Switch to First Direct via Uswitch.com (old) + NEW OFFER get £175 + £30 amazon voucher June 23

DaveQ

I opened a joint account with HSBC earlier this year. Will I still qualify for the incentive if I now switch my personal current account to First Direct?

sharon1953

I've had a nightmare trying to open a First Direct account. They require a whole series of passwords and codes, 5 and counting. Lots of errors along the way; when I entered the confirmation codes/passwords it said they didn't match,which they did. Wouldn't accept my sons name as one of the answers, and various other things too numerous to mention.  I gave up and did on my PC. There is also no toggle to see some of the passwords you enter.  At the end of it all, I discovered that you can only use the online banking (ie via a PC, Laptop)  if you have your phone with you, as you have to generate a code in the app to log in. I phoned FD and asked what would happen if I lost my phone or it was stolen...answer...you won't be able to get into your account! You can phone them but you have to your telephone banking code. The alternative is to carry around one of those old fashioned, calculator type,  physical readers that generate a code for you to log in.  Decided to cancel the switch, took 4 phone calls, then passed on through 6 different advisors to get it done! Better the devil you know, I'll give the £175 offer a miss!

Janxx

sharon1953 said:

I've had a nightmare trying to open a First Direct account. They require a whole series of passwords and codes, 5 and counting. Lots of errors along the way; when I entered the confirmation codes/passwords it said they didn't match,which they did. Wouldn't accept my sons name as one of the answers, and various other things too numerous to mention.  I gave up and did on my PC. There is also no toggle to see some of the passwords you enter.  At the end of it all, I discovered that you can only use the online banking (ie via a PC, Laptop)  if you have your phone with you, as you have to generate a code in the app to log in. I phoned FD and asked what would happen if I lost my phone or it was stolen...answer...you won't be able to get into your account! You can phone them but you have to your telephone banking code. The alternative is to carry around one of those old fashioned, calculator type,  physical readers that generate a code for you to log in.  Decided to cancel the switch, took 4 phone calls, then passed on through 6 different advisors to get it done! Better the devil you know, I'll give the £175 offer a miss!

I had the problems too. When was asked to use my phone kept saying "error" when I tried to do the photo I D. Once I went back to laptop I was accepted in minutes.
I went through the link on MSE and am hoping I do get the £30 Amazon voucher as later when I checked my emails there was one from FD asking me to click on there to sigh up for account. I had already been accepted by then though. 😕