First direct switch bonus

musthavecaffeine

If you open a first direct account and switch from another bank I have just been told the switch needs to happen within three months of opening if you want the £175 bonus. We opened and the switch happened 3 months and 3 days later and they say we are not eligible. The conditIons on their website are not clear on this point. 

boingy

You have my sympathy but the 3 month thing is very clear in the switching terms:

To get the £175 cash offer you need to open a 1st Account, switch your everyday banking to us using the Current Account Switch Service and pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the account.

Get on the chat and appeal to their better nature, pointing out you're only three days over and that you plan to stay with the account rather than switch it away again  (I'm assuming you have paid in the £1000).

eskbanker

boingy said:

You have my sympathy but the 3 month thing is very clear in the switching terms:

To get the £175 cash offer you need to open a 1st Account, switch your everyday banking to us using the Current Account Switch Service and pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the account.

To be honest, that's not as clear as it could be, in that the reference to three months could be interpreted as applying to the payment rather than the switch too, so arguably it would be clearer if it said:

To get the £175 cash offer you need to open a 1st Account and, within three months of doing so, switch your everyday banking to us using the Current Account Switch Service and pay in at least £1,000.

musthavecaffeine

Thanks I think it could be clearer. Badly worded in my opinion.