Can anyone recommend a decent internet current account?

fagun

Hooo wrote: »

How does the linked savings account work? Will they automatically take money from your savings to pay outgoings from the current account? So I can put all my income straight into savings as soon as it arrives?

The savings account isn't really "linked". However, you can set-up a sweep, that transfers money from the current account to any of their savings accounts, leaving a set amount in the currnelt account (e.g. £200). They've been marketing it as a new facility when they changed the cuurent account end of last year, but you've always been able to do it.

frivolous_fay

Hooo wrote: »

3. To reset the codes on a joint account, they have to do both at once, and they have to speak to both of you on the same call. What are you supposed to do if one of you is away somewhere?

As I say, my partner has locked us out on multiple occasions. Usually I just make a separate call and it's sorted. Only once have I been with him when he rang them, and I asn't even sure they'd speak to me (wrong secure code, etc) but they did. So I'm sure it's possible to sort out a joint account in separate calls.

Hooo wrote: »

3. If you click back, they log you out! This is a good enough reason alone to ditch them! The login process is long and tedious enough as it is (four separate page loads !!!!!!), but then you just click back or press F5 (force of habit to a regular web user), and you have to do the whole thing again. Who designs web interfaces like that? They should be sacked. "Security reasons"? Why does no-one else do it?

I've certainly used secure sites that do this, not just smile, and as a regular web user it's force of habit not to click back on secure sites. I'm pretty sure ICICI is like this too, and perhaps A&L.

Hooo wrote: »

Who designs web interfaces like that? They should be sacked. "Security reasons"?

Sooo.... if you logged out of your internet banking, walked away, and a stranger sat down... you'd be happy if they could click 'Back' and get back into your account? Because I think that's the reasoning behind the feature.

vandanfc

No one has mentioned Abbey. Probably for a reason, but I have not experienced any problems with online banking with them. Decent rate of interest too. Login with 3 sets of info. to input: 16 digit card number on debit card, passcode and password, (or something like that anyway). This then takes you to a screen showing all your accounts and then you can go into whichever you want.

Can move money from Abbey account to Abbey Account, set up/amend and cancel dd and so's. Pay external bods. etc.

Fedz

fagun wrote: »

I haven't tried NatWest, but FD's online functionality is vastly superior to A&Ls.

For example, A&L has contradictory balances depending on what level you've drilled down to (some show money transfers going out on the day, while other's don't). Transfers between FD accounts happen instantaneously (which they don't for A&L). And they have better customer service.

Right I understand what constitutes as a decent internet current account.:cool:

Re: reflecting pending/reserved outgoing debit card transactions:
A&L is similar to The Co-operative Bank and FD is same as NatWest

Re: customer services:
The Co-operative Bank are friendly and polite but, are uncompromising and that's my opinion and half my friends and families opinion.

NatWest I really did think would be terrible at customer services/relations but, was totally shocked to find them friendly, polite and genuine on the numerous calls I've made

I can't fault NatWest online and or telephone banking (and I've tried) but, the queues in branches are always a mile long unlike The Co-operative Bank but, I very rarely goto banks branches as I do everything online/telephone banking ...

Hooo

fagun wrote: »

The savings account isn't really "linked". However, you can set-up a sweep..

I don't think that would work for me. I'd need to leave about £2k in there for credit card DDs etc, so not much of my money would be getting interest. Shame, as otherwise FD sound really good.

frivolous_fay wrote: »

As I say, my partner has locked us out on multiple occasions. Usually I just make a separate call and it's sorted. Only once have I been with him when he rang them, and I asn't even sure they'd speak to me (wrong secure code, etc) but they did. So I'm sure it's possible to sort out a joint account in separate calls.

That's not what they told me on the phone, and confirmed in a secure message when I asked about it.

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Sooo.... if you logged out of your internet banking, walked away, and a stranger sat down... you'd be happy if they could click 'Back' and get back into your account? Because I think that's the reasoning behind the feature.

Er no. What happens is that you logout, or close the browser window, and your session ends. The back button will certainly not take you back into your account. That's how it works on my other online accounts.

vandanfc wrote: »

No one has mentioned Abbey

Not in this thread, but reading all the other threads I can see why :eek:

fagun

Hooo wrote: »

I don't think that would work for me. I'd need to leave about £2k in there for credit card DDs etc, so not much of my money would be getting interest. Shame, as otherwise FD sound really good.

Depends on when your credit card and DDs are set-up for. Most of mine are on 1st of the month - so I make sure there is sufficient money transferred from Savings to Current for those outgoings.

You're right that it's not the correct account if you have a large balance in there throughout the month.

Hooo

I think my main problem with the separate savings account is sheer laziness. I only log into my account once or twice a month, and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't want to get involved in transferring money back and forth when a bill appears, I just want to leave all the money in one place and be done with it.
That's also why I'm being so picky about finding the right account. I really can't be doing with switching again, so I don't want to have to try out all the providers to see if they're any good!

Mikeyorks

Hooo wrote: »

I don't think that would work for me. I'd need to leave about £2k in there for credit card DDs etc, so not much of my money would be getting interest.

Try Halifax. Their High Interest Current account pays 6.17% on balances up to £2.5k. And I find their online to be excellent. Rarely 'phone them and tend to use a local agency for paying in cheques ... so the CS dimension is a bit academic. Always seemed a bit perverse, to me, to want everything achievable online ... but forever ringing them!

You can then set a Websaver up adjacent to the current account - to decant excesses over £2.5k into. 6% gross at this very minute if you establish the 'with ATM card' Websaver. But that includes a bonus that expires 18th July - so you just (it's instant) set up a variable Web then (5.01% at the 'mo) - move the money and close the 'with card' version.

Also - they're one of the few that run their systems 365 days. So you don't get any of the silliness of DDs due out on the Monday - being 'reserved' from Friday night onwards. Much more realistic picture of your account at all times!

Fedz

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Always seemed a bit perverse, to me, to want everything achievable online ... but forever ringing them!

I think 'forever ringing them!' might be somewhat extreme ...

My personal feeling is it's better online/telephone banking as opposed to walking/driving/queuing at the bank plus by enlarge it's quicker

Mikeyorks

Fedz wrote: »

I think 'forever ringing them!' might be somewhat extreme ...

Well not really. I see so many posts on here where people clearly have online access but appear 'forever' to be complaining at attitudes / ignorance / confusion etc of the Help desk people. And I keep wondering 'but why ring'? I can find out most stuff I don't know from their website .... or from on here.

The OH + self must have 15+ accounts with Halifax and I don't ring from one year to the next. The only time I've really had to get to grips .. was problems setting up ISAs a year last April.

But they do keep ringing the OH !! As she's not a taxpayer I've put most of our Halifax money in her name .... so they (and occasionally she:rolleyes: ) ..... seem to think it's hers!!