Skink   10 #1 Posted September 5, 2017 We have had a whole series of problems with our current business banking over the last 18 months and have decided we must move - but who is decent if you are a small business these days? We are 99% online transactions in case that makes any difference  any comments welcome please Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
steveroberts   10 #2 Posted September 5, 2017 Who's your current Bank? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tinfoilhat   11 #3 Posted September 5, 2017 Santander was free, they tried to charge but there was uproar so all existing customers still get free banking (pay cheques and cash in the ATM - no counter service available) online stuff is free. Not sure if this is still the case.  Generally fine, few bumps in the road after when it was under the Alliance & Leicester banner but a UK call centre when stuff goes wrong. Stuff does occasionally go wrong - theyre a bank so you have to accept a reasonable degree on ineptitude - and if you have ring them, any and all notes on the previous conversation will be lost so youll have to repeat yourself. Complaints dept wasnt bad when they dropped a big clanger.  That said considering it is free Ive heard plenty of reports of awful service from Barclays and Natwest from people paying a lot more for than that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
timberland_   10 #4 Posted September 5, 2017 I personally recommend Barclays. They give you an initial free period usually of 18-24 months. After that its £6.50 which im currently paying for my furniture business. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #5 Posted September 6, 2017 I use Cater Allen and HSBC, CA are very good, you can speak to someone on the phone and they know what they're doing, HSBC seems fine. Never had to complain about anything to either.  Edit - not quite correct, CA did once make a payment earlier than I requested, so they volunteered to give me the lost interest I would have earned. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Skink   10 #6 Posted September 6, 2017 thanks folks - we are with HSBC and they have been unbelievably incompetent so many times in the last 18 months we have simply had enough  Will go and have a chat with Barclays and Santander  FWIW I have looked at most of the main ones and the prices some want to charge are amazing, we only do a few transactions a month, all electronic - but we like to be able to give Associates debit cards and some banks are sniffy about that  Coop and Yorkshire seem cheap enough but charge for individual transactions Lloyds looked okay but only allow 4 debit cards before charging £32 each Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #7 Posted September 6, 2017 I'm moving a community account from lloyds at the moment. They're awful to deal with. Everything requires paperwork (adding new signatories, signing up for internet banking, removing old signatories). The branches can't help you, the website is terrible. And when you finally find and submit the paperwork they lose it. Over and over again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Skink   10 #8 Posted September 6, 2017 thanks Cyclone, we are leaving HSBC for pretty much the same reasons - we find the branches pretend to help but seem to actually make it worse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
nowt2pctoday   10 #9 Posted September 6, 2017 thanks Cyclone, we are leaving HSBC for pretty much the same reasons - we find the branches pretend to help but seem to actually make it worse  i agree i am thinking of leaving HSBC for the same reasons and others including the ridiculous interrogation by their £safeguard" team as i make payments abroad, its totally over the top and i was threatened with acc closure for failure to divulge details of suppliers and customers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
EternalSheff   10 #10 Posted September 9, 2017 Lloyds is rubbish. HSBC is average.  It's all bit of a crapshoot tbh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...