Handelsbanken

DCFC79

livingthedream1 wrote: »

After looking around the high street i will be moving my bank account to them. I like the fact that i can call in to their office and talk to my account manager - unlike at HSBC when at lunch time last week i had to either call an Indian call centre or go to the branch (like i decided to do) and wait for over 50 minutes in a waiting area in a large understaffed city centre branch. My lunch break was wasted because 80% of the people in front of me were clearly people not at work who could have gone in to the bank at any time of day but chose the busiest. As for their rates - their published rates are only a guide, customers are offered lower rates where the risk reflects it - each customer has their own tariff of charges. I like the fact its not on the high street, one of the big 4 and the fact that i will save at least £50 per month on HSBCs charges when using the card abroad! Thanks Handelsbanken

Oh no you had to wait, oh dear god I why. Seriously livingthedream customers can go to the bank when they want, the particular day could have been they're day off and needed to go to the bank or popped into the bank before going to work.

livingthedream1

My point, which you have clearly missed DCFC79, is that HSBC don't offer appointments so I can't bank at lunch time as there is not enough time because of the long waiting times. Yes i suppose maybe all the other customers including foreign students were all on a day off or others were working with their babies and those old enough to be retired were on lunch too ???? Having an account manager means more flexibility and a better understanding of my needs from the bank. It might be the old fashioned way by for me in a busy job it's better .....

innovate

give us a break, livingthedream1. If people want to go to Handelsbanken and bare their finances, they will do so after having done their research. Nobody on MSE will go there on recommendation of a new poster who seems to have an ulterior motive.

livingthedream1

Oh so you can only be taken seriously if you have posted 7,560 other posts. Was your first post not valid either. I actually was using this forum to see what other people thought before I "bare all" handing in my application form to them next week. I shared why I thought they were good against HSBC who I have been with for 20 years which might help others who are in the same position as me. Clearly I have misunderstood what this forum is for !!

innovate

livingthedream1 wrote: »

Oh so you can only be taken seriously if you have posted 7,560 other posts. Was your first post not valid either. I actually was using this forum to see what other people thought before I "bare all" handing in my application form to them next week. I shared why I thought they were good against HSBC who I have been with for 20 years which might help others who are in the same position as me. Clearly I have misunderstood what this forum is for !!

Just think about it - - would you take the recommendation of somebody who has absolutely no track record on an Internet forum? Particularly on critical matters like your finances?

If you want to drum-roll for Handelsbanken, perhaps convince MSE to add it to their Best Bank Accounts article. That would have considerable weight. Good luck!

livingthedream1

FYI i didn't make a recommendation
FYI i shared my opinion having thoroughly searched the high street
FYI because its my first post doesn't mean what I say is not right on "critical matters"
FYI there was no drum roll, it just works for me
Also
FYI The problem with forums are people like you, I shared an opinion in the hope of helping others, and you, acting as the forum police, seem to have hijacked what I was trying to get across to other users. This will be my last post as I have a life and if its people like you - wannabe Martin Lewis - who are "recommending" products services and suppliers I have absolutely no interest in your small minded multiple posting thoughts. Ps. It would be the best bank article (customer satisfaction winner 2009/10&11) not the best account which I never claimed it to be .... As per my first post.

System

There are indeed some strange characters on here. They think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't post. I am very pleased with my bank, have banked with them for a couple of years and feel it right to contribute to threads about the bank, putting forward how I find them. I was basically told I shouldn't be making positive comments all the time and the particular forum policeman felt it perfectly OK for him to be making constant digs at the bank and for others to join in on his side. He showed this by 'thanking' anyone else who made a negative comment.

I did bow out for a while, Like you I felt 'what's the point?' but you and I have as much right to post as the forum policemen.

I for one am interested in what you have to say. Please carry on - this forum is for all of us, no matter how many posts you have made!

And welcome :-)

livingthedream1

Thanks SCGF, I really appreciate you taking the time to post a response and I really value what you say.

Oh and if Handelsbanken publicise low rates, but offer us much better ones on a one to one, and this is what keeps the 'innovate' types away from joining them - then this is definitely the bank for me!

Thanks again !!!!!

MaccyDs

Does anyone know if they have a minimum required to open an account and do they have a minimum required monthly payment?

I am looking for a new UK bank account after having one of the worse experiences with my bank this morning which has pushed me to leaving and I have heard of Handelsbanken before but their site literally has no information on any minimums required, so does anyone know?

InsideInsurance

I had a long discussion about this with their area manager once

No they dont, each branch operates very independently of each other and are allowed to set their own criteria. In part it also comes down to if any of the "bankers" have space on their client list - though I imagine the more desirable you are the more they are willing to make space.

My experience, after talking to 3 branches, was that some are willing to look at future potential (ie youngish person, good income/ career but no big savings or mortgage) and others its simply about if you have £100,000 of savings to move today or not.

Generally speaking you are bound by your geographic area to a branch (work or home) and cannot just choose a different one because you feel like it - I did find an email to the area manager did fix the problem when my "local" branch said certainly not (but come back when you want a mortgage) but the next nearest (only 0.3 miles difference) had said they'd be interested

As has been said, they are fairly selective about who they take on and simply having a £300k job may not be enough on its own.