HSBC rage!!! New bank suggestions please.

yangptangkipperbang

Murphymycat wrote: »

It could vary from branch to branch. I had an HSBC/Midland account since I went to University in 1971. I never had any problems. I had an HSBC Business account as well, again no problems.

I would disagree with that in this day and age, the "Capt Mainwaring" type of bank manager has long gone. Apart from whether the lady on the counter actually smiles or scowls at you, everything is dictated from head office. You either get good service from your corporate bank or you don't.

Years ago I moved from one excellent branch of the Midland to another - I left the Midland after about 9 months when they appeared to install a random number generator which they used to pay my mortgage - that was in addition to the ATM which had a 50/50 option of whether it gave me my card back after a withdrawal.
I then went to Girobank - excellent ! until they started getting the corporate bug - then swallowed up by Alliance & Leicester, then Santander - 'nuff said !

Murphymycat wrote: »

I genuinely don't think than any one bank is better for all circumstances

Spot on ! I have 3 current accounts, FD being the main one, two others I use for other specific purposes.
My mortgage is with another finance house. I have 3 credit cards, two with finance houses other than those above.
I have 6 savings accounts with yet more finance houses.

The banks seem to have an almost inexhaustible list of ways to fleece their customers - luckily, I have the time to make my own list to fight back..:rotfl:

GooliesOfFire

I've never had any accounts with HSBC...However I have gone through many accounts with banks and bss like Lloyds TSB, Intelligent Finance, Alliance&Leicester then Santander, Norwich&Peterborough, Halifax.

When it comes to how I rate customer service in branches between those then Lloyds TSB was probably the best and Santander strongly the worst (cannot rate IF as it had no branches and I've never been to N&P branch as the closest is 20 miles away).

Best customer service over the phone was offered to me by N&P imho and the worst were Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Santander (surprise, surprise lol).

For internet banking I like N&P very much for its simplicity. Lloyds TSB and Halifax are exactly the same now, they are ok. Santander online banking experience was probably the worst.

I hold an account with Nationwide BS but they don't deliver any wow factor in those areas but at the same time they are not bad.

GlamGirlie

You have used HSBC for many years and by the sounds of it have given them little in return.

HSBC are, always have been, and always will be, the most conservative bank on the high street. A regular mandated salary is something they consider to be a risk mitigator - you don't have one, therefore you are higher risk.

As for stamping statements, this should not be necessary. Statements issued by their front office staff are printed on HSBC headed paper, as are temporary statements from the multi-purpose machines. There is therefore no need to add a cashier's stamp. If another bank is insisting on stamped statements then it is they who are causing you unneccessary aggravation, not HSBC.

Additionally, cashier's stamps are used as a form of receipt - by giving you a statement, the bank is not receiving anything therefore there is no need to stamp anything.

Finally, I would add that HSBC has not had any tax payer bailouts, nor has it had to accept funding from overseas as barclays did. Their conservative approach means they are the best capitalised on the high street and indeed one of the best in the UK and the world. This has been achieved because of their caution in lending.

GlamGirlie

Dr_Cuckoo3 wrote: »

With HSBC they will know whether they are likely to approve your credit card application before you even apply based on your existing current account conduct (known as pre-approvals years ago when I got mine)

So did you have a "pre-approval" and if so - did the bank use it's discretion to override this and refuse to grant you a credit card , or was it the case that your account conduct did not merit granting a credit card ? :idea:

PALS (pre-approved limits) disappeared from HSBC systems a couple of years ago.

jjlandlord

GlamGirlie wrote: »

HSBC are, always have been, and always will be, the most conservative bank on the high street.
...
Finally, I would add that HSBC has not had any tax payer bailouts, nor has it had to accept funding from overseas as barclays did. Their conservative approach means they are the best capitalised on the high street and indeed one of the best in the UK and the world. This has been achieved because of their caution in lending.

Exactly what I was going to say having read OP's post.
They don't run fancy offers, but they remain solid.

As for OP's complaint about his credit card application: £30k pa is not that high, especially with no provable regular income.
Idem for mortgage if you add only 10% deposit.

Personally I like to know that my money is with serious people.

Bloomberg

BugsyBrowne wrote: »

I had enough of bank loyalty with Barclays being a customer for 18 years and TBH couldn't fault them but needed a change and opened up a lloyds account and very happy so far.

With all due respect I struggle to understand why you would want to leave a bank that you cannot fault. What were the anticipated benefits of changing? I have changed banks a couple of times in the past as a result of poor service, at the moment I am with HSBC and have no complaints and therefore have no intention of changing.

jon142

Lloyds TSB are pretty good with me but Halifax have the £200 switch offer at the moment too?

Bloomberg

GlamGirlie wrote: »

You have used HSBC for many years and by the sounds of it have given them little in return.

HSBC are, always have been, and always will be, the most conservative bank on the high street. A regular mandated salary is something they consider to be a risk mitigator - you don't have one, therefore you are higher risk.

As for stamping statements, this should not be necessary. Statements issued by their front office staff are printed on HSBC headed paper, as are temporary statements from the multi-purpose machines. There is therefore no need to add a cashier's stamp. If another bank is insisting on stamped statements then it is they who are causing you unneccessary aggravation, not HSBC.

Additionally, cashier's stamps are used as a form of receipt - by giving you a statement, the bank is not receiving anything therefore there is no need to stamp anything.

Finally, I would add that HSBC has not had any tax payer bailouts, nor has it had to accept funding from overseas as barclays did. Their conservative approach means they are the best capitalised on the high street and indeed one of the best in the UK and the world. This has been achieved because of their caution in lending.

I could not agree more with what you have written. Everything in your post rings true, people need to realize that reckless borrowing and lending is what has put us in this financial crisis. Banks receive criticism for lending to )generously and now they are being criticized for being to stringent.


I would go as far as to say the HSBC is probably the safest place for your money apart from government bonds. As mentioned in your post their cautious lending has made them strong, this in conjunction with their global diversity is what puts them way ahead of the field.

BugsyBrowne

Bloomberg wrote: »

With all due respect I struggle to understand why you would want to leave a bank that you cannot fault. What were the anticipated benefits of changing? I have changed banks a couple of times in the past as a result of poor service, at the moment I am with HSBC and have no complaints and therefore have no intention of changing.

TBH I got a bit bored with their online banking and just fancied a change but as quoted never had a problem with them and will still use them for a couple of DD's but my loan with them finish soon to so hopefully after a few months with lloyds maybe they will increase my OD to the same as my barclays one but probably have to wait 6 months or so.

rb10

GlamGirlie wrote: »

Their conservative approach means they are the best capitalised on the high street and indeed one of the best in the UK and the world.

This bit isn't actually true - there are many other banks that are better capitalised than HSBC.