anyone else having problems with Metro Bank?

Maestro.

JuicyJesus wrote: »

Not being able to open an account online is similarly a reason to rule them out.

I find this particularly annoying as I really want to open an account with them. I like their ethics and the debit card has good benefits. It's useless though to people outside London!

I suspect if they did allow online account creation they'd be swamped almost immediately, which is probably why they are delaying.

Same goes for Yorkshire/Clydesdale.

Now why doesn't that surprise me.

RetiredInThailand

innovate wrote: »

All the while, he asked all sorts of personal questions, which I found intrusive and certainly were not needed to open a bank account (e.g. which pets did I like, what I was doing for the rest of the afternoon etc).

Maybe he fancied you? Some people I know would be glad to get that much attention.

They certainly didn't ask me any personal questions apart from the obvious banking ones. I can understand them only having one card embossing machine as they must cost an arm and leg and presumably are only used when they actually print a new card.

All in all I was pleased enough with the experience but, like you, I only actually opened the account because of the card with no exchange weighting. The safety boxes may also come in handy one day, I suppose.

jemcart

That's interesting. I was thinking of opening an account with them as they do great hours and seem to out the customer first, however, am having second thoughts now! Will keep an eye online and see how they go.

callum9999

innovate wrote: »

The Chiswick Branch spent over an hour opening my current account and credit card. The printer (note the singular!) had broken down, the guy who served me disappeared several times for several minutes to copy forms that he then had to fill in by hand, and copy again.....All the while, he asked all sorts of personal questions, which I found intrusive and certainly were not needed to open a bank account (e.g. which pets did I like, what I was doing for the rest of the afternoon etc). Eventually I escaped with my debit and credit card, and a pile of paper.

I then found out that I can only pay the credit card by DD from the Metro current account, not any other (which is what I had been assured I could do). Cancelling the [unused] credit card was not easy at all - they expected me to come into Branch again for that! I had to raise a complaint before they agreed to close the credit card without another trip to their store.

Am only keeping the account because their card is handy when travelling abroad.

Surely you are aware of basic social conventions out in the real world? Asking what pets you like and what you're up to later are incredibly innocuous questions the average person would be more than happy to answer.

innovate

callum9999 wrote: »

Surely you are aware of basic social conventions out in the real world? Asking what pets you like and what you're up to later are incredibly innocuous questions the average person would be more than happy to answer.

There you go - - I am obviously not your average person. I do not wish to talk to a banker (Metro or any other) about anything other than a bank matters. It's none of their business whether I like pets or alcopops or whatever, and it is certainly none of their business what I will be doing for the rest of the afternoon. I didn't go into their Branch for a social meeting - all I wanted was a debit card.

callum9999

innovate wrote: »

There you go - - I am obviously not your average person. I do not wish to talk to a banker (Metro or any other) about anything other than a bank matters. It's none of their business whether I like pets or alcopops or whatever, and it is certainly none of their business what I will be doing for the rest of the afternoon. I didn't go into their Branch for a social meeting - all I wanted was a debit card.

Do you wear a sign around your neck saying that? Or explicitly reply "I do not wish to talk to you about anything other than bank matters"? If not, I hardly see how you can complain that someone took part in a bog standard social convention virtually all of us do everyday.

innovate

Where I am, you'd never ask anyone personal questions in a first business meeting. And you'd probably always strictly stick to business.

innovate

To be fair to Metrobank, there might be reasons other than the Debit Card that you endure their silly "has to come to Branch to open a current account" procedure.

They are currently offering one of the best short-term fixed savings rates with their 18-month bond. Existing customers can apply in Brnach - - or on the phone(*)! You never know, may be they will offer online applications next?

(*) presumably so they can ask you how your dog is, and what you will have for breakfast on Saturday etc

callum9999

innovate wrote: »

Where I am, you'd never ask anyone personal questions in a first business meeting. And you'd probably always strictly stick to business.

Is the whole point of Metro Bank not that it isn't a faceless business, it's a new friendly high street bank?

I get that you don't like social niceties, I just don't see how it can be used as a complaint against them!

innovate

I haven't seen the inside of a bank branch more than a dozen times in the last 30 years. Not because they weren't friendly faces, but because there wasn't any need for me to go inside. With the advent of the internet, there's even less reason.

And I really, truly, would not look to a bank for some social niceties! I get those in the pub, in the gym, on long or short walks, over a good meal, in my drama group etc etc - but I don't want to make friends with a bank, thank you very much.