To be really frustrated with the poor level of service when just trying to open a bank account!

[Rainbunny]

We are relocating to the UK after 25+ years spent overseas. My DH has arrived in the UK ahead of me by a couple of months and has opened a regular checking/savings account with Barclays bank, yet after nearly a month and a half he is still waiting on a bank card to arrive! This would be the second bank card that they issued to be sent to him as the first card never arrived after 3 weeks (they said 5-10 days) and now the replacement card is nowhere insight! Are banking services this bad generally in the UK now? (Our address is not strange, new or irregular, all other mail has arrived without issue.) I will arrive in a month's time and I'm already considering trying a different bank to my Dh's due to the awful experiences so far. Any suggestions for good experiences with banks would be welcome!

Starling bank. It's new and it's brilliant

First Direct.

My son had the same problem when setting up a business account with HSBC. It took four months and dozens of calls before they could use the account.

Nationwide won't let you down. Also your husband needs to log a complaint to get this sorted.

I bank with Barclays and have always found them to be outstanding. This is a very poor show. Be sure to complain.

Complain but has he checked that it hasn't been sent to a branch? I had this with a different bank and apparently it was because I'd updated my address with them recently so they sent it to branch as a security precaution but didn't bother to inform me.

I wouldn't touch Barclays with a barge pole (and yes, I've worked for them so have a pretty good understanding of their strengths and weaknesses).

Look at First Direct or Nationwide instead but be aware that customer due diligence checks are much stricter than they used to be (especially if you're comparing to 25+ years ago!) so account opening will be more onerous, especially if you haven't maintained a history in the U.K. since leaving. But it's the same everywhere so patience is needed......although not as much patience as Barclays seem to be expecting from your DH!!

holidaylady Starling bank...….could you tell me a bit more about it please?

I gave up trying to get a bank account and went with a building society instead. Yes it's pretty basic and there's no online banking with mine but I know where I stand with it.

A colleague had a similar issue with Barclay's. He lives abroad and they ended up sending about 4 or 5 cards as they all went astray or were sent to the wrong address (which he had never given them). He spent a long time talking to the Barclay's call centre, which I believe is actually in Singapore.

Thanks for the feedback, I will try First Direct when I arrive in the UK, unfortunately my DH is probably stuck for the immediate future with Barclays as that is where his paycheck is going despite the fact that he cannot access his money without the bankcard they seem to be unable to send him!

Do they have social media? Presumably in this day and age they do.

Get him to post on their FB or Twitter. That usually puts a fire under them.

A lot of our service users use metro bank, they are quick and don't seem to have difficulties of you don't have the standardised circumstances most banks want

Metro bank are absolutely fantastic!
Like a whole different banking process...
Very impressed.
We all moved ( adult children too) from the Halifax.

I have had recent experience from Barclays based on which I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole! Try First Direct - generally good to deal with.
Barclays have now sent out 3 sets of online banking details but none work. It's for an account where I'm an attorney (which they know and which is all properly registered with them) but after various branch visits then hours on the phone to them their solution is to start everything again and just send in the relative in hospital with dementia to sort it out......!

And Metro bank will give you a card on the day you apply in branch.

I was trustee on an account with Barclays and they were awful so I wouldn't touch them personally. As he's stuck with them for now I'd keep trying to escalate upwards until you get to somebody who can get you a straight answer and sort things out.
Nationwide were awesome when I set up accounts for my sons and so helpful both online and in branch.

Barclays are THE WORST. I tried to open an account with them fairly recently and had to wait a month for an appointment just to show ID so they could do the application. DH had similar issues when trying to open a business account. It's all still not sorted.

We have a few accounts with Metro Bank on the other hand, and it's always been ridiculously easy and straightforward. No appointment, pop in and open an account and they print the card there and then.

No experience with Barclays. Santander would be the one I'd recommend - always very helpful and longer opening hours than a lot of other banks. We use a couple of other banks as well but find you need to book appointments weeks or months in advance if you want to speak to anyone, and the online banking systems are pretty confusing for some of them.

If you are coming from overseas does your current country have HSBC? I have found their global service very effective. You could set up a Stirling account in your current country as a stop gap and then get the UK one set up once you arrive. You can then transfer between them with minimum fuss.

Try Lloyds, they rang me about a suspicous transaction (it was) so cancelled my card and the replacement arrived 2 days later.

Sure!
I've moved my current account to starling bank. Amazing account opening, it took seconds. It's all on an app. It's a proper bank, it got it's banking licence in Feb 2018.

I then opened a business bank account with them too.

The cards arrived in the post very fast.

And I get a message on my phone every time I spend money. Usually it's before I even get the receipt.

Very good customer service.

Barclays are shocking. The traditional banks need to up there game, because the newer ones are offering a better service.

Monzo. Your card will arrive the next day.

@gamerchick just so you know Nationwide is still and will hopefully always remain completely mutual I.e still a building society. All the perks of a bank so you can have online banking etc so not basic at all but with the knowledge you're a member not a customer.