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List of banks with hard vs soft searches for current accounts

pecunianonolet
pecunianonolet Posts: 1,570 Forumite
1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
edited 2 October 2024 pm31 5:36PM in Budgeting & bank accounts
Hi all,

With the many switching offers popping up and many in need for current accounts for switches, yougov, etc. I thought it would be good to compile a list of which banks do a hard search and those with soft searches only. 

The list below is a collection of user reviews and I do not take any responsibility for false or outdated information. As always, do your own research and decide based on your own circumstances.

Please comment and I can edit the list

Hard searches:
  • TSB
  • HSBC
  • Natwest
  • Royal Bank of Scotland
  • Santander
  • Lloyds (first account only, further accounts can be opened without additional hard search)
  • Halifax (first account only, further accounts can be opened without additional hard search)
  • Bank of Scotland (first account only, further accounts can be opened without additional hard search)
  • Clydesdale Bank
  • Virgin Money
  • Barclays
  • Co-operative
  • Nationwide
  • Ulster Bank
  • First Direct

Soft searches:

  • Kroo (hard search with Transunion when accepting an overdraft, not participating in CASS)
  • Metro Bank *
  • Starling
  • Chase (now participating in CASS) Thanks @lcooper
  • Co-op (Cashminder)
  • Monzo
  • Cynergy (not participating in CASS)
  • Zopa (new to selected customers before wider roll out, not yet part of the CASS)
*Mixed reviews of some getting a hard search vs other who didn't. Likely to do with overdraft requests.
«13456715

Comments

  • trient
    trient Posts: 172 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    Metro, Lloyds, Halifax (and possibly Starling now too?) all do hard searches.

    You're mixing two things I think. Lloyds and Halifax will not run another hard search if you open additional accounts. Metro will though.
  • AmityNeon
    AmityNeon Posts: 1,067 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    trient said:
    Metro, Lloyds, Halifax (and possibly Starling now too?) all do hard searches.

    You're mixing two things I think. Lloyds and Halifax will not run another hard search if you open additional accounts. Metro will though.
    When were you last hard searched by Metro?
  • pecunianonolet
    pecunianonolet Posts: 1,570 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 1 February 2023 pm28 11:41PM
    trient said:
    Metro, Lloyds, Halifax (and possibly Starling now too?) all do hard searches.

    You're mixing two things I think. Lloyds and Halifax will not run another hard search if you open additional accounts. Metro will though.
    Metro Bank only appears as soft search on my reports. Lloyds I indeed got mixed up with and now amended. Starling and Monzo got mentioned many times for soft search only. Do not have accounts with both of them (yet) so can't confirm myself. 
  • PloughmansLunch
    PloughmansLunch Posts: 623 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 2 February 2023 pm28 10:04PM
    Hard:
    Clydesdale Bank / Virgin Money
    Barclays

    I imagine you can add Bank of Scotland as per your Lloyds & Halifax 

    Soft:
    Co-operative [EDIT: Cashminder account only]
  • Soft:
    Co-operative
    https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/products/applications/current-accounts/

    The link above states clearly that they do a hard search using primarily Experian.
  • I called NatWest recently, and they claimed they don't even do a hard search when requesting an arranged overdraft - let alone a current account application. It did sound rather odd - seems they were wrong!
    If you want me to definitely see your reply, please tag me @forumuser7 Thank you.

    N.B. (Amended from Forum Rules): You must investigate, and check several times, before you make any decisions or take any action based on any information you glean from any of my content, as nothing I post is advice, rather it is personal opinion and is solely for discussion purposes. I research before my posts, and I never intend to share anything that is misleading, misinforming, or out of date, but don't rely on everything you read. Some of the information changes quickly, is my own opinion or may be incorrect. Verify anything you read before acting on it to protect yourself because you are responsible for any action you consequently make... DYOR, YMMV etc.
  • Soft:
    Co-operative
    https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/products/applications/current-accounts/

    The link above states clearly that they do a hard search using primarily Experian.
    Oh, maybe it’s account specific then? I went for a Cashminder account for a switch and only have these two:



  • I seem to recall Nationwide did a hard search when I opened a current account with them last year, but didn't when I applied for an overdraft.
  • trient
    trient Posts: 172 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    AmityNeon said:
    trient said:
    Metro, Lloyds, Halifax (and possibly Starling now too?) all do hard searches.

    You're mixing two things I think. Lloyds and Halifax will not run another hard search if you open additional accounts. Metro will though.
    When were you last hard searched by Metro?
    Circa 2019, second account. I even went through an official complaint but they said it was their standard process.
  • k_man
    k_man Posts: 1,636 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Soft:
    Co-operative
    https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/products/applications/current-accounts/

    The link above states clearly that they do a hard search using primarily Experian.
    Oh, maybe it’s account specific then? I went for a Cashminder account for a switch and only have these two:



    Cashminder is their version of a basic current account, and specifically states it doesn't do credit check/ search (implying other accounts do):

    Cashminder
    A basic bank account with a debit card but no overdraft, for new customers who may not qualify for other kinds of account.

    Features:

    • There's no credit check

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