First Direct: Are they really that good? and query

[Deleted User]

Hi all
Just wondering a few things about First Direct...

1- is the service that good ?

2 - On the website it says you don't have to pay to 10 pounds fee if you
hold a first direct mortgage, credit card, personal loan, savings account (* excluding Regular Saver Account), first directory, or first direct car or home insurance policy
What do they mean by savings ? I m guessing it doesn't mean £1 in an ESavings with them?
Thanks for any replies

thumshie

Can't comment on point 1..

As for point 2, yeap £1 in the ESaver is enough..

Angelmummy

I've only been with them for a few months but haven't got any complaints at all. Telephone staff are friendly and anything I've asked for has always arrived within a couple of days.

I'd certainly recommend them

nickyc_2

been with them a while now & would def recommend them. They've always been really helpful and have gone out of their way at times to help sort things out for me.

Timmne

I couldn't recommend them more highly. They're fantastic on the phone and each member of staff is what's known as "trained" so they can actually answer your questions, unlike most other banks where you get passed on to other people!

I would pay the £10 fee if I had to just to keep the exceptional customer service - it far outperforms other banks and I've tried most!

nearlyrich

I have been with them since 1992 and i have never had a problem, the staff are friendly and nothing is too much trouble. I love the internet banking plus as I can see everything on one page and I can keep track of nectar points etc on there too.

I have an unused credit card which I took to get around the £10 fee rules but I have sice opened the everyday e saver as it pays a reasonable amount of interest for an easy access top up account.

george_jetson

I've been with them since the mid 90s and would recommend them highly - they're generally pretty quick at picking up the phone and you're through straight away to someone who is efficient, professional and friendly.

I think they came top in a recent BBC Watchdog banking survey for customer service. This doesn't surprise me in the least…

bristol_pilot

I had a current account with them at one time but closed it after they gave my account an overdraft facility I hadn't asked for then, a few months later, introduced an annual fee for having that facility whether I used it or not. They did inform me in advance of introducing the charge but only in the very small print of what otherwise looked like a junk mailing - I could easily have missed it. I don't need my current account provider to be sneaky like that, so I closed the account.

bristol_pilot

george_jetson wrote: »

I think they came top in a recent BBC Watchdog banking survey for customer service. This doesn't surprise me in the least…

So they should be for £120 a year.

YorkshireBoy

They really are on one heck of a sales drive at the moment though.

Not only are they paying £100 for every current account opened* (and another £100 if you don't like them and move away later), they've even sent me 3 x £50 referral vouchers to introduce 'friends'.

All in all, it could be costing them £250 for every account opened (and then closed).

They'll have to do some serious 'cross-selling' to recover those potential losses.


* T&C's apply.

eira

Was one of their first customers and they are still my main bank.The huge plus is that there are real people at hand genuinely 24 hours a day 365 days a year-and they know what they are talking about-no scripts ,just staff who really know the business. Because of ex-husband and sporadic US $ payments they've helped me navigate a plethora of banking alleyways. They even helped me set up an account in New York. If you do a lot of travelling or are less than organised it really is a dream service. My daughter has about a £1 in a savings account and that lets her off the charge.for the current account service.

On the downside because of my less than pristine past (ex husband leaving me with the debts of a small republic) the account has been less than flexible. Examples that stand out are the £100 OD limit ( student daughter has £500!), I had to press for a Maestro card. The card I had could only be used at ATMs and at places where I was 'known'. It got to the point where the card was more or less useless- as stated I had to press for a Maestro card. I had to open other accounts to get access to a Visa Debit card before I got the First Direct Maestro. Their credit services section is the department I've found less than helpful.

However I would recommend them- I've got both my daughters on board (if you do a transfer on line from a First Direct to a HSBC account the transfer is instant if made before 11 pm-very useful for chaotic students ). It is quite frankly the sheer joy of having real human beings who know what they're talking about genuinely available when they say they are. The link with HSBC also helps if you have to deal with overseas funds.