Any Basic Bank Accounts Offer a Switching Service?

gilesdavies

I am currently operating a Yorkshire Bank Ready Cash account and to be honest found them great... With them offering Ready Cash customers a full branch service, friendly staff and a Maestro debit card.

But with their lack of branches (once you go south of Northamptonshire where I live they are few and far between), limited opening hours (not open of Saturdays and only open 10am-3.30pm in the week) and unable to pay money in through the ATM, this has started to become an issue for me.

I have a very poor credit history, and want to avoid the hassle of applying for a current account, which I know I will get declined for. I have a number of direct debits and standing orders and just want to switch to another basic bank account, that will move these all over for me. Without having to contact the companies cancel and reset up the DD's.

I got stung by the Halifax and they really annoyed me. I went into their branch last weekend, stated my situation and wanted a basic bank account where they could transfer all my SO and DD's for me. They told me this wasn't a problem and could do it all for me, and thought this was great.

They then started inputting my application details into the computer, only to find out I was declined and they had actually put in an application for a current account! The women then said she could offer me an Easy Cash account, but would need to apply for this via the post and offered no switching service. At the same time saying this, opening the office door and making it perfectly clear she was not interested in dealing with me and was time I left.

I was so annoyed they had knowingly deceived me, that I will now not use Halifax regardless of what facilities they use.

I have heard good things about Co-op and interested in opening an account with them, I think its the Cashminder account, but says nowhere on the website if they offer a switching service for this account. I am weary about going into the branch, in case they try and make me apply for a current account without me knowing about it.

If there aren't any that offer a Switching Service, I will probably stay with Yorkshire Bank, and just have to try working around their opening hours and lack of branches.

innovate

Your expectations of what a switcher service can do for you are probably too high. Having used two myself now (First Direct and Nationwide), I would never use a switcher service again. You got to do so much yourself in the process anyway that it is easier to do it all yourself to start with.

In any case, you need to have the money for a DD in both your accounts, until you see the new DD in your new bank account, and the old DD disappearing in the old account. You don't have to do all the transfers in one go - do one or two a week if you feel overwhelmed doing them all in one go. You don't even have to close your old account at all, but you can certainly take your time for the transfer.

Many companies/organisations allow you to request change of your Direct Debit account online, or on the phone. Some, such as Councils, insist on receiving a written form, but they usually allow you to download the form from the Internet.

A Standing Order is easy to transfer - you cancel it on your old account, you set it up on your new account. Should take no more than 2 minutes for each SO.

With Faster Payment, transferring money between accounts is a doddle, usually done in seconds more often than not. So you can manage your balances as needed during the transfer period.

thatsean

Nationwide Flexaccount does, even if you only get the Cashcard+, which is a Visa debit card that's purple, not blue.

Not aware of any others.

ian_h

gilesdavies wrote: »

I am currently operating a Yorkshire Bank Ready Cash account and to be honest found them great... With them offering Ready Cash customers a full branch service, friendly staff and a Maestro debit card.

But with their lack of branches (once you go south of Northamptonshire where I live they are few and far between), limited opening hours (not open of Saturdays and only open 10am-3.30pm in the week) and unable to pay money in through the ATM, this has started to become an issue for me.

I have a very poor credit history, and want to avoid the hassle of applying for a current account, which I know I will get declined for. I have a number of direct debits and standing orders and just want to switch to another basic bank account, that will move these all over for me. Without having to contact the companies cancel and reset up the DD's.

I got stung by the Halifax and they really annoyed me. I went into their branch last weekend, stated my situation and wanted a basic bank account where they could transfer all my SO and DD's for me. They told me this wasn't a problem and could do it all for me, and thought this was great.

They then started inputting my application details into the computer, only to find out I was declined and they had actually put in an application for a current account! The women then said she could offer me an Easy Cash account, but would need to apply for this via the post and offered no switching service. At the same time saying this, opening the office door and making it perfectly clear she was not interested in dealing with me and was time I left.

I was so annoyed they had knowingly deceived me, that I will now not use Halifax regardless of what facilities they use.

I have heard good things about Co-op and interested in opening an account with them, I think its the Cashminder account, but says nowhere on the website if they offer a switching service for this account. I am weary about going into the branch, in case they try and make me apply for a current account without me knowing about it.

If there aren't any that offer a Switching Service, I will probably stay with Yorkshire Bank, and just have to try working around their opening hours and lack of branches.

Looking at the post office website you can use your Yorkshire Bank Ready Cash account at the post office to pay in cash & cheques as well as withdraw cash.

It's listed at Clydesdale Bank but I believe as Yorkshire is effectively a trading name of Clydesdale the Yorkshire account works in just the same way.

It would be worth trying it, even if the yorkshire say no I would try the post office anyway as the internal communication about account facilities and functionality between the two brands doesnt seem to be great in my experience.

scott_lithgows

Yorkshire BS cash transactor account will transfer all your DD,s and SO,s but you wont get a debit card,it comes with a ATM card.