Changing Bank

TSB gets my vote - smiley, friendly, helpful staff.

I moved all of accounts to Nationwide and we’ve been satisfied with their
service.

My late mother in law was with Danske bank and when she died my husband had a hell of a time dealing with them,anyone else find this bank difficult to deal with?

I agree it depends on your local access.

After 30yrs, I ended up with TSB when Lloyds TSB split, and was irritated. However my local TSB branch is so lovely, I can highly recommend the bank.

I havent any personal experience with Handelsbanken, they are Swedish, and are very popular here in Sweden. At present they are the only Bank where you can get cash, every other Bank around just have machines, and not many people to help you.

Another happy Halifax customer here. Our branch staff are lovely and helpful and they don’t all change every week. I can do most things online and if I have any form of query you get a U.K. based person on the end of the phone.
We also have a credit card from them as they do not charge for any foreign currency transactions.
I have found a proper Building Society to be the best when it comes to interest rates - the one I use is modernised old fashioned and you need to go up to the counter to do your business.

You are fortunate to have a choice in your local area. All ours shut down.

I woukd suggest visiting each branch and assessing the atmosphere.

Have a brief chat about moving accounts to them or just observe the staff handling their customers and judge how suitable the banch woukd be for you.

If it's the personal touch you are after in branch then this may be how to find out more and see where you are comfortable.

I'm with Barclays but because of all the branch closures and staff being replaced by machines I am thinking of changing. Although there is a cashier in my nearest branch there is usually a queue waiting to be served, and if I need to use some of the machines I usually have to wait for help as there may only be 1 staff member to help. I also dont use the self service tills in shops as im afraid i just dont like them.

I am also with Santander. I have the choice of several branches (although I tend to use the same one) and their online banking is very easy to use.

Nationwide aren't bad.

Santander is my choice - human beings and plenty of branches around here. I like the interest on the 123 account too

Have a look at Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert
www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts

I changed to tsb after reading his advice.

I've been with Lloyds for the last 50 years, and always found them very helpful with no petty rules and regs. I usually don't need to visit a branch because I use online banking. However, recently went into branch (Poole, Dorset) to withdraw substantial amount of cash for a new car. They saw me straight away switched the money from one account to another and paid me the cash straight away. I had to produce my card and answer a security question. That was it and off I went to get my nice new shiney aquisition! No problems.

Big vote for Santander in my branch they are very approachable and helpful. Online, it’s easy to get thru and chat and move money about without jumping thru hoops. Real people to speak to.

First Direct have had the highest customer service rate for years. It is an online bank but you can talk to very helpful people 24/7. I have been with them for 17 years and I wouldn't change. You can get your money out or pay in at any post office. Brilliant.

I was with HSBC for over 30 years. The last straw was when they took £25 from my account for requesting an overdraft twice in 6 months. I had NEVER requested an overdraft from them and had plenty of funds in my account. I had great difficulty getting a refund. I moved to TSB and what a difference. Staff are so friendly and I even get 3% interest on my account (zero at HSBC). Why didn't I move years ago?

Haven't been into a branch for 20 years or more. First Direct are brilliant & we have never had a problem with them. Excellent customer service & always friendly & helpful & available 24/7, 365 days a year

I've been with Santander for years and I'm very happy with them, their 123 account has earned me a lot of interest over the years on my current accounts. Their online banking is seemless and very user friendly in fact I now do all my banking on either my iPad or the mobile app on my phone.

We banked with the Co op for any years and found them to be an ethical and efficient bank (scandal about chairman notwithstanding!)
However they closed the busy well used branch in our town so we changed to Nationwide; they seem to be helpful and efficient so I would certainly recommend them. We have a 'FlexDirect' account which is completely free and if you have more than £1,000 paid into your account every month you get an interest payment.

My daughter living independently with a learning disability uses TSB and they are wonderful. Nothing is too much trouble and they greet her by name, chat with her about let’s say, her cat, and the manager even sat with her and helped her order something on the Internet. She has never been overdrawn, a quick call from them when funds are low and a suggestion to transfer from another account.

I have recently moved from HSBC TO RBS as they were so helpful, friendly and efficient when Paw died so I suspect it comes down to branch staff but the Bereavement Team, or whatever they were called, also went the extra mile on my behalf.
Everybody will have a favourite or indeed a sad story to tell, so I would say ask around locally, pop into a branch and assess the level of customer service you are seeing.

Handelsbanken is great - and my daughter works for them. Customers are indeed treated like individuals, just like the banks in our youth !

we have a Natwest locally, always busy, efficient staff etc they're closing down in the summer. Loads of people have complained but er're told the decision is made, and we can always go to the next town over which has an hourly bus service and costs about a fiver.

There are a lot of nondrivers here. elderly people who either never drove or no longer can . These people on the whole are not able to bank online as they are computer illiterate, oh and the library is closing down too so no access. to computers anyway

Please factor how long it would take to get to alternative branchesshould yoursa close

Not HSBC now. Too many staff changes with new ones not being experienced enough to cope with any but the commonest problems.

Do all my banking online - no probs.