Would anyone with sight issues like to recommend a bank for online banking? 13 May 2020 at 9:31PM in Disability Money Matters 13 replies 201 views

Savvy_Sue

On behalf of a friend, who's currently with TSB and not getting on well with their online banking, and having huge issues with their 'support'. 

Nannytone

I use natwest, but prefer the mobile app to the online banking

John_

I like HSBC.

sheramber

It might help if you said what the issues are.
 If it is current 'support'  I think all banks are having difficulties  at the moment.

Savvy_Sue

sheramber said:

It might help if you said what the issues are.
 If it is current 'support'  I think all banks are having difficulties  at the moment.

Yes, I realise that.

Two issues: the website is not visually friendly - my friend's (sighted) son has been trying to help, and even he can't always see which bit to click on. 

But then, my friend was trying to set up a new payment which required TSB to send a message to the phone. That just generated an error message, on several occasions, and on phoning it appears that my friend's phone number is 'too short'. Somehow, somewhen, TSB have 'lost' a digit from the middle of my friend's phone number, which TSB say isn't their fault, my friend must have changed it - although you'd think that if they HAD changed it, the bank would have noticed then that it was too short. And then TSB said the 'only' way this can be sorted is in branch, which is impossible because a) all the nearby branches are closed and b) my friend is shielding and hasn't left the house since March. And THEN TSB admitted that they could change it, but it would take 48 hours. 

So they wait, but meanwhile they can't set up a payment. 

So as well as finding it very difficult to navigate their website, my friend has lost trust in TSB. Not that I've had much for some time ... 

sheramber

Is there a bank    with branches locally. That is the first one I would look at.
Ima with RBS and have good service from  them both online and in branch. But my local branch is a small rural one which    may be relevant

Savvy_Sue

sheramber said:

Is there a bank    with branches locally. That is the first one I would look at.
Ima with RBS and have good service from  them both online and in branch. But my local branch is a small rural one which    may be relevant

In normal times, my friend would be within reasonably easy reach of most major banks, so that's not an issue. Indeed, I'm told that when TSB 'upgraded' their systems so disastrously a few years ago my friend started having to make more trips to the bank to sort out things which should have been do-able online. 

JKS$(

Bit late to the party but I use First Direct & Tesco Bank apps on my iPad & they're both very good. I've had nothing but excellent service from Tesco Bank after an initial few problems getting large print statements & very good service from First Direct. TSB were absolutely hopeless although their branch staff are fantastic in my local branch, their back office & customer support have been shocking. 

anotherquestion

Windows has lots of ways to increase the resolution and text size to help such a person, probably if they are having difficulty with the banking website they are also having problems with general browsing.

Savvy_Sue

Well possibly, but AFAIK they don't use Windows much, if at all. And that particular bank's website is pretty appalling for visual accessibility. 

Terminator6

If you use online banking you just go into the PCs settings and increase the font size then you can input all login details and read the account.