Recommendations?

topcattony

I have been a First Direct customer for about 25 years and have always been very happy with them. Now however I find their new website layout beyond terrible and I cannot work with it at all. I have waited some months in the hope they will improve it but there is no sign of this.

So, regretfully, I must look for another bank. What I seek is:
a bank that gets things right first time
UK based
Good customer service
CLEAR READABLE Website.

No overdrafts or loans required, bells and whistles unimportant.

System

I bank with the Co-operative Bank. I've had no problems with them and if I do need to call it is answered by a very friendly call centre - in Manchester I believe. I like the bank's ethical policy - even though it is now owned by US hedge funds. The icing on the cake is that the Co-operative Bank pays customers up to £5.50 a month as an 'Everyday Reward'. For me, ethics are important. There is one bank ethically better and that is Triodos but an account with them costs you £3 a month and there are very few frills, not even Apple or Android Pay.

Chino

scgf wrote: »

For me, ethics are important.

But evidently not that important if they're going to cost you money:

scgf wrote: »

There is one bank ethically better and that is Triodos but an account with them costs you £3 a month

System

Chino wrote: »

But evidently not that important if they're going to cost you money:

Indeed. I would not be happy to have to stop using Apple Pay. We all make decisions based on a range of factors and I'm happy enough with the ethics of the Co-operative Bank. The ethics of an ethical bank do not always apply to the way they treat their customers. I'm pleased with how the Co-operative Bank treats me and with their refusal to provide banking facilities or loans to unethical organisations. I've not heard great things about how the Triodos current account works in practice.

In my post I was just pointing out that Triodos makes a monthly charge. I didn't say I wouldn't be prepared to pay it if I got an account better than the one I have.

born_again

topcattony wrote: »

I have been a First Direct customer for about 25 years and have always been very happy with them. Now however I find their new website layout beyond terrible and I cannot work with it at all. I have waited some months in the hope they will improve it but there is no sign of this.
.

Do you mean the Internet banking or just their website?

TBH. Given the way all banks are going and fully integrating the mobile offerings, in to the standard way the O/S (Android/Apple) works. Rather than using their own custom way of placing links.
They are very much a muchness. Other than the odd nice extra's some add one like Freeze card etc.

colsten

Assuming you mean online banking rather than their website: whilst usability of the online (or app) banking is one of the factors in selecting a bank suitable for your needs, it's personal opinion whether one is better or worse than another one. It would never be my deciding criteria for choosing a bank. As born again said, they are much of a muchness now, anyway. Although there are now also banks, such as Starling, who don't bother with online banking and where the accounts are operated exclusively by app. These might be one step too far for someone used to the old FD online banking, so you might want to focus on the traditional High Street banks / Building Societies.

Ergates

As colsten says, this will be very hard for someone else to answer a usability can be very personal . What you gonna easy to use, someone else will find hard, and visa versa. You could just google <bank name> online banking screenshots, and pick one you like the look of.

robatwork

topcattony wrote: »

I have been a First Direct customer for about 25 years and have always been very happy with them. Now however I find their new website layout beyond terrible

For many years it's been the worst website and app of all the major banks.

topcattony wrote: »

So, regretfully, I must look for another bank. What I seek is:
a bank that gets things right first time

No such thing. What you need is a bank that you can contact and puts things right when they go awry. Let us know who you find. my only tip is avoid TSB who I don't believe are over their issues. I got so fed up with them I left in a huff.

System

Probably Nationwide or Metro Bank.

Lloyds/BOS/Halifax would probably but next as their customer service is poorer.
Virgin Money is a possible too.

I would avoid FD parent HSBC, Natwest and Barclays.

Brewer20

They've changed their website (well the app) this week, I can't see that's a reason to want to leave for me.
What do you do want with the website, it still tells you what you need to know, you can still move your money around and pay bills etc. It's not like you have to sit looking at for hours on end, so I just don't get it.
The only banks I've not used are Santander, Barclays and HSBC I find them all different layouts etc but basically you do the same stuff so what's so difficult with FD
BTW I've also been with them since the 90's and use the app/website on a regular basis, they've been on the whole very good but so far so have the rest of the banks I've used but I'll probably leave TSB to one side in that comment.

colsten

If you want a really bad app / online banking, try Fineco