Looking for a good bank with good internet site

SparciaM

I did bank with smile, but then as they kept reducing their rates I decide to move to FD (from peoples recommendations) and use their savings account as a C/A and just transfer into 1st account to give good interest rate, but I'm getting more annoyed with FD by the day.

They have put 4 transfers to my CC on my drop down list, when I only asked for 1. I had 1 and then wanted it deleted and they couldn't so put DO NOT USE (that was a few months back), then I decided to pay on top of the min dd so asked for the DO NOT USE payment to be re-instated and instead they added an additional 3. 2 When I first asked, then a 3rd (making 4) when I called to complain that there was already more on the list.

They just apologised for their error and said all they can do is keep 3 at DO NOT USE and 1 as normal. Yet I've already got 20 transfers on my drop down list (12 of which already say DO NOT USE) - as I do lots of one off transfers to people.

I would like an account where you can just send money without putting a reference and without it staying on a list for 13 months. Of where the money leaves my account and then the transfer has gone. It's get very annoying to keep having to spend time scrowling through my list to find which transfer I need just to make a simple payment.

Any suggestions on accounts?

Che75

I was on Halifax today and they are promoting some improvements to their payment screens. You can try their demo and see if you like the look of it. I used to work for Halifax and must admit their online banking has come a long, long way over the last year or so.

https://www.halifax-online.co.uk/_mem_bin/formslogin.asp

emma396

SparciaM wrote: »

I would like an account where you can just send money without putting a reference and without it staying on a list for 13 months. Of where the money leaves my account and then the transfer has gone. It's get very annoying to keep having to spend time scrowling through my list to find which transfer I need just to make a simple payment.

so you input details each time?

skyrider007

HSBC Online Banking is very good.

missile

Nationwide works for me

heppy23

I found Abbey fine. You can set up bill payments and they stay on a list or you can delete then.

Halifax are good too. work the same way as abbey but you can reactivate the delete ones.

billbob

I also bank with First Direct, although I find their service to be great I also get frustrated with their internet banking.

I also have a long list of payments I no longer use. It seems madness that we cannot delete them and manage the payments like every other bank does.

I suppose all we can do is send them feedback and hope they make some improvements.

skyrider007

billbob wrote: »

I also have a long list of payments I no longer use. It seems madness that we cannot delete them and manage the payments like every other bank does.

It is strange that you cannot manage your payment list. With HSBC you can fully manage almost everything. I would have expected FD to provide an even more comprehensive online banking. Apparently not.

SparciaM

It's not a lot to ask to delete a payment, and when they mess up and add more to your list it gets frustrating.

I know someone who's banked with them since 1999 and they keep telling him 'thanks for your feedback, we'll look into this'.

The big problem that FD have is that EVERY transfer you HAVE to put a reference - so this changes it from a transfer to a bill payment/so type transfer. IF they changed the system so you could pick (transfers (no reference) and transfers (with reference)) it would be better AND allow for the transfers to be deleted after usage.

Every other bank in the UK allows them to be deleted but FD can't do this. Well they can, as they have deleted transfers from my list before (like when I had an e-savings account and that transfer was deleted was the account was closed) and they can delete transfers if they were set up in error and not used. So it CAN be done, by how many years and how many times do you have to wait/ask.

PROLIANT

Alliance and Leicester are good.

hlg_2

Not being able to delete a payee is ridiculous. You should ditch and switch!

Alliance & Leicester, Halifax and Nationwide all have good internet banking interfaces - although watch out with A&L if you ever go into your overdraft, as they have replaced their APR with a daily fixed fee, which can work out pretty expensive if you only go a little bit into your OD, but for a few days. Halifax and Nationwide also both have UK based call centres with helpful friendly staff.

HSBC internet banking is top notch, but HSBC are terrible to bank with and it was literally a joy to close my account there - open an account with them at your peril!!

I don't think there are many banks that will allow you to do a transfer without putting in a reference. They will tell you that it should be something that the recipient will understand, but I just put in something that helps me to identify it in my payment list - eg/ "ISA", "credit card", "savings" - next to useless on the recipient's bank statement but helps you to keep track of your payments much easier.