My RBS branch is moving to Santander

psychic_teabag

oldvicar wrote: »

I've got the same dilemma gadgetmind, from what was originally a Williams & Glyns branch in England. What I'm not sure about is what they plan to do with Direct Saver online accounts as these are centrally based in Glasgow (yes, not Edinburgh) rather than linked to branch.

For NatWest, online accounts seem to be internally associated with a current account, and will follow the current account. Mine have already been allocated a new sort code so they can be transferred to Santander along with current account. (Not sure if NatWest are further along the process than RBS.)

qpop

gadgetmind wrote: »

qpop wrote: »

Depending on the level of savings HSBC Premier is a fairly attractive proposition. The rules have got stricter more recently, but the requirements are either: "investable assets" of >£50,000 or annual income of >£100,000.

According to the brochure, that's £50k invested with them, and the £100k has further caveats of either a >£300k mortgage with them or "a product taken out through our independent financial advisory service".



Thanks, I've often looked at FD, and have spoken to them regards a mortgage for a holiday home (which we didn't buy), but inertia kept us with RBS.

If you sit yourself in front of a "Premier Manager" at an HSBC branch those criteria steadily melt away if they think there's money to made from you.

When I worked with the mortgage arm of HSBC (not selling, don't worry !) we regularly encountered examples of people who had earnings far below the threshold, and £50,000 in an easy access savings account, which was evidently and obviously for an immediate house purchase, who had been upgraded to the "premier service".

Not that that necessarily still goes on, but you do get a good service for free.

The downside of First Direct is that you receive no branch interaction whatsoever. I don't find that particularly troublesome, and queuing for 20 seconds to use a cheque paying-in machine in an HSBC branch is far better than queuing at the Halifax branch round the corner (where we have our "household" account) for half an hour to pay in the same cheque, only to sit and listen to the teller try and sell me three loans and a credit card!

gadgetmind

You can tell how much use I make of Private Banking: my "Relationship Manager" moved to Australia three years ago! Anyway, I've spoken to the new chap, and he's sending me the form to move my account to sunny Scotland, and he's (verbally) promised that I'll get the same terms even though account might need to change as it's a couple of decades obsolete.

gadgetmind

qpop wrote: »

[
If you sit yourself in front of a "Premier Manager" at an HSBC branch those criteria steadily melt away if they think there's money to made from you.

Not that that necessarily still goes on, but you do get a good service for free.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

itsj2

I'm a RBS customer in England who doesn't want to be transferred to Santander. My dilemma is whether to ask to be transferred to a RBS branch in Scotland or whether to transfer to a NatWest branch just down the road from my English RBS branch.

For continuity I would prefer the RBS branch in Scotland route even though I live over 100 miles from Scotland and would probably never visit such a branch in person. However, I'm concerned I would then have problems paying money in etc. If, for example, I do become a RBS Sottish branch customer would I be able to pay cheques in free of charge at a local English NatWest branch.

gadgetmind

Aren't all the Natwest branches also going to Santander?

I must admit that we rarely pay in cheques, and when we do, it's nearly always by post. Visiting our branch is always a last resort!

psychic_teabag

NatWest branches in Scotland are going to Santander

DotMatrix

Just to clarify,

All RBS branches in England have been sold to Santander
All RBS branches in Scotland will remain at RBS.

All NatWest branches in England will remian with at NatWest
All NatWest branches in Scotland have been sold to Santander


Dotty

organic_wanabe

My DS has a Student Account with NatWest in Edinburgh. The reason why he took out this particular account was that it offered a free Student Rail Card for the 3 years of his course. I wonder what will happen in September when he should get his third and final Student Rail Card? My guess is that Santander will not automatically provide it even although they are supposed to honour the original terms of the agreement. Another fight with Santander looming methinks.

ffacoffipawb

gadgetmind wrote: »

I'm not sure there are really any words you can put in front of "bank" that will help with that nasty whiff.

Sperm?

Perhaps not!