First Direct - Thoughts please

CopperPlate_2

Been with fd for about 18 months and cannot fault them. Have offset mortgage and CC with them too and their service is first rate. Cannot fault the customer service staff when you call to speak to them, always polite, efficient and knowledgeable - when they say something will get done, it gets done. I have had so many experiences with other banks who do not come even close to fd in this respect, let alone everything else.

Okay, so their products don't have bells and whistles attached to them, but as is often the case with these all singing 'best buys' they soon become uncompetitive and superseded by the next 'best thing' which the bank conveniently limits to 'new customers only' - at least I know what I get with first direct.

[Deleted User]

I think fd are excellent too. It's early days after the change to the "1st account" but I suspect I'll be able to beat the 2% I used to get with some clever switching in/out of the new esavings once a week or so. If you're prepared to do almost daily transfers you should effectively get 5.5% on your current account balance.

billbob

I have been with First Direct for a while now. Although the customer service is brill, the internet banking isn't amazing. Considering that I have only phoned them a few times I am considering switching to get better rates elsewhere.

[Deleted User]

billbob wrote: »

I have been with First Direct for a while now. Although the customer service is brill, the internet banking isn't amazing. Considering that I have only phoned them a few times I am considering switching to get better rates elsewhere.

I think it's excellent. What would you like it to do that it doesn't already?

Milarky

anactuary wrote: »

I think it's excellent. What would you like it to do that it doesn't already?

The listing of single payments from a drop down is messy - you could pick up the wrong one and then have to roll back. I have reservation about it. Actually Nationwide is very good now - particularly the 'download' options which include 'CSV' (to spreadsheet) and 'images' (effectively paper statements) What you can do with NW which I have seen no where else is filter dates and transaction types - which means you can effectively call up a list of all the 'bank credits' or 'cheque payments' made during a certain 3 month period this time last year, for instance.

The very 'best' online banking website doesn't exist anymore, sadly - that was 'Zurichbank' which briefly existed from 2002 to 2003. They had the same sort of features as FD's website does - but with nicer pastel colours and I think the setting up of payments etc was really simple. They promised an interest rate 'for life' of 0.5% below base on all balances!

anactuary wrote: »

I think fd are excellent too. It's early days after the change to the "1st account" but I suspect I'll be able to beat the 2% I used to get with some clever switching in/out of the new esavings once a week or so. If you're prepared to do almost daily transfers you should effectively get 5.5% on your current account balance.

You can do better still - use the first £250 of interest-free overdraft and keep it in the savings account!

CopperPlate_2

Yeah, that would be my only carp about fd - once you've created a bill payment you can't then delete it later or amend the payment/payee details. The bill payment itself only drops off your list after (I think) 13 months have elapsed since the last time it was used. Given that I change credit cards and such like frequently it's a pain having a cluttered list of unusable options. The only other thing I'd like is to be able to change the name I see for each account and give it a nickname like IF does/did. Presented with a list of about 10 accounts with varying balances - tragic that I end up recognising the sort codes/account numbers and which account 'pot' they relate to though!!

CopperPlate_2

Oh, and the website is okay now - a bit tarted up but nothing spectacularly different to before I have to say.

PeteMc

17 years with them and more than happy with their service and products. They've made the odd mistake now and again with foreign transfers but quickly sorted out.

Copperplate - I know what you mean about the bill payment list and the naming of accounts but sadly, like you, I recognise the account numbers as well.

A_Nice_Englishman

I wonder if they'd tidy up the bill payment list if you asked them to?

(edit) I just asked them to delete an obsolete payee from mine and will let you know.

[Deleted User]

A_Nice_Englishman wrote: »

I wonder if they'd tidy up the bill payment list if you asked them to?

(edit) I just asked them to delete an obsolete payee from mine and will let you know.

I don't think they can delete entires but can rename them to "do not use" or similar.