switching - how?

sportbeth

Daft question but I am about to transfer current accounts and I've not got access to a switching service.

Apart from the following, is there any easier way of doing this?

Write to Direct Debit's confirming new details
Await confirmation of dates of transfers
Credit both accounts in case of any !!!!-ups
Give notice to my current bank
Tell my employers change of salary info.

Is there an easy way of doing this? There's a few direct debits and I'm feeling a bit tired thinking about it!

Mark7799

Did it myself a few years ago and did all the leg work myself as I'd seen so many c0ck-ups by the Banks (used to work for one!!)

I decided to run down one account and leave the other build up rather than a switch. An overdraft limit on my new account and paid in as I realised d/d's were due - cost me a few pennies in interest and no bounced items. I changed jobs at the same time so just gave my new bank details to my new employers.

It was also a good opportunity to have a financial spring clean and I took the chance to cancel a few payments after thinking 'why am I paying this'?

Rita_Beanie

Hi,

My experience is, that even when they offer you their switching service,do it by yourself.

I`ve just called the companies up, who i had direct debit with and i informed them about the changed bank details,i could do all over the phone and it took them about 2-3 days to amend the details,of course i have left money on the previous account...you know just in case
Using the internet banking makes it easier to check what is going on :rotfl:

Hessle free

sportbeth

Oh thats good to know, and here was me feeling all hard done by by not having the offer of a switch service for me!

CopperPlate_2

I did this about a year or so ago (to smile from RBS). Smile offered a switcher service but I decided I'd rather do it myself

Lots of companies (like BT, TV Licensing (I think?)) will let you do it via their automated services which you know should be done properly.

Everything else, I either phoned (using 18866 of course ) and asked if they would take the details over the phone. Most would, and the couple that wouldn't I just wrote to them with the new details. Everything went completely smoothly - mortgage, council tax, gas, electricity, etc. Every single one EXCEPT the National Lottery who made a complete mess of it and didn't put me into four draws until I'd re-sent forms for a new DD. Now I wonder what would've happened if my numbers had come up...

I worked out how much money I'd need for those bills I'd swapped over, and then just paid that amount into the new account for the following month. Then watched to see (if you've got an online account you can access) which DD's had been taken onto the new account.

CP