Switching to First Direct. Will any old current account do? 21 December 2022 at 5:00PM edited 21 December 2022 at 5:00PM in Budgeting & bank accounts 27 replies 1.4K views

Band7

FD have recurring switch offers like DFS Sofas have recurring sales. If their current switch offer vanishes whilst you wait for your application to be approved, just sit tight and wait for the next one.

MrCreaky

Just in case it helps anyone, I did apply for a First Direct account even though I'd had an account 12 years ago. They only asked my name and address (and my address has changed since then). It remains to be seen if I'm successful getting the £175...

MikeJXE

I switch a burner account I had set up with Metro, a bit long winded but it worked, deposited £1000 on line and got the £175 in a few days. Withdrew £1175 now waiting for a new switch 

MrCreaky

MrCreaky said:

Just in case it helps anyone, I did apply for a First Direct account even though I'd had an account 12 years ago. They only asked my name and address (and my address has changed since then). It remains to be seen if I'm successful getting the £175...

Just to confirm, I did get the £175 even though I'd had a previous account a long time ago. hth

eastcorkram

eastcorkram said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Let the FD account open and then request a switch, the two operations do not need to be contiguous. The only problem might be that FD withdraw the switch bonus offer before you get the request in, but, hey-ho.

Every bank will have their own eligibility criteria for a particular account, when I opened a FD account I answered that salary question "No" and it wasn't an issue. Of course YMMV, they do a hard check for their new accounts. 

Ok. Will sit back and wait to see what happens. If it's going to take 15 days between communications, there's a good chance they'll pull it before I get in! Oh well, my fault for not doing it earlier.

Well, the switch date was set as 30th January. Today, 2nd February all done. Balance transferred in from closing account, AND switching bonus paid too. My first successful bank switch . I'm impressed by the speed. 

notquiteskint

Just like to ask if i have this right, not done a switch for ages looking to get the bonus might not happen as i had a 1st direct account many moons ago.
so far i have opened a 1st account using their app, the account is live and i made a test deposit of a tenner, i went on the chat in their app and started a switch process, an old tsb account to them i had to choose a date 10 days ahead of yesterday so opted for the 14th feb the last thing if i have it all right is i need to deposit a grand into the account, shall i do this before the switch happens after the switch or does it not matter?
The last thing i will do is set up the 7% savings account which needs to be fed from a s/o from my 1st direct account.

Do i have it all correct
many thanks

Katiehound

notquiteskint said:

 the last thing if i have it all right is i need to deposit a grand into the account, shall i do this before the switch happens after the switch or does it not matter?
The last thing i will do is set up the 7% savings account which needs to be fed from a s/o from my 1st direct account.

Do i have it all correct
many thanks

 it usually says pay in £1000 within a certain time frame so it wouldn't matter about the switch date but I have always waited until the switch has been completed. 

I think you will be very lucky to get the switch welcome handshake - I might be wrong!- but 1st Direct have a very very long memory!