First Direct - £75 offer

Tirian

I signed up for a First Direct account before Christmas, when they had the £50 incentive on offer - however, due to their rather shoddy procedures for processing my identification procedures, my application wasn't approved in time to qualify so I simply let it lapse.

A couple of days ago, I received a letter from them offering £75 cash if I open an account before 30 April 2007.

The conditions state:

"Open a first direct Bank Accountand transfer yout salary/income (minimum £1500 per month) by 30 April 2007 and we will add £75 to your account. Incentives are paid within 29 days of criteria being met. Joining incentives are only paid to customers who have not previously held an account with first direct and are limited to one per customer or joint account relationship."

Is this the same t&c as the £50 offer, and will I still be able to get the £75 without transferring my salary payments? I am happy with my Co-Op account, and don't really want to switch - but I do have enough cash in my savings account to be able to make a one-off transfer of £1500. However, the application form requires me to fill in details of my current bank account, and my employer's name, address and phone number - and tick a box to say whether or not my salary and/or income will be paid into my first direct account.

Will I be able to get this £75 by simply opening an account, transferring £1500 in, leaving it for 28 days until the offer is activated, and the close the account?

Tirian

Jaine

I'd like to know the same. I don't want to transfer my account to First Direct but can pay in £1500. Will I be able to get the £75 then close the account?

Tirian

Well, doesn't seem as if anyone really knows.

The concern for me is that on the application form they have required sections that ask for your income, and for your employer's details, and ask you to specify how you are paid and if you will have your salary / income paid into the account.

I don't especially want to give out my employer's details to a bank - I don't see that it's any of their business. And I certainly don't want my bank contacting my employer either!!

It looks very much like a deliberate re-vamp of the form to tie up the loophole, so I am inclined to give it a miss.

crossleydd42

And what if you've retired and don't have an employer? These organisations never think things through properly!

This is like my applying for Home Insurance online and being asked if there is a watercourse within 1/4 mile of the property. Sure, there is one within that distance, but I live 150' above it! Hardly any risk of flooding, then!

Tirian

crossleydd42 wrote:

And what if you've retired and don't have an employer? These organisations never think things through properly!

This is like my applying for Home Insurance online and being asked if there is a watercourse within 1/4 mile of the property. Sure, there is one within that distance, but I live 150' above it! Hardly any risk of flooding, then!

It's a condition of the offer to get £75 that you "pay salary or income of at least £1500 per month" into the account. I'm sure you can open an account if you're retired - you just won't get the £75. Unless you have a pension of that much, in which case I guess you just specify the details of the pension company.

GjrBartlett

Afternoon all,

Could anybody please confirm that First Direct (FD) are offering £75 to open an account with them?

I have just been on their website and the current offer displayed, offers £50 to switch?

Has anybody else seen the £75 on their website? or received an email from them stating this?

If you read their T&C's there are also ways to get around the £10 fee if you can't meet the £1500 income AFTER the first month (To meet the T&C's for the £75/50 offer).
Holding a savings account with them is one way....

If anybody uses FD, comments on their customer service and day to day using, ie Internet Banking Plus.... would be most welcome?

Regards

GjrBartlett.

Tirian

I presume the £75 offer is probably only for people who signed up for an account when they had the £50 offer on, and then didn't follow through. I didn't get it from an email or on a website, it is printed in leaflets that I was sent through the post.

The application form they sent with the offer is a lot more comprehensive than the original one though, and basically I would have to lie in order to be able to get the £75 (i.e. state in writing that I would be paying £1500+ salary or income in per month, when I wouldn't)

As such, I'm just giving it a miss.

GjrBartlett

Thanks for the reply,

I will contact First Direct via phone tomorrow and see what they say & try to persuade them to part with £75!! if I open an account with them. (I will post the results of the enquiry tomorrow).

Wherever its £50 or £75, this is still a decent amount to make considering the little effort required to get it.

Kind Regards

GjrBartlett.

GjrBartlett

Good Evening All,

I've just spoken to First Direct's Helpline.....

They have confirmed the £75 offer does exist, however it was done via a specific mail drop to certain customers, these are not necessarily existing FD account holders either, they confirmed the bought the details from marketing companies...

Strange, therefore not sure if i'm eligible for this offer.... I'm going to ring their helpline back tomorrow on 0800 242424 & ask to speak to their marketing department, to ask why I've not been selected?

Hopefully, with some success, if not i'll send them a letter, asking why i've been "discrimanated" against? Am I not good enough?

Would suggest all other interested customers do the same, surely worth it for the price of a phone call or stamp to gain an extra £25!!

Kind Regards

GjrBartlett.

GjrBartlett

Good Afternoon Moneysavers

First Direct Account opening update......

Filled out my online application this afternoon, all going well, received a phone call from FD asking me just to confirm if I want to go ahead with the opening....

I asked about the £75 offer, which was only sent to some specific customers... Their helpdesk spoke to their marketing department who agreed to give me the £75 as opposed to the £50 advertised on their website!

Highly Recommend they to all, Their Helpdesk extremely helpful.

Any Questions please post a reply?

GjrBartlett