Best High Street Bank?

[HereBeMonsters]

Looking to set up a joint account with the wife to pay bills and rent, we will each be paying in around £700 a month into, don't need an overdraft and we'd like to keep our own separate current accounts for our pay to go into each month, then set up a standing order to pay into the joint one.

Basically I want a no-hassle account and easy to manage with online banking. Not Halifax. I've heard good things about Co-Op, anyone use them?

[[AJ]]

I hear that HSBC are very good and offer an excellent online banking facility.

[maxrider]

First Direct, been with 15 years and can't fault 'em.

[ewenm]

[AJ] said:

I hear that HSBC are very good and offer an excellent online banking facility.

I've had no issue with HSBC over the years for personal and business banking.

Edit: And as far as I know, they haven't taken any handouts from the taxpayer.

Edited by ewenm on Wednesday 20th January 12:08

[snotrag]

HSBC online banking works really well IMO.

HOWEVER - God Forbid if you ever want to actually discuss something with someone.

As their 'local branches' opening times are something like 1pm till 1-15pm on a Tuesday, as long as its a month that starts with a
Saturday, except those which include a bank holiday.

And of course when it does open, you'll be in a queue behind all the pensioners and all the tradesmen paying in massive bundles of uncounted, un sorted cash.

[rocksteadyeddie]

maxrider said:

First Direct, been with 15 years and can't fault 'em.

Ditto. 15 years and never had a problem.

[beakr]

HereBeMonsters said:

Looking to set up a joint account with the wife to pay bills and rent, we will each be paying in around £700 a month into, don't need an overdraft and we'd like to keep our own separate current accounts for our pay to go into each month, then set up a standing order to pay into the joint one.

Basically I want a no-hassle account and easy to manage with online banking. Not Halifax. I've heard good things about Co-Op, anyone use them?

Not used Co-op as such, but I have been with Smile for the last eight years or so - absolutely no issues whatsoever.

[Size Nine Elm]

rocksteadyeddie said:

maxrider said:

First Direct, been with 15 years and can't fault 'em.

Ditto. 15 years and never had a problem.

Nearly 20 years - and no problems with day-to-day banking.

If you actually need a 'bank manager' discussion, its can become 'computer says no' - but that seems to be true of all banks.

Its not really a case of 'best' high street bank, but more 'least bad'.

A previous boss chose Barclays out of 4 high street banks within about 200 yards of each other. When asked why, it was because they were all crap, but Barclays was the nearest...

[wobert]

+1 for FD, I've been with then for 17 years, and would heartily recommend them.

NB They will charge though if you pay in less than £1500 pm. A way around this is to simply have one their credit cards or open a savings account, even if neither are used, and they will waive the charges.

Edited by wobert on Wednesday 20th January 12:22

[HereBeMonsters]

Size Nine Elm said:

Its not really a case of 'best' high street bank, but more 'least bad'.

That is precisely the challenge, I think.

High street opening hours are important - I'm currently with NatWest as when I signed up with them years ago, they had the best online banking, and gave me a decent overdraft. However all the branches in my local area are open 0930-1630 Monday to Friday. Some close at 1430 on a Wednesday, and only one is even open at all on a Saturday, 0930-1200. Trying to pay a cheque in is an absolute joke.

So the consensus seems to be HSBC then? Aren't they Communists?

[Carfiend]

Fairly sure First Direct are part of HSBC. I bank with them as well and I have not had any problems apart from using my Debit card in Europe when they cancel it as a precaution and you have to call them up to tell them where you are traveling.

[miniman]

Very happy with Lloyds and have been for the last 15 years or so. Excellent online banking plus text alerts, mobile phone banking and so forth.

[GTIR]

Go with Halifax and you can "high five" everyone while you're in the bank.

Edited by GTIR on Wednesday 20th January 12:43

[iggletiggle]

wobert said:

NB They will charge though if you pay in less than £1500 pm. A way around this is to simply have one their credit cards or open a savings account, even if neither are used, and they will waive the charges.

Edited by wobert on Wednesday 20th January 12:22

is this on the Joint account ?

i have been paying in £1100 into a standard debit card account for 3 years and never been charged.

Have been with First Direct for 6 years, online is great but beware if you ever need to call customer service it can be a ballache (but very rarely needs to be done)

[dirty boy]

HSBC here, no problems.

With respect to seeing a manager, that simply varies from branch to branch in every bank, it's only as good as the people operating there.

However, having experienced most online facilities offered by the big names, HSBC impresses me most.

[wobert]

iggletiggle said:

wobert said:

NB They will charge though if you pay in less than £1500 pm. A way around this is to simply have one their credit cards or open a savings account, even if neither are used, and they will waive the charges.

Edited by wobert on Wednesday 20th January 12:22

is this on the Joint account ?

i have been paying in £1100 into a standard debit card account for 3 years and never been charged.

Have been with First Direct for 6 years, online is great but beware if you ever need to call customer service it can be a ballache (but very rarely needs to be done)

Not sure as both our joint accounts have more than the minimum paid into them, plus we savings accounts and credit cards with them.

Interesting that you find talking to them "a balls ache". I've find them fine, if anything more than helpful.

[iggletiggle]

wobert said:

iggletiggle said:

wobert said:

NB They will charge though if you pay in less than £1500 pm. A way around this is to simply have one their credit cards or open a savings account, even if neither are used, and they will waive the charges.

Edited by wobert on Wednesday 20th January 12:22

is this on the Joint account ?

i have been paying in £1100 into a standard debit card account for 3 years and never been charged.

Have been with First Direct for 6 years, online is great but beware if you ever need to call customer service it can be a ballache (but very rarely needs to be done)

Not sure as both our joint accounts have more than the minimum paid into them, plus we savings accounts and credit cards with them.

Interesting that you find talking to them "a balls ache". I've find them fine, if anything more than helpful.

the restriction must be on the joint account, just checked and never had any fee's charged when paying in less that £1500.00

I have only had issues in the last 12months since they switched from using maestro to VISA with reference to getting new car out etc

[deeen]

My current account is co-op, no complaints. Branches bit thin on the ground, maybe find out where your nearest one is. Alliance and Leicester seem to be advertisng a good deal on their curent account, at the moment?

[HOGEPH]

Been with Nationwide since 1988, so they must be ok I suppose.

[sleep envy]

rocksteadyeddie said:

maxrider said:

First Direct, been with 15 years and can't fault 'em.

Ditto. 15 years and never had a problem.

whilst I bank with them too they won't offer a joint acount for bills, shopping and the like

I asked and they said no

in the end we went for and A&L account - joint debit & C/C etc