TSB - anyone offer an opinion?

Charlton_King

Am thinking it's time, with great regret, to switch away from the Co-op for our joint current a/c.

There is a TSB branch quite local to us and it would be a bonus to be able to speak with a human being face to face if the need arose.

My query relates to customer service otherwise. Specifically, do they have phone banking and is it of reasonable quality? This is the kind of thing which the Co-op used to be famed for and which has been slowly but steadily going down the tubes.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Robin9

Yes to phone banking - from their website

"You can bank over the phone 24/7 using our automated service - call 03459 758 758"


I use the internet online - all OK.

N1ckS

I was happy with their phone support when I had my contactless card stolen and a number of transactions had been made before I had called to cancel. Phone support was UK based, all of the transactions were refunded and a new card arrived promptly. I don't tend to use phone banking on a day to day basis so can't comment on call wait times and general service.

As an aside, there have been serious problems with their app over the past few months, which have only recently started to be resolved, so they have areas of customer service to work on!

Robin9

Yes to phone banking - from their website

"You can bank over the phone 24/7 using our automated service - call 03459 758 758"


I use the internet online - all OK.

OceanSound

Nevermind phone banking, in branch support can be a bit suspect. Have a look at this: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5815754

If you attempt to transfer a large sum of money from your account, they will suspend your account, treat your family members like criminals, interrogate you, ask for id when you pop in to branch (even when they've known you for 40 years), still refuse to carry out transfer.

N1ckS

To be honest having read that I think they are entirely correct in what they are doing. I would hope all banks err on the side of caution with regards to such transfers regardless of whether a few egos may be dented.

System

I retired a couple of years ago and needed to transfer around £60K from my lump sum, which had been paid into my TSB current account, to pay off my mortgage with HSBC. I was assuming I could do this online but found there was a daily limit. I rang TSB who told me I would have to make a CHAPS payment which would cost £20 - and I would have to do this in branch. I told them my nearest branch was a train ride away and they offered to pay both my train fare and the cost of the CHAPS transaction. They immediately credited my account with the funds so I could initiate the transaction the following day. Excellent service and not at all what I would expect from a bank these days.

EachPenny

OceanSound wrote: »

Nevermind phone banking, in branch support can be a bit suspect. Have a look at this:

If you attempt to transfer a large sum of money from your account, they will suspend your account, treat your family members like criminals, interrogate you, ask for id when you pop in to branch (even when they've known you for 40 years), still refuse to carry out transfer.

That is an unfair comment. The experience outlined in that thread is not representative of everyday banking with TSB (or any bank). The OP in that thread even says themselves:-

"I tried to tell her that if she transfered large ammounts of money out of her account that it was very likely that the payment would be flagged up, but she went ahead anyway."

It is unreasonable to criticise TSB for following a policy of investigating the transfer of a very large (life-changing) sum of money to an overseas account - the policy is there to protect customers like that OP's mother who might become the victims of fraud, and also to protect the bank from involvement in illegal activity.

As for treating "family members like criminals", it is a well known method for fraudsters to accompany elderly or vulnerable victims to their bank to "help" them make a withdrawal. TSB's responses in this situation were exemplary and were aimed at protecting their customer.

System

Assuming you require branch access - what are your options? TSB only?

Robisere

We switched to TSB last year from Nationwide, after withdrawl of the 5% deal from our account, and issues caused by a 44 mile round trip to visit a branch. TSB is a bank that seems to have gone back to the days of customer-based banking. Being able to visit the branch, just 2 miles away, is great for us. We have had great service from pleasant, courteous employees and on occasion the manager is at a cash till with his staff. We have another appointment fixed soon to discuss savings accounts and ISA's and we know this will be sorted to our satisfaction within minutes.

Telephone banking is available, but we don't use our mobiles for this as we don't need to. I have called using our landline a few times though and that was painless.

Charlton_King

Robisere wrote: »

We switched to TSB last year from Nationwide, after withdrawl of the 5% deal from our account, and issues caused by a 44 mile round trip to visit a branch. TSB is a bank that seems to have gone back to the days of customer-based banking. Being able to visit the branch, just 2 miles away, is great for us. We have had great service from pleasant, courteous employees and on occasion the manager is at a cash till with his staff. We have another appointment fixed soon to discuss savings accounts and ISA's and we know this will be sorted to our satisfaction within minutes.

Telephone banking is available, but we don't use our mobiles for this as we don't need to. I have called using our landline a few times though and that was painless.

Great. This is what we're looking for.

We've been quite happy with the Co-op over the years but they closed our local branch some time ago and now I believe the next nearest is under threat. I am totally uneasy about the whole concept of internet banking with whichever supplier. The only aspect left is phone banking at which the Co-op used to shine but now even this is on the slide. Yes, I'm a fan of 'ethical' but frankly this isn't going to retain us if no other 'plus' is offered.