banks with counters

PartyOfFive

Never had to queue in Coutts.
The counter at the Strand is lovely with a very nice selection of teas.

WillPS

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

GeoffTF

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

WillPS

GeoffTF said:

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

Define 'something dodgy'. Herein lies the problem. 

Banks don't need to give a reason, and you don't need to be guilty of anything to find your accounts have been suspended. You can be totally sure you have done nothing wrong, but can you be totally sure that all your payees past present and future have also done nothing wrong?

Stargunner

WillPS said:

GeoffTF said:

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

Define 'something dodgy'. Herein lies the problem. 

Banks don't need to give a reason, and you don't need to be guilty of anything to find your accounts have been suspended. You can be totally sure you have done nothing wrong, but can you be totally sure that all your payees past present and future have also done nothing wrong?

Highly unlikely to happen. unless you give them reason to close your account. The majority of people only ever had one bank account, until all the switching incentives started.

SiliconChip

Stargunner said:

WillPS said:

GeoffTF said:

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

Define 'something dodgy'. Herein lies the problem. 

Banks don't need to give a reason, and you don't need to be guilty of anything to find your accounts have been suspended. You can be totally sure you have done nothing wrong, but can you be totally sure that all your payees past present and future have also done nothing wrong?

Highly unlikely to happen. unless you give them reason to close your account. The majority of people only ever had one bank account, until all the switching incentives started.

While this may be true, there are other reasons why it makes sense to have accounts at different financial groups, the main one being the risk that a technology issue with one bank will prevent you accessing your money, sometimes (e.g. TSB) for an extended period.

Katiehound

Stargunner said:

WillPS said:

GeoffTF said:

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

Define 'something dodgy'. Herein lies the problem. 

Banks don't need to give a reason, and you don't need to be guilty of anything to find your accounts have been suspended. You can be totally sure you have done nothing wrong, but can you be totally sure that all your payees past present and future have also done nothing wrong?

Highly unlikely to happen. unless you give them reason to close your account. The majority of people only ever had one bank account, until all the switching incentives started.

also before the era of banking online and the various problems caused when the online services went down or they were hacked- think TSB & Tesco bank when lots of folk were left without access to their accounts/ money for quite a while.

these days always advisable to have 2 bank accounts with different providers

Xenon

I hardly go into a branch nowadays (except a few weeks go for a special case which needed human contact/response)
Everything is online with my PC/Phone which is fine for me.
Shopping is either online or self service again suits me fine which i like
Things/habits/technology changes and evolves - matter of life so get on with it.
If it didn't we would still walk everywhere or use horse and carriage

GeoffTF

Katiehound said:

Stargunner said:

WillPS said:

GeoffTF said:

WillPS said:

Stargunner said:

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.

This isn't wonderful advice - how many times have we seen on these boards people who had all their banking needs in one place only to lose access to their accounts or, worse, have them closed leaving them with nothing.

@wiganshale should ensure whatever they do they keep at least one funded backup.

That is very rare unless you are up to something dodgy. It has never happened to me in over 50 years of banking, and the same is true of my friends. I passed the new shiny Metro Bank today (Saturday). Plenty of staff, no customers, unless they were well hidden.

Define 'something dodgy'. Herein lies the problem. 

Banks don't need to give a reason, and you don't need to be guilty of anything to find your accounts have been suspended. You can be totally sure you have done nothing wrong, but can you be totally sure that all your payees past present and future have also done nothing wrong?

Highly unlikely to happen. unless you give them reason to close your account. The majority of people only ever had one bank account, until all the switching incentives started.

also before the era of banking online and the various problems caused when the online services went down or they were hacked- think TSB & Tesco bank when lots of folk were left without access to their accounts/ money for quite a while.

these days always advisable to have 2 bank accounts with different providers

I am not convinced that matters. I have a credit card with a different bank paid off in full each month by Direct Debit from my bank account. I do not need online access to continue spending. If my bank fails to honour my direct debits, they will have to compensate me. If I have a big payment come in to my bank account and I am unable to move it to a savings account (with another bank), they will have to compensate me for the loss of interest. (That would require telephone and in branch banking to fail too.)

sheramber

But how do you pay your direct debits until the bank are satisfied and release your money. 

What do you do if you needed that large payment to conclude a contract and the bank had frozen the payment and your account.
How do you pay off your credit card to allow you to keep spending while the bank take weeks/months to release your money.
 Compensation after the event doesn’t give you access to your money when you need it.