Frightened of Unusual Banks recommended on mse? Are they safe?

GoldenOldy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81885683#Comment_81885683

Thankyou Masonic

That makes sense now.
As suggested earlier maybe I could do with someone as attorney for me, but alas the only trusted person in my or it is probably less well inforned and more nervous than me! (If you can believe that is possible :) )

Xenon

Marcus,Kent Reliance,Coventry,Paragon,Ford,Gatehouse + various others for variety of different savings accounts.

Never had one issue ever.

Pretty sure many others have had the same experience

mills112

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886107#Comment_81886107

i have only had experience of paragon through HL Active savings. Good to hear they are fine as I am taking my money out of HL Active savings now because they don't pass on all the interest from the banks themselves so you get a slightly better rate going direct. I can back up Kent Reliance, Gatehouse and Coventry but not used Ford before. Will try to remember that if they ever crop up on the top savings list again.

Bigwheels1111

Ford money are great, no issues at all.

I can see this year’s interest in my bank, showing as tomorrow.

Not a fan of Kent reliance, took near on 8 weeks for isa transfer, South African call centre no help.

Lost out on a lot of interest as was an 80k pot.

Had to get the financial ombudsman to sort it out.

Nice payout in the end.

x44

You need to realise/remember that Kent Reliance is no longer the Building Society it used to be and as us oldies recall but is since 2011 part of One Savings Bank and the name "Kent Reliance" is now merely a brand name they use for their savings products giving them local branches as channels for their products as well as online. So being part of a much larger group, no longer a UK building Society, and hence now having call centres abroad does not surprise me at all.

Actually One Savings Bank owns other groups the most well known other being the online only Charter Bank. However Kent Reliance and Charter operate as totally separate entities each under their own banking licence thus each has their own full FSCS protection for customers.

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886390#Comment_81886390

When it was still a building society Kent Reliance had an Indian call centre and back office.

mills112

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886212#Comment_81886212

i have only had a 12 months bond with Kent Reliance and they were really good for that. No issues at all.

mills112

charter bank is another one that is really good from my experience with them.

Ocelot

I've been with Paragon, Charter and Kent Reliance for years, no problems (although I've never had to call them).

Ocelot

Also have accounts with Vanquis, Secure Trust, Aldermore and Hodge. The latter are really good with communications.