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Changing Bank

(57 Posts)
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Marmight Mon 19-Feb-18 08:47:27

I have been with my present bank, the RBS, for 37 years but for reasons various, I need to change. Any ideas? I need to have access to a local branch with approachable staff - joke grin. I'm fed up with not being able to access my own money without going through the 3rd degree from an uneducated, customer averse 4th former who trots out the Bank's 'pro forma' before engaging the brain. I've spent more tearful hours on the phone than I care to, wading through red tape in order to get absolutely nowhere. There appears to be the usual selection on my new local High Street but I am stumped. Has anyone heard of Handelsbanken? I just want a Bank where my custom is appreciated, life is simple and I'm not blinded with 1000 possibilities and I'm treated as a human, not a number and, most importantly, be able to have easy access to my own funds.

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Marmight Mon 19-Feb-18 21:53:07

Thanks for all the comments. A bit of research on the cards tomorrow.

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Nanna58 Mon 19-Feb-18 22:37:08

We have tried this week to make an appt with three well known banks/building societies, to open a new account to put a reasonable windfall in. Santander had" no appointments for the foreseeable future" and HSBC nothing until end of April - clearly they neither need nor want our money. If it's this difficult putting money in God knows it must be damn difficult to get it out of them!

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Coco51 Mon 19-Feb-18 23:15:38

Yes. I thought about Handelsbanken a couple of months ago - but it turns out they charge £25 per month if you dipon’t have a mortgage with them. They won’t even let you have a savings account. I was very disappointed because I love all things ’Svenska’, but I’m mortgage free and can’t afford £25 per month.

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yattypung Tue 20-Feb-18 02:07:02

I have banked with Barclays for over 50 years, didn’t have a problem with them when I lived in uk, but since moving to Australia I have had so many problems with them. I obviously do my banking on line, and whenever I have had a query regarding my account, I am told to go into my nearest branch!! Time and time again I have rang them (at considerable cost to myself) explaining that I live in oz and can’t just pop into my local branch, so then I am asked several security questions, fair enough, but then I am told my answers are not what they have on record!! Now I think I do know my own date of birth and my maiden name, but they just insist that I have given the wrong information. I had to write to their head office and complain before I was able to gain access to my own money! I know they have to be careful with security but it is so frustrating when they just keep saying ‘theres nothing we can do’.

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Eilyann70 Tue 20-Feb-18 10:36:52

Another vote for First Direct! Been with them for over 20 years and never any problems. Usually bank online but when we do phone staff are always friendle and efficient. Can get cash from any machine or Post Office.

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Magrithea Tue 20-Feb-18 15:13:16

I switched to Nationwide after HSBC (my bank for 20+ years for my own account) closed the local branch where my account was held. Very helpful and friendly

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