Halifax or First Direct? online usability

regularsaver1

and if you have an IF account you can't use the switching service with Halifax to get the £100 as both part of HBOS, so FD for you in this case

Jarlawuk

anandp wrote:

Hey all,

I'm opening a current account soon to replace my current. Wanting experiences on Halifax and First Direct as they're the ones I've narrowed it down to.

Interest rate wise, Halifax wins but as the money coming in, disappears only a day later, its not a huge criterion.

And apart from the £100 gift vs FD's £50, I cant see much in it.....

One major point for me is the online facility, is it good?

AP

You get 6.17% interest on balance of up to £2500 if you pay in £1000 each month at Halifax.

You get around 2% if you pay in £1500 each month at First Direct (+ a £10 charge if you pay in less than £1500 or you have another account with them).

Online use is about the same, I've been with both, but the customer services for FD are the best I've ever encountered out of all the banks I've been with.

GjrBartlett

Good Morning,

I'm currently in the process of opening an account with First Direct.

Following on from the above there is NO £10 charge for the first six months from opening account.

If you can't pay in £1500 p/m, simply open any savings account when you open the current account.

If you do this there is NO monthly fee ever.

GjrBartlett.

newmum1

Not sure about FD but halifax website is great ive been using it for years now and never had any problems.

Rafter

Glad to see a nice balanced thread.

Been an FD customer for 10+ years and nothing but praise for them. Even on the 2 occassions I had a problem, I could sort it out over the phone, even from overseas in the middle of the night UK time. That has to be worth the £2.50 a month I might have made switching my account to the latest best buy every 12 months and putting up with some of the horror stories about dealing with banks who are overwhelmed by demand for their best buy products.

Halifax and Alliance and Leicester are great at the juicy introductory offer. Look at their pricing tables though and you will see what were best buy products now looking decidedly weak with terrible interest rates. I'd rather bank with a company that offers the same competitive rate to all customers - not subsidising rate tarts through poor deals for loyal customers like me.

As far as websites go, FDs seems to be fine - no complaints. Got a letter from them yesterday saying they are revamping the security and other settings next month so not sure whether that will change things.

R.

SCOTTEX

No experience of FD but I've been using the Halifax Internet banking since year dot and have found it to be very user friendly and have had no issues with it, boring really. The only think I can't understand is how I can't put my kids accounts online with my portfolio, according to the Halifax they have to have their own area and you expect a child of 7 to do this Mr Halifax, I think not.

I use the HSBC site for our business and that is a lesson in how not to be user friendly ( quite like their overall business really).

willdashwood

As a self employed web developer I'm not impressed with Halifax's online banking. You can't download statements unless you switch from printed to paperless billing. I always need a hard copy for records but it's ridiculous to prevent me from downloading a simple CSV file to my spreadsheet package of my transactions. They have to keep the statements on file anyway so why not make them available to me.

I've moved to Alliance & Leicester because of this and the fact it's a better account. Their system is fantastic. Halifax are bringing in an updated system but it's too little too late for me.

I'm not sure if First Direct use the same online banking as HSBC but that's much better and easier to use (I have a graduate account with them which isn't being used). My partner works for HSBC though and after hearing the kind of slip ups both HSBC and FD make I think I'd rather put my money elsewhere!

GjrBartlett

Just a quick update, FD's offer has been increased to £100 for paying in £1500pm from salary/income for the first month.

This must be worth considering...............

Visit FD's website for further details.

GjrBartlett.

Moonbeam

SCOTTEX wrote:

No experience of FD but I've been using the Halifax Internet banking since year dot and have found it to be very user friendly and have had no issues with it, boring really. The only think I can't understand is how I can't put my kids accounts online with my portfolio, according to the Halifax they have to have their own area and you expect a child of 7 to do this Mr Halifax, I think not.

I use the HSBC site for our business and that is a lesson in how not to be user friendly ( quite like their overall business really).

You can add your kids account to your portfolio if you hold it in trust for them - you just don't have full access to it like your normal accounts - you can also create payments to it using the bill payment section rather than the normal transfer option you would use to move money between your own accounts.

anandp

Just read about First Direct's £100 offer - I've just opened my account with them and its smooth sailing so far.

I've been with HSBC up until now so hope the flexibility and functionality within their online service is as good as HSBC's.

Off to phone FD to match the £100!!