Is the Post Office OK as a bank?

Parkhall

My bank branch in our small town closed so I'm considering opening a current account with the local Post Office.

Are they much different from the mainstream banks? All I need is:

• A joint current account with cheque book
• Credit card
• Debit card
• Online banking
• Standing orders & direct debits

Can I use CASS to easily switch to a PO account?

born_again

CASS no.
Do PO still have bank accounts, as they are not listed on their site, only savings accounts.

Can you not use other forms of banking with your current bank? You can use PO for many banking services for many banks.

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking

friolento

The Post Office is not a bank. Their accounts they offer are badged Bank of Ireland accounts. They don’t have the best customer service reputation, to put it mildly.

They also don’t offer all the accounts you are after. There is no reason though why you need to have all your accounts with a single provider. As has been mentioned already, you can very likely get a range of basic bank services at the PO, retaining all your existing accounts.

Parkhall

I'm living in the past when they did have some kind of current accounts 

sausage_time

Beware of paying in cheques to a regular bank via the post office.  For most banks they they go in a special envelope to be sent to the respective bank for processing, and I have had two cheques go missing.  Cash transactions seem fine for my bank, albeit limited amounts - Chip and PIN for instant credit when paying in for example.

Rob5342

What do you need a branch for? You can normally pay in cheques with the app, and if you want to pay in cash then most banks let you do it at a post office.

CliveOfIndia

friolento said:

Their accounts they offer are badged Bank of Ireland accounts. They don’t have the best customer service reputation, to put it mildly.

I'm not one to usually complain about customer services - I'm more the "If you mess me about I'll just stop using you" kind of person.  But BOI take things to a new level of crapness (if that's even a word!).

To the OP, you could use pretty much any of the well-known mainstream banks these days, if all you want is "basic" banking services.  Sure, you may be limited to online-only account servicing if they don't have a physical branch near you, but that's rarely an issue for everyday transactions.

Parkhall

Rob5342 said:

What do you need a branch for? You can normally pay in cheques with the app, and if you want to pay in cash then most banks let you do it at a post office.

Some of us are still old school. 

tizerbelle

Rob5342 said:

What do you need a branch for? You can normally pay in cheques with the app, and if you want to pay in cash then most banks let you do it at a post office.

This!  My main bank branch is over 100 miles away and I haven't stepped foot in it in almost 20 years.  And I've never been in a branch of any of my other banks either.

Olinda99

The post office is ok if you like queuing.

Swipe

I've had a much better level of customer service from my main post office then I ever got at my local HSBC branch, even as a Premier account customer.