I have just checked my monthly Experian Credit Report, and was amazed to discover that my First Direct 1st account has been recorded as Dormant, despite their being at least one monthly transaction on the account, exc Jan 2022, going back five years!!
Tried to find out via Secure Message, this morning, however, once I got past their bit, the Customer Service Advisor just told me to ring their Banking Team.
Just funny that FD app is not ready fir iOS 16. It is the only bank app that I have not working for iOS 16 beta. Are they waiting for launch or few days near launch date?
What drew you to First Direct then, out of interest?
Their entire USP seems to be built around the fact you can interface with humans more easily - although in my experience they just have humans doing the job of robots taking you through security then connecting you to the relevant department (like a phone menu).
HSBC and M&S are working now with updates today so FD shouldn’t be long, with any luck. I think pressure has been put on HSBC now that Apple does Public Betas - when it was Devs only they could get away with going live on iOS launch day, but now that more members of the public play with the betas I suspect they get additional pressure earlier.
A friend convinced me with the £150 switch offer. Got it then just kept it sometimes used to move money around. Now want to switch it Santander for the £160
Yes, I think you have a point there.
They probably get some confused members of the public calling their support, which should hopefully put extra pressure on them to drop the policy.
I appreciate the question wasn’t aimed at me, but personally, the ONLY thing that drew me to FD, was the free £150. I had no real intention of using the account for anything else. I have money sat in the account, but I’ll start drawing it down and probably just CASS it to either Nationwide or Starling because that of course is the easiest way of closing the account. Basically, as a bank, FD just doesn’t interest me one iota, but it they’re going to give away free money, then I’m happy to take it.
FD just come across as old fashioned hat online. I don’t want to talk to anyone at all if I can at all help it. I certainly don’t want to have to make phone calls.
Recently, I changed jobs and now as part of my duties, I have to go to Barclays Bank once a week to deposit cash and cheques into my employers business account. Ye Gods! What an absolute bloody palava! The whole concept of walking into a bank branch with just one human customer service point to pay money in over the counter, is so unbelievably backward, it defies belief. Last week, I was stood in the queue for over 20 minutes whilst an extremely flustered counter operative literally sweated her way through a load of fed up business customers banking. I now know why I never use a bank branch for personal banking, it’s absolute 1970’s practices festering in a digital 21st Century.
In fairness it would have been better in the 70s as they’d have had many more cashiers than now. Even when I was a teenager I remember there being large queues but you’d never be waiting more than a few minutes.
I don’t disagree, I too remember having to walk into bank branches in the 1980’s when I first started work to carry out ‘normal’ banking requirements and there were indeed plenty of staff.
40 years on, I can now fully understand why so many branches are gone or closing, because the world has moved on, well some of us have moved on anyway.
Absolutely my attitude as well, and why I’ve kept my account (so I can access their regular saver).
I don’t actually use them for proper banking, as they are too uncompetitive in their current account offering, their credit card offers nothing of interest and their app is basic (plus still doesn’t work on iOS 16, and I can’t be dealing with that petty attitude every year during summer betas)!
Their famed service isn’t as wonderful as people say, either, because almost all their back-office teams are actually HSBC - so if you have to speak to a specialist department, there is a good chance it will end up being a long wait for a poor line to India with HSBC’s bad service.
I never thought I’d hear of you darkening the door of a branch ever again, how shocking!
