Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Hi Guys,

 

Knowing that you are all wise owls out there I thought I would ask your opinion.

 

I currently bank with the HBOS group which is likely to be taken over by the Lloyds TSB group. Now a long time ago the Webmuppets had major problems with Lloyds and I vowed never ever to go near Lloyds again. I also has lesser problems with the TSB. So if the takeover goes ahead I will be taking our entire collection of accounts etc elsewhere.

 

I thought about going to the Co-Operative Bank, there's a branch in Ipswich and they appear to offer the range of products we need plus on line banking(and of course are an ethical bank).

 

Has anyone had experience of the Co-Operative Bank?

 

 

Thank you

Mrs Webmuppet (holder of the Webmuppet purse strings!)

[crazygal]

Hi- I changed to bank with the Co-op a few years ago and have a Smile account which is online.

 

I have had no problems whatsoever with them so would recommend them.

 

Also the way they use your money is supposed to be more ethical than most.-edited to add- ah I re read your post - you already know that!

[chocchick]

I've been with Smile and found it good. You can do it all online or over the phone. You can transfer between Smile accounts instantly. The only problem was receiving cards and PINs in the post which was probably the postal service

OH has gone a bit crazy and now has about 3 types of account with them.

[gracefruit]

I've been with them for a little over a year after being very unhappy with RBS. The difference is amazing. The Co-operative seems to actually appreciate your business! I would happily recommend them.

[Tessa the Duchess]

I've had an account with the Co-op bank for many years, never had any problems with them, except they don't have many branches, so I have to travel to get to them. My son also has an account with them. He got into a bit of a financial pickle with Barclays a few years ago but the Co-op took him on as a customer with a very limited account, NO credit cards allowed, a very good thing imho. Smile, their online web based account is consistently voted best every year. If you are trying to live ethically it is the best account to have.

 

Tessa

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I have spoken to both the banking and mortgage departments and they were really nice happy sounding people and couldn't have been more helpful. Loads of info coming in the post and they even offered to arrange appointments in the branch for me. It was a refreshing change to speak to such lovely people. I think they will get my vote!

[Guest]

I'm with Smile - Coop online banking - I have never had any problems - they suit my ethical stance - I'd thoroughly recommend them.

 

I have been with them for years and never yet needed to go into a branch! I don't know what I'd need to do in a branch....

 

Phil

[hilda-and-evadne]

I currently bank with the HBOS group which is likely to be taken over by the Lloyds TSB group. ... So if the takeover goes ahead I will be taking our entire collection of accounts etc elsewhere.

 

I thought about going to the Co-Operative Bank

 

You and me both. Except that it was that my business account that I moved to HBOS from Lloyds TSB a couple of years ago, due to rubbish service by Lloyds. Only yesterday I decided to move my business account to the Co-Operative. After the collapse of Lehman Brothers (who saw that coming?), I did quite a lot of research on the web and discovered this report of only just over a year ago. Look at HBOS' exposure to US assets (bonds, I guess) which will, after the merger, be added to Lloyds' exposure. I am only guessing but I think that that might be why the Prime Minister says this merger is "in the national interest" and so he plans to over-ride the Competition Commission if they object to it.

 

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2007/08/21/6731/hbos-the-latest-abcp-victim-insists-it-will-weather-this-squall/

 

By the way, you know how we are always being assured that the Government will guarantee the first £30k-ish of deposits in your bank? Did you know that this doesn't apply to banks whose parents are not also a UK bank? Eg Egg, now owned by Citigroup; and Abbey, recently bought by Banco Santander. See list here, and especially comment 12, written long before this week's events

 

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/saving-and-banking/article.html?in_article_id=440726&in_page_id=7

 

If, as some believe, the US economy is holed below the waterline (the US government is about to suspend a rule that prevents banks using ordinary customers' deposits to shore up the debts of their investment subsidiaries), then this too is a bit worrying - the UK holding of US Treasury securities: in the space of a year, the UK has increased its holdings from $50 billion to $280.4 billion. Since June 2007 this country has gone from being the 8th largest foreign holder to the 3rd largest. Statistics here:

 

http://www.treas.gov/tic/mfh.txt

 

My mortgage was with a subsidiary of Lehman. Normally, the mortgage portfolio would be sold on but Lehman's portfolio was described by the BBC's Robert Peston as "toxic", and certainly Barclays didn't want any of it. Not heard from the mortgage provider - no letter, no nothing - but I guess that that is because they all lost their jobs on Monday. Just like that.

[theherd123]

Co-op Bank - love them!!!

 

Ended up joining RBS when we first moved to where we are now as the branch was convenient but they were terrible, in fact down right pathetic

Couldnt communicate effectively, didnt move funds when asked etc etc

 

Co-op then opened up just 200 yards away and they have been brilliant

Friendly, good service, great communication, nothing is ever a problem, great telephone banking and to top the lot they are ethical - a bank that has it all!

[Tessa the Duchess]

I have been with them for years and never yet needed to go into a branch! I don't know what I'd need to do in a branch....

 

I dislike paying in using the machines on the street, I prefer to pay inside the branch, so I get a receipt from a real live person I'm paranoid because a friend of mine had a real problem with some money she paid in via a machine.

 

Tessa

[Guest]

I have been with them for years and never yet needed to go into a branch! I don't know what I'd need to do in a branch....

 

I dislike paying in using the machines on the street, I prefer to pay inside the branch, so I get a receipt from a real live person I'm paranoid because a friend of mine had a real problem with some money she paid in via a machine.

 

Tessa

 

 

you don't - you can do it at the post office - or by post...

 

Phil

[Tessa the Duchess]

I have been with them for years and never yet needed to go into a branch! I don't know what I'd need to do in a branch....

 

I dislike paying in using the machines on the street, I prefer to pay inside the branch, so I get a receipt from a real live person I'm paranoid because a friend of mine had a real problem with some money she paid in via a machine.

 

Tessa

 

 

you don't - you can do it at the post office - or by post...

 

Phil

 

You're right but our post office always has queues out the door, and I am very bad at finding stamps, envelopes etc., and then remembering to actually post the letter

 

Tessa

[Lesley]

I have been with them for years and never yet needed to go into a branch! I don't know what I'd need to do in a branch....

 

I dislike paying in using the machines on the street, I prefer to pay inside the branch, so I get a receipt from a real live person I'm paranoid because a friend of mine had a real problem with some money she paid in via a machine.

 

Tessa

 

 

you don't - you can do it at the post office - or by post...

 

Phil

 

I was just going to ask about paying-in if you had an online account...........can you use any post-office?, even the village ones?

[gooner.girl]

Love the idea of using an ethical bank but making the switch (we have been with lloyds ages) sounds like a huge faff and there are no branches anywhere near us - though maybe if we can pay in at post offices thats not a problem?!

[gracefruit]

I use a rural/village post office when I need to deposit a cheque or get cash. It's no trouble at all.

[lisa33]

Andyman & I have a joint account with Smile and I recently set myself up an account for myself.

 

I had no problems transferring my account from First Direct and have never had any problems with Smile.

[cathybc]

I used to work for the Co-op group (the insurance bit) and got made redundant so am probably a bit biased

 

But, having said that, I have kept my account with them, I have never had any problems and I do think their ethical stance is a move in the right direction.

 

I really dislike call centres, but their call centres are a lot better than most others, and you can also send 'SMEGS' (secure messages) on line instead of ringing. I find this more convenient and they always reply pretty quickly.

 

The lack of branches is a potential problem but as you can use the post office I have never found it an issue.

 

And re switching - it was amazingly painless, they pretty much did everything. As far as I can remember, the only problem occurred about 12 months after I switched, when a direct debit stopped being paid; apparently they are only redirected for a year and the company taking the ££ still hadn't updated their records. So I had to set a new one up. Not a major hiccup, and this may not happen any more, I switched about 9 years ago.

[Guest]

I used to have a Smile account - it was a nightmare! When I opened it I did intend to maybe make it my main account and I'm sooo glad I didn't! NatWest provide a MILES better service and their online bankin is better and easier to use (well it was until they added the security of a card reader - which I can NEVER find when I need it!!!).

 

Biggest problem with Smile was their over zealous staff. I used it mainly for my Ebay stuff an my husband would pay my cheques in at the post office for me and when he ran out of envelopes he would phone them up and ask for more envelopes. This used to be fine, give them the account number and sort code and ask them to send envelopes, then one member of staff decided this was compromising the security of my account and cancelled all my login info so I had to wait until security was re-set. I figured it was just this person and thought nothing of it.

 

Next time he called for envelopes they did it again. I called to complain and was told "he compromised my security" They said him knowing my account details was compromising my security - it was my sortcode and account number - information you GIVE to strangers whenever you write them a cheque! He never offered ANY other information other than "please send envelopes to the account holder".

 

I didn't like that at all but the final straw was when they cancelled my security again because I mentioned that I used Egg money manager - they say they don't support it so I had to re-set all of my details again. By this time I'd been through so many different passwords etc with them that I could no longer remember them without writing them down which as far as I was concerned DID actually compromise my security so I closed the account.

[jomaxsmith]

We've been with Smile for years and I think they're really good. The ethical thing was the main attraction plus at the time their ISAs had the best rates (not any more )

 

I find the customer service really good - they once phoned me as I'd paid a builder with a cheque but forgotten to move the necessary cash into the account. Rather than bounce the cheque they rang and moved the money immediately so the cheque would clear. I thought that was excellent. They also refuse your debit card if you are about to exceed available funds rather than let the transaction go through and charge a massive unauthorised overdraft fee.

 

I pay in cheques at the post office but they won't let me pay in cash.

 

It's a shame you're asking about Smile now - a short while ago they were offering a dozen bottles of wine to customers who referred friends and 12 bottles to the person opening the account as well!

 

Jo

[Helly Welly]

I've got a current account with Co-op and DD has the childrens bonus account and we have both found them to be an excellent bank. We rarely use the branch but when we do the customer service is always excellent.

[Krysia]

I used to work for CIS (the insurance sections) and you had to have a co-op account for your wages to be paid into, At the time I thought it was ridiculous BUT I have never had any problems and am still with them today almost 10yrs later