Might change banks.. But to who????

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  • Nickynoo1
    Nickynoo1 Posts: 390 Forumite
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    I'm another 1 out of 9 customers that would recommend smile :)

    With smile you can actually use the co-op branch banks should you wish. Overdraft rate is fee free up to £500 and interest rate at 9.9% I think.

    I used the switch service for DD's with no problems, although I did switch from a co-op account, any transfers between them are immediate.

    Easy website to use too.

    Nickynoo1
    16/06/16 £11446 30/12/16 £9661.49
    01/08/17 £7643.69
  • joeo2000
    joeo2000 Posts: 47 Forumite
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    I bank with the nationwide which is competitive,though if i were to open up a current account today I think it would have to be with the Alliance & Leicester

    6.5% provided you put in £1000 a mnth
    free overdraft & tarvel insurance.

    this is a online current account so manage it from home
    It has telephone banking in case your computer or internet is down and the 6.5% lasts till december 2005.

    ISA & high interest savings are usually dealt with seperately,I am always moving those around for the best interest.The same with credit cards.

    I know am tempted to switch. :-/
  • johnllew
    johnllew Posts: 1,928 Forumite
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    the Alliance & Leicester

    6.5% provided you put in £1000 a mnth
    I think that should be 5.5%. A&L Premier a/c
  • joeo2000
    joeo2000 Posts: 47 Forumite
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    I stand corrected its 5.5 not 6.5 as I stated

    sorry,

    still an ace account though .
  • Reaper
    Reaper Posts: 7,283 Forumite
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    I'm a rate tart with very little brand loyalty. However the exception is my bank account. Having been with a bad bank (Barclays) and a good one (First Direct) I decided it just isn't worth the hassle to chase the best rate. A bank account has so many opportunities for error I'd rather stick with a good one. I'm not saying First Direct don't make mistakes but the difference is they go out of their way to fix them. Indeed they recently went to great lengths to sort out a mistake I had made. I can't imagine Barclays would have lifted a finger.

    I know this is a money saving site and it is logical to go with the best rates but I'd say put customer service first and only use rates as a tie breaker. Besides you shouldn't be holding lots of cash in your bank account, shift it to a savings account.

    Smile and First Direct get consitently good feedback so I'd say go with one of them.
  • MarkyMarkD
    MarkyMarkD Posts: 9,912 Forumite
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    I think that should be 5.5%. A&L Premier a/c
    If we are being pedantic, John, it's Premier Plus ;)

    But quite right about the interest rate :)
  • johnllew
    johnllew Posts: 1,928 Forumite
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    If we are being pedantic, John, it's Premier Plus  ;)
    True, but I was in a hurry and it's the right link!
  • jb84344
    jb84344 Posts: 85 Forumite
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    If you want good service though, maybe A&L isn't the way to go....

    http://forum.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Money;action=display;num=1093619684
    4oz rice crispies, 4oz butter, 4 mars bars.
    Melt, mix, cool, eat. Yummy! ;)
  • raeble
    raeble Posts: 911 Forumite
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    Yes alliance & leicester have got on my last nerve. I just got overdrawn for the first time ever and they charged me £25, the guy on the phone was very unhelpful and unsympathetic. I wouldn't mind but I'm always in credit and I have £6000k in their savings account which they could well see. So I'm moving to smile.

    Also don't assume that you have an overdraft when you open your account, when my account was upgraded they didn't bother arrange one. As previously stated that high interest rate doesn't kick in until you pay in over £1000, I've always been just under. Yes the free travel insurance is nice but I never go on holiday.
  • derrick
    derrick Posts: 7,424 Forumite
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    A&L only pay 5.5% on balances up to £2500. then it goes down to around 0.01% ?

    I am with I.F (Intelligent Finance) which is a division of Halifax,and have had no problems with them.
    They are currently paying 4.75% as long as you have a savings account with them which also pays 4.75% as they match the current acc with the savings acc, and you only need to keep £1. in the savings acc
    Don`t steal - the Government doesn`t like the competition


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