Abbey (National)

[Mal]

After getting totally p!$$ed off with the Royal Bank of Scotland, I'm thinking of changing my current account to the Abbey.

What do people think of the Abbey for current accounts? Good points? Problems?

Your help will be appreciated.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Mal

After getting totally p!$$ed off with the Royal Bank of Scotland, I'm thinking of changing my current account to the Abbey.

What do people think of the Abbey for current accounts? Good points? Problems?

Your help will be appreciated.

depends what you are looking for.....
the abbey offers a switcher service, so that all your direct debits, standing orders etc, will be moved out, and your other account closed...without you having to do any of it... the abbey will also match any facilities you have on your bank of scotland account (i.e overdraft, multifunction card)... you can set up to view your account online...
there are different types of interest you can get, if you have a grand or more going into your account each month you can get a higher rae of interest on the balance of the account...or you can get the prefered overdraft rate and thus a lowish rate of interest on the overdraft....
also the abbey's charges are apparently competitive...

and of course you get wonderful staff :pp

as for whether they are a good bank....they seem to be pretty good, a lot better than some of the banks i've been with (as a customer i mean)

[cjmillsnun]

Hmm, had some bad service from them in the past.

Personally I would recommend the Co-op Bank. Always found them helpful, the privelage account may not be the best in the market (but it isn't bad) but the ethical policy is what wins it for me. And the fact that a bank that only invests in companies/projects/countries that don't oppress people or do serious harm to the environment can still survive and be competetive says to me that perhaps more banks should follow this kind of policy.

[Bex]

taking my work hat off mal, if they are anything like they are to work for, with their bank account i would steer well clear

I'm quite impressed by Nationwide myself.I'm seriously thinking of moving from Barclays to them.They do do that esavings account which is nice.

[imback]

Abbey National are evil, when someone forged my signature to complete my mortgage they didn't give a monkeys, as one of their staff put it "as long as it's signed we don't care"

No experience of Abbey myself, but I hate the rebranded image so badly that in itsef would prevent me ever opening an account with them. I want a bank to be efficient with my money, not all this day-glo 'hey man, come and smoke some of this while we talk over your piggy bank' rubbish. Whatever they paid some stuck-up London ad agency for that, it was about 100 times too much.

[Chimaera]

Well I have banked with them for 18 years now - and never had a problem with them - in fact they went well out of their way when I was broken into at home and had my cheque book and cards stolen - they gave me some money to tide me over on the spot (luckily was a regular customer at that branch and they knew me well!) and they had all my new bank details to me within 2 working days which I thought was pretty good.
They have also been good when it comes to other stuff like loans for a car too - all in all I can't fault them!

[sir_drinks_alot]

I would recommend the Nationwide i have naver had a problem
with tham in all my year of Association

Originally Posted by Chimaera

Well I have banked with them for 18 years now - and never had a problem with them - in fact they went well out of their way when I was broken into at home and had my cheque book and cards stolen - they gave me some money to tide me over on the spot (luckily was a regular customer at that branch and they knew me well!) and they had all my new bank details to me within 2 working days which I thought was pretty good.
They have also been good when it comes to other stuff like loans for a car too - all in all I can't fault them!

That is bloody good service

Originally Posted by Incognitas

I'm quite impressed by Nationwide myself.I'm seriously thinking of moving from Barclays to them.They do do that esavings account which is nice.

Im with Coggy, i'd vote for Nationwide. For one they dont have shareholders so you benefit from better rates, they have reasonable online banking (not the best ive seen but its still very good) AND english call centres are being refurbished.

Funnily enough i left Barclays for Nationwide too.

[Stuart]

I've been with the Abbey since I was a kid (I opened my first account 21 years ago), and I can honestly say I have always had good service.

Not like that bunch at the HSBC. I had a current account with them years ago, and they caused so many problems that I just closed the account and opened a current account with the Abbey (ony had a savings account with them at that point).

[aliferste]

To be honest I couldnt wait until I got my mortgage away from them and now cant wait until I can get my current account away from them.
Given poor advice on a mortgage....an endownment #tsk# and they were very unhelpful when we went over the overdraft a couple of times......ie phone up to ask them to put up th eod by a tenner as we had a direct debit coming off and they refused......so we had to pay a charge....even though we had money going in the next day !!

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by cjmillsnun

Hmm, had some bad service from them in the past.

Personally I would recommend the Co-op Bank. Always found them helpful, the privelage account may not be the best in the market (but it isn't bad) but the ethical policy is what wins it for me. And the fact that a bank that only invests in companies/projects/countries that don't oppress people or do serious harm to the environment can still survive and be competetive says to me that perhaps more banks should follow this kind of policy.

I'll second that I'm with the co-op, they are great, I used to be with Abbey (boo, hiss) When I worked for them and I certainly would recommend them to anyone EVER. Bex you on commission? :pp

[Bex]

Originally Posted by dellwear

Bex you on commission? :pp

well my first post would make it sound that way, but my second wouldn't...

but the way the company is going, it will be commision based