Tesco Current Account - Reviews?

Midzone

Just wondering if anyone uses the Tesco Current Account as their main banking account (not just savings) and how they find it?

Any views on internet banking with Tesco, customer service etc would be appreciated.

colsten

I find it a brilliant account and CS, if and when I needed them, were always super. Readily accessible, no language problems, knowledgeable, courteous, and going out of their way to help. Most of what I need to do can be done online though.

[Deleted User]

colsten wrote: »

I find it a brilliant account and CS, if and when I needed them, were always super. Readily accessible, no language problems, knowledgeable, courteous, and going out of their way to help. Most of what I need to do can be done online though.

Similar experience here. They can be painfully slow when setting up your account, particularly if it's your first one with Tesco, but always helpful Scottish-based staff if you need to phone them. Once up and running, no problems in my experience.

johnac

I have the usual selection of current accounts, tarting to claim interest and rewards etc but do use a Tesco account as my day to day spending account and I couldn't fault them apart from one annoyance that may or may not annoy you as well. (Your post has spurned me to post for the first time to share)

Their mobile and internet banking are great, simple easy to use, does everything you'd need to. Their mobile app is my favourite to use out of all.. very quick to make payments/transfers, check balance.. not bloated and cumbersome like others. It allows fingerprint login on an iPhone which is easy and also balance peak without logging in.

I've used HSBC, TSB, Lloyds, Halifax, Nationwide (also good) and
M&S.. M&S awful useless avoid if you want mobile app.. it only lets you check balance.. was surprised at how basic it is.

I've only had need to call them a couple of times, sorted my issue quickly both times, got through to someone fast..

The annoyance with them, ironically, is using their debit card to shop in Tesco is more difficult (mildly) than any other shop. The problem as far as I've worked out is that you could use the debit card as a club card but not pay with it. This results in, when putting the card in the chip and pin machine that it triggers a message for the staff member to ask if you'd like to pay with the card. That in itself doesn't sound too bad but what happens is you put the card in, wait for it to ask for the pin, that doesn't happen while the staff stare into space.. they eventually look at the till, surprised it's asked them to confirm if you want to pay with the card.. auckwardly they ask if I want to pay on the card.. of course I do because I put it in the chip machine.. they press a button and normal life continues. Argh

It's a minor point I know but always happens and I'm too polite to say something.

jimjames

Looks like a familiar theme going on here! I have a Tesco account amongst others and it's my main account again.

The app is the best I've found, very easy to use. Payments are shared across any accounts you have - a particular annoyance with Nationwide where each account has it's own payees and they need to be setup manually again if you want to pay from different account. Others may disagree but I like that I don't need a pin device to setup payments and can do it directly from website.

I don't use the debit card so can't comment on that but good website, great app and very easy to use. What more could you want!

In fact it was so good that when I switched away to Nationwide from Tesco originally to get the switch bonus and 5% I decided I would switch back as soon as I could to Tesco and am now with them again for a second time as my main current account.

bobbydub

Yep I also agree whats been said as above, I use Tesco as my main account, slow to open was the only downside. Used CS once and spoke to a UK person which helps. There has been one downside when someone send me a faster payment it seem to take a while once it took almost a day!! But when I have sent money its been instant. Cant seem to fault them been with them since June2015.

colsten

jimjames wrote: »

Payments are shared across any accounts you have

That's a fantastic feature, that your payees are available across all your accounts - current or savings. It saves you the trouble of having to set up (and verify) payees again and again. I haven't yet found any other bank that does the same.

This feature makes up for a couple of annoyances - such as the need for receiving yet another login code by text message, at random intervals. I had quite a lot of them recently, even though I haven't changed my device or my IP address. Nothing major though.

Midzone

Thanks for all your help guys!

bobobski

johnac wrote: »

The annoyance with them, ironically, is using their debit card to shop in Tesco is more difficult (mildly) than any other shop. The problem as far as I've worked out is that you could use the debit card as a club card but not pay with it. This results in, when putting the card in the chip and pin machine that it triggers a message for the staff member to ask if you'd like to pay with the card. That in itself doesn't sound too bad but what happens is you put the card in, wait for it to ask for the pin, that doesn't happen while the staff stare into space.. they eventually look at the till, surprised it's asked them to confirm if you want to pay with the card.. auckwardly they ask if I want to pay on the card.. of course I do because I put it in the chip machine.. they press a button and normal life continues. Argh

I've never had this problem, but then I scan my clubcard as usual anyway, just to make sure I get the points. Perhaps that means the till doesn't recognise my debit card as a clubcard so it skips this step?

I don't like the app as much as TSB (if I'm flicking between a banking app and YNAB app, the Tesco account logs me out every time which is really annoying... TSB and Halifax have an option to stay logged in for x minutes). Also it took forever for them to open my accounts. But UK-based call centre; the ability to have two as an individual; no DD or min pay-in requirements; now one of the best CA interest rates out there and for a total of £6,000... There's a lot to like.

Kim_13

I also use Tesco as my main account, for clubcard points where my credit card is not accepted. Never used in Tesco self service. I also like it because I know that if a cheque gets lost in the post, they don't charge to cancel it. Nationwide were my former main account and do charge for this.

The only time I used my Tesco Bank card in Tesco was when I was buying an item costing £2 with a £2 clubcard voucher. The clubcard number on the voucher was the one of that debit card rather than my main clubcard that I always use when shopping in Tesco. It seemed to confuse the checkout assistant, so perhaps the process is more complicated than it needs to be.

Faster Payments take a few minutes rather than seconds, but as long as you are aware of this so that you won't be alarmed, it's fine.

Dan83

I've used Tesco for about a year. Never had a problem and I think the online banking is simple and straight forward. I have only had to call Tesco for credit card queries, but most of the time it has been great.