which bank whould you guys recommend? as my current one, it negins with an A! isnt very good at all

I've been with a couple of banks, first i started off with Yorkshire bank then there service went down hill so i went to HSBC, I left there and went to Halifax and they weren't very good so i've now gone back to yorkshire bank and i'm finding there service really good at the moment :thumbsup: xx

I think they're all pretty much alike.

You hear of people who have had no end of problems with one particular High Street Bank whilst others have had accounts all their lives and had no problems whatsoever!

Personally speaking - since you asked - I've been with Lloyds TSB for 20 years now (before they joined forces; I was previously with TSB). I've had no major problems but I am incredibly organised when it comes to finance so I plan well in advance (up to a year in fact!).

Their internet banking is also nice and easy.

But no doubt someone will come on here and say they think Lloyds TSB is the worst bank ever! I do agree that Yorkshire Bank has really gone downhill over the past 15 years. They used to put their customers' needs first. Now it's like walking down Fargate with folk asking for your opinion or trying to sell you something.

Having said all this, my mortgage is with Yorkshire Bank as it's arguably the best mortgage lender around. The fact you pay it weekly saves an absolute fortune in interest and means you pay the thing off quicker.

(In priniciple at least!)

halifax. im not with them yet but my mum is and theyre good, and we are going to opening a joint account with them soon.

i have had nothing but trouble with HSBC, as have several other people i know.

I've just moved from the Yorkshire to the Halifax and (touch wood, it's only a new account at the moment), I'm liking them.

I hated the way they only had a few staff on the counters at Yorkshire when people were queuing for miles, and the way they wouldn't transfer my money from one account to the other when I was at the counter, instead making me go outside to the ATM to get my money out for them! Little things, I know, but annoying all the same.

plus halifax have their branch in meadowhall which has late opening, so its very handy.

I'd recommend First Direct. No more bank branches with silly opening times. 24-7 call centre based in Scotland usually (rather than a different country with a potential language barrier) where I can always get hold of them within a minute or 2 to manipulate my accounts and move money as required. I can also do this over their secure website if I wish. It really does take the sting out of anything and in 10 + years of banking with them I've not had a single complaint. Always polite and helpful too, cheers me up just phoning them! :thumbsup:

The Halifax lost the plot since they teamed up with The Bank Of Scotland,hidden charges ,tricks with electronic payments,nice cheating ways of charging£38 or£39 for going overdrawn then topping it up by another £28 claiming you tried to get an unauthorised overdraft.

Think the Panorama programme proved what they were like a couple of weeks ago when they refused to answer questions and had heavies turn the BBC away .

first direct is hsbc

They are a division of HSBC, not actually HSBC. When I banked with HSBC they were complete crap. Slammed me for overdraft charges when I was in the black, refused to communicate, all sorts. I would definately not recommend them.

close enough though :(

I would disagree, having banked with both I know what they are like. HSBC caused me no end of grief, First Direct may be a subsiduary but they appear to have nothing to do with them. Maybe it's just their offers and deals are the same. That said I don't change bank for the offers and interest rates unless they are amazing. Customer service and no queues is the most important thing to me in this busy life and I get that from First Direct in the UK and abroad.

Yorkshire Bank are good... I've been with them for years with very few problems.

i have a savings acc with FD but im not holding my breath. i hope they prove me wrong :)

Smile - the internet bank from the coop are good. They come out top in a lot of independent surveys. Check www.guardian.co.uk/money for advice on switching banks. I used the site the other week to find a different contents insurer and saved over £100.

Not sure where in sheffield you are but the service at the royal bank of scotland in attercliffe is excellent.

Was with both HSBC then Halifax but service got worse and worse. Touch wood can't fault RBS

Nothing wrong wi't Alifax

Nothing wrong wi't Alifax That a run on the bank wouldn't fix :)