ncrossland Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 I've found HSBC pretty good - the internet banking is better than other banks I've seen, and I haven't had any problems with 'unfair' charges (they seem to be pretty lenient and flexible) and whenever I have had problems they have sorted them out, e.g. stopping a cheque, stolen cards, someone else's signature appearing on their computer screen for my account (!) etc. When I first used my credit card in an online casino, they rung me on my mobile within a few minutes to make sure it was a legitimate transaction! If I do have problems, I don't bother going to the branch, just get on the telephone banking. Less queuing, and they can solve your problems better, My only gripe with HSBC are the branches, which either offer too few counter services, terrible new paying-in machines, badly designed layouts and and very little privacy. Oh, and when you open a business account, they are suddenly much nicer to you than when you are 'just ' a personal customer.
nick2 Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 Originally posted by Jamie They 'understand' all too well ... that is they understand the business of making a profit ... they don't give a rat's ass about you or anyone else Pauly ... (and why should they care ... is there any profit in caring?) ... and the degree to which they'll be nice to you will be directly proportional to how much profit they can make from you. That pretty much sums-up my opinion of banks. I'm sure banks were invented by a highwayman who one day thought "Hey, why bother creeping around at night robbing people at gun-point when we can trick them into just giving us the money, while at the same thime thanking us for helping them ?"
Cyclone Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 so you don't use a bank then nick2? I've used hsbc since i was 11 or 12 and apart from once using the telephone banking and having someone in India tell me that i was lying when I said i'd had a payrise i've never had a problem. Re: the original post, why not arrange an overdraft rather than accidentally going overdrawn without any facility to allow it.
nick2 Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 I do use a bank, but only because I have to, they won't pay me in cash, you need a bank account to get a mortgage, a switch card, a credit card etc. etc. They are a neccessary evil.
carsondaly Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 HSBC charged me £30 for not having enought money in my current account to pay off my credit card by direct debit. This was my fault but I thought it was unfair and wrote them a letter asking for it to be refunded as a gesture of goodwill. A few days later a man rang from HSBC, asked me what I wanted and agreed to refund the money to me. They did this a few days later. As such I have no problem with them.
wibbles Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 To be fair they are a business and need to make money to survive..some people get upset by the way they operate but they tend to be the ones that always want something...more money, no charges, bigger overdrafts, but aren't prepared to face the possible consequences. Would you rather keep your money at home?? Course you wouldn't so the banks job is to look after your money and employ staff to be at your beck and call when you have a problem...and you get this for free. Everyone will have a sob story to tell about EVERY bank that's available on the high street. I've actually found HSBC to be a great bank and helped me out many a time when I've needed it and there has always been someone to offer good advice...but then again I don't take the pi and when I do speak to someone in the branch I speak to them in a manner I would expect to be spoken to.
ncrossland Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 Originally posted by carsondaly HSBC charged me £30 for not having enought money in my current account to pay off my credit card by direct debit. This was my fault but I thought it was unfair and wrote them a letter asking for it to be refunded as a gesture of goodwill. A few days later a man rang from HSBC, asked me what I wanted and agreed to refund the money to me. They did this a few days later. As such I have no problem with them. I'm sure the banks delibrately inflate these charges, and then 99% of the time will refund it to you if you ask. Makes you feel good about the bank (you have their goodwill, you probably won't do it again, you will tell people about it on forums like this) and they still make money off the non-Yorkshire folk who don't ring up to complain.
wibbles Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 Originally posted by nick2 I do use a bank, but only because I have to, they won't pay me in cash, you need a bank account to get a mortgage, a switch card, a credit card etc. etc. They are a neccessary evil. A neccessary evil that you get for free.
ncrossland Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 I'm sure I read that there is no basis in law for charging late payment fees on credit card payments, so if you complain about it, they have to refund you. They are just chancing that you won't kick up a fuss.
ncrossland Posted December 9, 2004 Posted December 9, 2004 Originally posted by wibbles A neccessary evil that you get for free. You don't really get it for free - everyone pays for the banks through the banks paying low rates of interest of any current account balances; I'm sure that there isn't a person on here that has never been charges some sort of fee by their bank; and through business banking which most certainly is NOT free - a few percent of EVERYTHING you buy is going to the banks in fees, which we all pay for in the end.
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