security details
Sent us a mountain of unnecessary paperwork x 3 for the joint account and unwanted accounts.
Their conveyancers couldn't complete because of a few £'s difference between redemption figure - and gave no option other than delaying completion.
Asked me to reset security twice due to their !!!!-ups.
Wrong payment account details - which could mean I have to move money around to cover the payment or risk defaulting on our first payment which would go against our credit rating.

I'm happy with the mortgage rate but their actual handling of things has been extremely half assed. I don't care if they are friendly to speak to (which they were most of the time), I would prefer if they just got things right.

I could now never bank with FD as I just don't trust them. My previous remortgage with the eternally useless Santander was a piece of cake.

The biggest problem is that FD try to get you to switch accounts - and just assume that you will. They need to stop believing their own hype as they are nowhere near perfect.

EarthBoy

Flo_Rida wrote: »

The biggest problem is that FD try to get you to switch accounts - and just assume that you will.

Maybe it's a condition of having the mortgage that you have a current account with them? If so, then it certainly wouldn't be unusual. Many banks insist that the mortgage payments come from one of their own accounts.

Flo_Rida_2

You are correct EarthBoy, we do have an account with them but I told them many times that we had no intention of switching our joint back account - for on thing the online FD system is not particularly good and we are happy with our current bank.

They force customers to make payments from the FD account which means setting up a standing order and having yet more bank details to keep an eye on and more paperwork to shred and burn.

While they told me that we must have one of their accounts, they never once told me that we must make payments from that account.....but it's in the small print.

I must have had mortgages with 10 or more banks and this is the first time that I have been unable to choose the bank account from which I make the payment from. It's a ridiculous thing to insist upon and completely unnecessary. Why should they care as long as they get their money?
I hope the FD experience improves. It can't get much worse.

ABRDF

3 years ago we transferred mortgage, bank account, 2 credit cards within 3 weeks with no problems. They answer your calls quickly and promptly they are UK based and if they can't help they ring you back.

First rate in my opinion, best bank after 35 years of banking with other banks.

Redouble

Don't know about answering calls promptly. I've spent more than 2 hours on hold today and have given up!

But other than that, I have been impressed. Would still really like to get through to them though...

samwsmith1

Redouble wrote: »

Don't know about answering calls promptly. I've spent more than 2 hours on hold today and have given up!

But other than that, I have been impressed. Would still really like to get through to them though...

Two hours on hold? Which number are you ringing?
You should be calling either 08 456 100 100 or 0113 234 5678, the first time I heard hold music was for a split second after hearing "Thank you for calling First Direct, all of our advisors are currently helping other customers, please hold and someone will be with you shortly" the other week.

Nine_Lives

Agree with the comment that they're overrated.

People rave on about them like they're making people millionaires or something. You ask why they're so great & you get told "customer service". Yeah, but why do they warrant the over-the-top praise though. Errrr.....customer service?

Whup-tee-do

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have good customer service, but that's what i EXPECT anyway - you should get good customer service as a minimum, so they're only doing what they should be doing.
Their online banking isn't all that.

They're good, they're just not as good as what many make out .... in my opinion.

Redouble

I'm using the 0113 number, I called about 3 or 4 times yesterday (due to phone cutting off) and I never heard the hold music at all, today im just sat on hold all day.

katejo

Redouble wrote: »

Don't know about answering calls promptly. I've spent more than 2 hours on hold today and have given up!

But other than that, I have been impressed. Would still really like to get through to them though...

This baffles me. I have been with FD for over 20 years and have always had a quick response.

samwsmith1

katejo wrote: »

This baffles me. I have been with FD for over 20 years and have always had a quick response.

That's what I'm thinking as well.
It my be worth sending them a secure message with your query and asking them to call you back between a certain time, as they always respond to these promptly.

Redouble

samwsmith1 wrote: »

That's what I'm thinking as well.
It my be worth sending them a secure message with your query and asking them to call you back between a certain time, as they always respond to these promptly.

That sounds like a plan, How do I do this please? I am a new customer so not yet aware of everything! (been with my current 2 banks for 26 and 10 years, so this is a strange feeling! )