Anyone changed banck recently

[Eve]

I have been with the same bank for 15+years now and am thinking of moving to the Alliance & leicester internet account...basically as it pays 5% interest on current accounts.

..but am slightly concerned as all my bills are paid by direct debit from my account (and there are lots of them) and am worried about the move messing them all up.

I know it supposed to be easy these days to move all the direct debits....but actually is it????

I moved banks. I went to the Virgin one account. It was a fairly smooth transaction to swap the bills over. They offered to do it all for me and would have done, but I'd already phoned and swapped half by then. Go for it.

i moved to first direct a couple of months ago and it was seamless. they sent me a form i had to sign and put my current acct details on. then they contacted my bank and sent me a list of all dd's and standing orders on the account (although woolwich were crap so it was a confusing list). i then emailed fd with the ones i wanted to move. a couple were missed (poss my fault) but the companies wrote to me to tell me it had been cancelled and it took 5 mins to set up again

switch with which for current accounts.

This has a step-by-step process for you, Eve. I have an A&L account and it has been excellent.

First Direct have always been brilliant for me - banked with them for ever it seems.

Also, can anyone recommend a good bank for a business account? Lloyds are offering two years free banking - but heard their customer service stinks.

First Direct for me too for day to day - excellent (£250 interest free overdraft). Savings I keep elsewhere.
I think there's an incentive if you get reccommended by someone already with them, so find a friend already with FD.

Smile are great (internet bank from the Co-op)