would anyone recommend the bank that they use?

[MaMaLa321]

I getting really fed up with the (low) level of customer service offered by the HSBC. I'm put off moving because I assume that all banks are the same, but would anyone recommend a bank? One where I could ring up and speak to a human being?

First direct they are so lovely. Everyone I have spoke to has been great. And friendly! Cannot fault them in ten years.

I got fed up with HSBC so switched to Lloyds. No issues or complaints so far. I was scammed out of several thousand pounds, and they worked very hard to get it back for me. In the end, they took pity and refunded me themselves, despite the other bank Barclays being very difficult. Would recommended to anyone.

Ive only ever been with Barclays, got current accounts, savings and mortgage (even after looking through all options to compare, ended up with barclays mortgage) and all link up on my app.

Even opened kids savings account over video call during lockdown which was very convenient. No complaints so never looked elsewhere!

@HundredMilesAnHour

I work in the industry. Nationwide or First Direct or Starling.

Don't go anywhere near Barclays. Not even if your life depends on it.

Interested to know details of why not Barclays, can you expand on this @HundredMilesAnHour?

Lloyds is super easy to join

First Direct

I've been with First Direct for years and would normally recommend them
Having said that recently it's a joke trying to get through on the phone. I've tried twice recently and given up. Before this you used to get through in a few rings.

Yet another organisation using covid as an excuse for poor customer service

First direct. Top!

I’m with NatWest and have never had any complaints. I find their mobile app and online banking so easy to use and the new(ish) budgeting feature and credit score really useful. Probably similar with some other banks but they breakdown what you’ve spent money on over the month.

Be aware with first direct, most of the hsbc branches are having the counters taken out, they haven’t yet updated the machinery for new FD cards so you can’t actually pay in cash and have to do it at the post office

Lloyds Bank have been excellent, no problems over 35 years of banking with them.

First Direct. I've been with them since they started.

Handelsbanken. We moved from a high street bank and they’ve been excellent with very personal round the clock service.

Nationwide and Barclays are the ones I use, both fabulous. I also have a Monzo account which I use for hiding purchases from DH!

V happy with Nationwide after a poor few years with Co-Op

If I had been asked a few months ago I wouldn't have hesitated to recommend First Direct. I have banked with them since they launched over 30 years ago. I loved that I could call them and be answered by a friendly human being within a few seconds. However I had to call them for the first time recently and waited 45 minutes for someone to answer. During that time I had to listen to an automated voice telling me how much easier to talk to their automated chat using online banking. I had already tried that and been informed I had to actually call in person to do what I needed to do. Now the USP of First Direct was the amazing telephone banking they offered. They were the first bank to do that and they were amazing at it.
This has now gone and I hope I never have to call them again. So to all those who have replied on this thread saying First Direct offer an amazing service which offers an amazing telephone banking experience I would like to ask how recently you have tried to use that service?

@HundredMilesAnHour would you mind explaining why not Barclays? I'd be very interested to hear please!

HSBC are just horrific aren't they! They could not have made more cock ups when we had to sort my Father's estate out than if they'd tried.

I was on the phone to First Direct last Friday and waited around 5 minutes. Which is longer than I would expect. The automated chat on the app is rubbish.

Santander were pretty hopeless. Barclays have been ok (with them for 30+ years).

I've just completed a move to Starling (which has taken about two years). I've been with First Direct for 25 years, and recently moved across. FD was excellent for telephone banking. They used to answer instantly, but it's about 5mins wait now. However, the world has moved on, and their app/web presence is a bit lacklustre.

A comment on HSBC: when I got married, we opened a joint account with HSBC at a branch in Bristol. I assume that someone cocked up, as the account actually has a sort code for a branch in Bradford. For most purposes, that's fine, but whenever I need a new card, I get 'we've sent it to your branch, and it can be picked up from there'. There seems to be nothing I can do to sort this out.

I’m with NatWest , have been with them for 40+ years and never had any complaints at all . I rarely go in branch but when I do the staff are always extremely helpful .

NatWest has been good over the many years.

Also got accounts with HSBC. Not great at all.

Changing banks is a faff though.

@6fingerkitkat Having just been through changing banks, it was far less of a faff than I anticipated. I'm wondering why I didn't do it earlier.