HSBC overall opinion

tony_baduk

Hi there,
I have recently moved my current account from Barclays to HSBC.

How does HSBC compare to other leading banks. Are they generally rated good for their services?

Opinions from fellow HSBC customers would be extra useful.

Thanks.

Idiophreak

I've been with HSBC for about 2 years since switching from barclays (only HSBC would offer me a half decent postgrad loan).

Since then I've had nothing but hassle from them and found them to be incompetent and uncooperative whenever I've needed any help.

As soon as my loan's paid I'll be running for the hills and not looking back.

SparciaM

HSBC are awful. I opened an account when they were still Midland and all was ok. Then had a student acc, then graduate acc, then student acc (as was a postgrad) and now they don't understand anything. I graduated 2 years ago and wont convert my account to a graduate acc (they wont give a reason), their call centres are in India (unless u want something) and their rates are awful.

I'd advising switching to somewhere else. I moved to smile and never looked back, great internet banking and excellent UK call centre.

Beate

I never had a problem with HSBC, but have just opened accout with A&L due to better interest rates, while keeping HSBC open. Let's see how they like me shifting my money and transferring my ISA out though...

cifpower

Absolute shower. Closed my current account because I don't fit their profile anymore.

techno_geek

HSBC haven't been too bad for me - their branch staff sometimes get it wrong due to misunderstandings, but nothing that can't be resolved quickly and painlessly. They're only human, after all...

My dad banks with them, so when I was 14 they became my first bank - since then, I've opened accounts elsewhere and I think the worst service I've ever received has been from the Halifax!

steveeeee

I've been with HSBC all my banking life and never had any problems at all. Like SparciaM, I started with a Midland LiveCash account, then changed to a student account as they were offering a 5 year Young Person's Railcard. At this point I hadn't even thought about internet banking and was still visiting the branch in Goring (lovely staff) quite often.

They automatically switched me to a graduate account and gave me a Mastercard shortly after uni, and I started managing things online. I bought a house and got married and my wife has also banked with HSBC forever, so we got a joint account with HSBC, and I signed up for an ISA with them, too.

I think their online banking site is brilliant and it's so handy having all our accounts together on the one website (we have other accounts with better interest for savings plus a MSP cashback CC). I've never had any major problems with any aspect of the service (and neither has my wife), and any questions I've asked them have been answered quickly and well.

Lighthouse_2

It depends where you live. I have been with them over 15 years, and they were ok while I lived in England. However if you are in Scotland (like I am now) they are appalling. There are only three branches in the whole country, and if you need to visit one to deal with a person, then it is quicker to drive from Glasgow to Carlisle than queue in Glasgow, or Edinburgh. One trip took me over 5 hours to request a replacement debit card (you can't do this remotely if have moved recently).

"The world's local bank"?? They should be reported to the ASA!

However - the internet banking is good. Must be fair

barginbin

rubbish!!! they keep letting money go out my account without my permission and they have issued me about 4 cards in the last month and im £200 down and they still refuse to do anything about it. Im looking to switch banks but want a good freebie for changing lol

Alexei

I've been with HSBC for years, and have been very happy with them in general.

I had a kid's account, then a teenager's account, then a student account. They were very helpful about extending my overdraft when I needed it. Whenever I've dealt with branch staff, they've been very helpful. The call centres can sometimes be a bit of a hassle (once or twice have misunderstood what I've said), but in general are not bad.

Internet banking is excellent.

Interest rates are pretty dire (non-existent on current account, but also poor on the so-called savings account). Because of this I've just transferred my current account to Halifax (6.1% interest vs 0.1% with HSBC, plus £100 bonus) and my savings account has been elsewhere for years.

kuohu

I had a HSBC credit card for a while. The card took an age to arrive and the overseas customer services were just a joke.

That said, the online banking was good.