Banks- V - Estate agents, both are total *******
 

Another one of those days today,when banks and estate agents have just re-enforced my view, and the widely held view point that they totally useless .......:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
something should be done about their business methods and attitude towards customers.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

just the tip of a ever increasing problem, anyone else had problem with said intitutes.

Yep my bank account was found to be empty two months ago and although the money was replaced I never had an explanation, I had a futher two withdrawls as payments to AOL ( i have never used them) and I had to cancel my debit card and go for a month without access to money in my current account.
When I went to my branch in person all they were interested in was trying to get me to upgrade my account and take out their credit card, as I have been with the same bank for 27 years and the same branch I expected better.
Once I have sorted a few things a change in Bank is on the cards any recommendations

Kev.

Lloyds - Good
LloydsTSB - Now totally Sh*te.

If you do find a good one let me know.

I sent my business bank (Nat West) a statement of account for all of the phone calls and letters I had to write to them to clear up an error on their part.
I used their own schedule of costs for letters (think it was £29/letter at the time) and phone calls (£10) and presented them with a bill in excess of £200.
Needless to say they refused and I withdrew my accounts.

Ask them for the local banking ombudsmans address and stir em up a bit.

Is there such a thing, as a good bank?

Alan, I did the same with my previous bank (Co-op) with charging them for a letter I had to write to sort out their error... they paid it without question!

Now with Lloyds TSB, and whilst I've had a couple of problems, they've been very helpful and quick to resolve them so I'm happy to stay there.

As for estate agents...... well, this is a family site so I'll refrain from comment!

[Edited on 26-8-2005 by NBs996]

Adam how did you guess it was lloyds TSB I was on about

Nope.
I once had a "conversation" with the NatWest clerk along the lines of:-
"So, let me get this right.
I put my money in your bank,
you use that money for investments,
from the profits off those investments you give me nothing,
you don't give me interest on the account,
and now you want me to pay you a fee to let you do that?"

Had next to no probs with the halifax since early '80's.

Dumped Lloyds TSB 6 yrs ago, to move remainder of accounts to Hx.

Estate agents - not had too many probs (and done 11 own sales/purchases in 21 yrs) but do know which ones to avoid locally:rolleye: - and also how to 'play them at their own game':lol:

First Direct have been okay for me.

i have to say generally estate agents are a pile of pooh.

I've been with the Halifax for about 20 years, never had any problems, nothing which caused any problems at least, did have a brief spell with NatWest before that and quickly moved

I had to borrow a couple of grand when I bougt my St, just to cover the money that I would get when I sold my old bike privately.

I phoned the bank who said the only thing I could do is take out a loan over a one year term, etc etc. I begrudgingly accepted this position as I only wanted a months over draft extension.

The next day I went into the branch to sign the paper work. The manager went through the details with me and explained that she thought it was daft to sign me up to a loan. Turns out her and her Hubby are bikers and she gave me the temporary overdraft I wanted on the condition that I drive past the bank the following week at opening time on me new bike.

Hello

Estate agents well I am in process of buying and selling, so for the moment they are all the "nicest people in the world" bitting my lip.

The truth - " they have been winding me up for nearly a year now with nothing more than their half truths" and have caused alot of upset in the process, but I guess thats what I am paying them for.

But to be fair the board is up as sold so watch this space . . . . . maybe . . . .:( . . .:) . . .:(

regards

TopiToo

:saint:My 'dad' is an Estate Agent and a complete and utter ****:)

Dumped Barclays for Nationwide, now very happy. When I call, I talk to the manager, and things get done. Also open on Saturdays (Barclays isn't) so I can get in if I need to.

I work for a bank - A major interntional bank so nothing to do with the UK high street banks.
I first started banking in the late 80's and worked for Coutts & Co. That was when banks were banks, you could walk into your branch, or pick up the phone and speak to a cashier and so on.
Since then, although I have absolutely nothing to do with the retail side of banking, I am almost embaressed by the truth in the comments from you all above.
I have tried a number of UK banks for my domestic bank account and the last one - Citibank - I came so close to taking them to the FSA.
I have an account with the Halifax, they are good for online banking, bit of a pain with call centre but all in all I think they are OK.
I dont know any UK bank that I would call good. I dont know what Coutts are like these days - I am not rich enough to bank with them.
As I said I find the Halifax the best of a bad bunch.
Please - no hate mail just coz I work for a bank!!:sniff:

Have been with HSBC since 1968 gulp, Bank is getting worse & worse.

Can only talk to someone in India and have been told that I am not allowed to talk to any member of staff, at my branch, by phone!

Recently had to transfer some money urgently by phone and needed to talk to a human being in england..no luck, so this person could not get keys to a new property.

I have even been thretened with court action over non paymeny of council tax because the direct debit mandate, made to be paid on the first of each month, was not being paid untill the 9th of each month.

The call centre in India kept telling me it takes nine days to transfer money on a direct debit.

:flame::flame::flame::flame::flame::flame::flame:: flame::flame::flame:


I hate banks, specially HSBC................................and get this, if I walk into my bank and pay money into my account, CASH, I`m tolf it takes seven days to be credited to my account.................... where`s my gun I`m gonna shoot a bank manager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:flame::flame::flame: :flame::flame:

Jesus, KP works for a bank, throw him out of the club or let me shoot him!:flame::flame::flame::flame::flame:

Same here, but they're slipping (had to listen to 15 mins call waiting t'other day. It's a phone bank... :puzzled: ).

Been with HSBC for years now and have to say that I couldn't be happier with them - mainly because I am on the Premier programme.

I did two things to get the privileged "Premier Customer" status.
1) I kept my account in Camden even though Canary Wharf is my closest branch. There are more millionaires working in CW than anywhere else in the country and I would be just another of the great unwashed if I moved my account to there. Because most of the customers in Camden are students, they treat me like a big fish.
2) I have my mortgage with them. You get Premier status if either your income or your mortgage is over a certain amount (before you ask, no I don't meet the income requirement). It's not a reason to switch your mortgage but they were offering a good deal anyway.

How good are they? As an example, we were in New York and needed $5,000 in brand new unmarked $100 dollar bills (long story, don't ask). I put a call into my branch manager's mobile and it was sorted in 2 hours.

I don't know the specifics but I'm sure most banks have similar programmes. The trick is working out how to get into them....

Whats the income level then to get Premier Customer status?

It\'s not the name over the door ...
 

... it's your relationship with the people inside that matters - do you have your bank manager's mobile 'phone number?

er no!

Do you need a mortgauge to get this status?

Is that via the call centre in India?:lol::lol:

Well, I've been a premier customer of the last few banks I've been at and it really depends on who manages your relationship with the bank.

I put large chunks of cash through Natwest and did this for a year before I asked them for any credit. Not much either mind you, less than 10% of the volume of cash I'd put through the account and they said no. I couldn't believe it, I thought it would be a formality but my 'relationship manager' just said no. When I asked him to explain why I was paying a higher fee for no service he couldn't answer. I moved all my accounts (including offshore) from Natwest to Clydesdale. I had a great time with them, they couldn't do enough for me, until the lady looking after my account moved on and I got the biggest incompetent ar$e who can't even send out paperwork to us within the same week!

We are requesting to change managers and if that doesn't work, I'll stop paying premier fee's and go completely online. I've never had any issue's with my Egg card ....

When I got it, I think the income level was £80k and £150k for mortgage. Both may have gone up since then but they haven't ask me to switch back.
I don't know whether it varies by region.

I know £80k is a pretty high threshold but the way that house prices have gone up over the last few years the mortgage threshold isn't really that high.

Just go into your nearest branch and see what they say.

And Tony is spot on - my "status" wouldn't be worth jack if my branch manager wasn't cool. My New York story only works because he chose to use the channels available to him to get the job done.

[Edited on 26-8-2005 by chicken]

What do you get in the Premier league?

What really grips me about these banks and Building societies is the 6 monthly pay outs to all the incompetants called staff.

My lazy cousin is sick most of the time and still gets in the region of £5000 pay outs, every six months, for what?

And its a bigger pay out the more you get paid!!!

What about the customer you greedy bstards?

Oh and as for estate agents...............unqualified prats!

[Edited on 26-8-2005 by andyb]

Generally zero fee's, someone you can call to make things happen for you etc ... you are also supposedly looked upon more favourably for credit if you need it and you are generally targeted more for advertising because you are supposed to have a higher income or a more in debt!

erm....nice service? magnesium credit card?

You'll have to excuse me - I have to send one of the manservants out for some more truffles so he'll have to stop typing for me.

Further questions will be answered in the morning.

That\'s life ...
 

... it's not what you know ... it's not even who you know ... it's what you know about who you know :lol:

Is it now i release those photos of you Henners.? or shall we call it £10000?:lol:

Not £120000???

Like clockwork orange,I moved to Nationwide(Still a building society) when you ring them you ring the branch you use not a call centre and you speak to someone straight away,not those ruddy"press one for current accounts,press two for anger management!!"
But no doubt someone has had problems with them too,just the luck of the draw really:puzzled:

Robin, totally agree matey...both t*ssers.. LloydsTSB ring me every year to introduce their local bank slave to...i.e. latest trainee manager....to try and sell me financial services again - wasters....

My missus gave up her lunch break to be asked questions about what we do in our spare time - jeez... '...I think the reply was - '...what has it got to do with you??!?....' :P - flog 'em to within an inch of their life l say. When we wanted a mortgage last time they were so out of the frame with what they offered, that we went elsewhere, you also can't e-mail anyone and still have to go via India when you supposedly have an acount manager.

Estate Agents marginally below second-hand car sales...:D

TAR - BRUSH - SAME - EVERYONE - DONT!!

Cheers.
kp:mad:

used car sales persons, well don't even go there.
round em up and ship'em off to a deserted island.

When i first joined First Direct the ohone wold be answered within two rings, now i often have to wait although to be honest i very rarely have to call them, maybe once in 6 months. I was told they have moved their call centre to India but the last two times i phoned i spoke to english people.

At christmas i did open an account with Nat West because their online banking can interface with my Quicken home accounting software but i never actually got around to swapping everything over so its sitting there unused.