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Birmingham Midshires

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I have a few Birmingham Midshires accounts which I use to pull in direct debits from other accounts that need them for rewards or interest.  I notice today that BM is not opening any new savings accounts.  RIP.

Comments

  • fenwick458
    fenwick458 Posts: 1,522 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    can't say I'll miss them. I opened a few but they have been nothing but trouble. they wouldn't let me move a DD one from one bank to another without doing the cheque thing again. then several DD's just stopped with no explanation and had to be re instated.
    I've since found apps like moneybox or cleo are very simple for DD's. and even the post office was better than BM for me, yeah the website has it's glitches but once you know what not to to, it works fine!
  • In my experience I've found them a bit old fashioned but very reliable. Haven't had a single issue moving DDs around like I had with PO, and have found them easy to deal with on the time time I had to call customer service (compared to PO which has a legendary reputation). In either case it's a shame, as that's one less option for those who don't have enough DDs to go around.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    100 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 19 January 2021 at 1:47PM
    They have discontinued opening new savings accounts and resumed them again in the past.
    BM are just another Bank of Scotland brand like Halifax. They essentially exist for Lloyds to compete with new savings entrants without cannibalising their core brands. 
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,353 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    BM are closing savings accounts (i.e ones that draw in DD) from 24 November - 24 December 2022

    they will pay money back to the linked account 
  • adindas
    adindas Posts: 6,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I just check it. They still pull out DD this December from my various accounts. I will and see what will happen in January.
  • soulsaver
    soulsaver Posts: 6,606 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    can't say I'll miss them. I opened a few but they have been nothing but trouble. they wouldn't let me move a DD one from one bank to another without doing the cheque thing again. then several DD's just stopped with no explanation and had to be re instated.
    I've since found apps like moneybox or cleo are very simple for DD's. and even the post office was better than BM for me, yeah the website has it's glitches but once you know what not to to, it works fine!
    'Cheque thing' was a Scottish Widows foible. 


  • badger09
    badger09 Posts: 11,575 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Birmingham Midshires closed my savings account on 1 December & returned the closing balance to my linked Lloyds Club account. So far, so good. 
    However they then took another £5 DD payment on 5 December. When I phoned BM on Thursday, CS rep said ‘that’s impossible as your account is closed’. I’m expecting it to bounce back to Lloyds but if it doesn’t appear by Wednesday I’ll claim under the DD guarantee. 
    I’ve had issues with BM taking multiple DDs in the past so will be glad to be shot of them. 
  • quirkydeptless
    quirkydeptless Posts: 1,225 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 10 December 2022 at 2:48PM
    badger09 said:
    Birmingham Midshires closed my savings account on 1 December & returned the closing balance to my linked Lloyds Club account. So far, so good. 
    However they then took another £5 DD payment on 5 December. When I phoned BM on Thursday, CS rep said ‘that’s impossible as your account is closed’. I’m expecting it to bounce back to Lloyds but if it doesn’t appear by Wednesday I’ll claim under the DD guarantee. 
    I’ve had issues with BM taking multiple DDs in the past so will be glad to be shot of them. 

    Same happened to me, all accounts apart from 2 closed on the 1st of December and some  £1 DDs taken on the 2nd and the 5th.
    Can't log on anymore as it says I have been 'de-registered'
    Retired 1st July 2021.
    This is not investment advice.
    Your money may go "down and up and down and up and down and up and down ... down and up and down and up and down and up and down ... I got all tricked up and came up to this thing, lookin' so fire hot, a twenty out of ten..."
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