Reccomendations please - Bank account for small community group

telemarks

I'm about to take on the role of Treasurer from a small (<100 members) Somerset community conservation group, that is affiliated to two larger charities.
Currently they have a Santander Business Saving account, which they ended up with as previous banks were taken over. I'm told this causes the group huge problems as there is no way to pay in cash, cheques have to be posted, and getting any money out involves a lengthy postal exchange. (The interest rate is also rubbish).
So I'm looking for recommendations from other small community groups as to what bank accounts work for them.

Thinking about our requirements, in rough order of priority these are the ability to:

1. Pay in cheques or cash over counter at a fair number of branches
2. Accept BaCs transfers into the account.
3. Set up BaCs transfers out of the account easily, online or phone.
4. Online Banking, or at least some way to see summaries of the account weekly
5. Set up Direct Debits from the account (for instance to allow a linked PayPal account.
6. Ability to get Cash out
7. <edit> Be free

Other factors like interest aren't really relevant as the sums are not huge.


I know a LOT of bank account don't tailor for this sort of small community group. So what accounts do other groups use, and do they work for you?

soulsaver

Why a Santander Business Saving account is a problem for you is that it is a SAVINGs account.

It is usually only an adjunct to a Santander business CURRENT account from where you can write and receive cheques and do all the other things on your list...

colsten

telemarks wrote: »

Thinking about our requirements, in rough order of priority these are the ability to:

1. Pay in cheques or cash over counter at a fair number of branches
2. Accept BaCs transfers into the account.
3. Set up BaCs transfers out of the account easily, online or phone.
4. Online Banking, or at least some way to see summaries of the account weekly
5. Set up Direct Debits from the account (for instance to allow a linked PayPal account.
6. Ability to get Cash out

Other factors like interest aren't really relevant as the sums are not huge.


I know a LOT of bank account don't tailor for this sort of small community group. So what accounts do other groups use, and do they work for you?

Assuming you mean Faster Payments when you says BaCs, the features you list are bog standard for ALL current accounts. However, you need to use a Club or Charity current account, not a personal one. One such account is available from Santander. A quick google will shows you additional a to you.

telemarks

soulsaver wrote: »

Why a Santander Business Saving account is a problem for you is that it is a SAVINGs account.

It is usually only an adjunct to a Santander business CURRENT account from where you can write and receive cheques and do all the other things on your list...

Absolutely agree Soulsaver, thanks for the comment. I guess the key thing here is the group ended up with that account by default, they didn't choose it.
Just looked as Santander business banking and noticed "This account costs £7.50 per month". In an ideal world any account would be free, I'll edit the first post to reflect that.
The requirements are not huge, maybe 50 translations a year, and storing a couple of £k, so hopefully there is a free community group account out there.

telemarks

colsten wrote: »

Assuming you mean Faster Payments when you says BaCs, the features you list are bog standard for ALL current accounts. However, you need to use a Club or Charity current account, not a personal one. One such account is available from Santander. A quick google will shows you additional a to you.

Thanks Colsten, I had looked at that account. The key drawback with it is that Santander have been a REAL pain in the neck to deal with, with reams and reams of paperwork posted back and forth.

Hence the request for other recommendations

colsten

telemarks wrote: »

The key drawback with it is that Santander have been a REAL pain in the neck to deal with, with reams and reams of paperwork posted back and forth.

Didn't see "must be [near] paperless" on your list of requirements. I would be surprised, though, if they insisted on sending you more than the original Terms and Conditions, and perhaps an annual statement.

telemarks wrote: »

In an ideal world any account would be free

Didn't see that either on your original list. Are you sure you have specified all your requirements?

BTW, the Santander account I posted a link to is free. But perhaps one of your requirements is "must not be a Santander account"?

Robin9

Charities Aid Foundation - CAF - £5 a month.

Pay in at Post Office, HSBC.

telemarks

Robin9 wrote: »

Charities Aid Foundation - CAF - £5 a month.

Pay in at Post Office, HSBC.

Thanks for the reply. I'd looked at that one - https://www.cafonline.org/caf-bank

While we're affiliated to two charities, the group itself is not a charity. I think "Community group" best fits us.
From what I've read that excludes us from CAF Bank


Please keep the recommendations coming

jonesMUFCforever

A Lloyds Treasurers account may be the answer.
No credit interest but on the other hand no bank charges.(You can open a business savings account).

andi2

We (the PTA) have an account with NatWest. I've got it set up without on-line banking so that it needs two of us to withdraw any money, but online banking is def an option.


It's free, but possibly only because we're a registered charity.


Worth taking a look at though.


Not had any problems operating it for the last few years & changes of signatory have gone through within a couple of weeks every time.

spenderdave

HSBC Community Account, free for small clubs etc. Interest rates zero except if you have mega bucks.