# Switching current accounts



## ikon66 (Jul 23, 2008)

Apparently only 2% of people have done this!! Anyone have experience in particular Santander 123 account?

Cheers


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## cossiecol (Jun 29, 2014)

I've moved to the 123 account, and like it, You do get a fair bit back from them, especially if you have your mortgage with them. However they are banks so they are in it to make money, don't expect much. I think I've had back about £70 - £100 from them last year.


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## ikon66 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks, I think this'll be the best account for me based on their 3% interest rate. However, it was more the changeover process or time that was wondering about

Cheers


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

I just moved from NatWest to FirstDirect in the last two weeks. Completely painless transition. Filled out the application on line, 2 days later my contactless debit card turned up and 2 days later the PIN. 7 days after the application all of my DD, SO and money in my NetWest account was moved across and my old account closed. I didn't have to do a thing. So easy and painless. I now have 3 years I think to let other people know (who were not contacted by FirstDirect) that my account details have changed. But it looks like everyone who needs to know already does.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

hmmm, let me know how you get on with FirstDirect please, i think my bank is going to change soon as Santander are starting to grind my gears.


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## ikon66 (Jul 23, 2008)

muzzer42 said:


> hmmm, let me know how you get on with FirstDirect please, i think my bank is going to change soon as Santander are starting to grind my gears.


What are finding difficult / problems?


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

muzzer42 said:


> hmmm, let me know how you get on with FirstDirect please, i think my bank is going to change soon as Santander are starting to grind my gears.


So far so good. Been pretty painless. Only issue was setting up Apple Pay as for some reason the system wouldn't verify my card, but a quick phone call sorted that.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

ikon66 said:


> What are finding difficult / problems?


Well i only have a current account not the 123 account but their online service can be painfully slow and whilst i appreciate the fact they are protecting their customers, the fraud department are a bit over zealous. They have a system where everytime you pay for something online, there is a verification system(password etc) and if you use say amazon, sometimes you bypass the verification system and their fraud department holds the transaction until the automated system has called you to verify the transactions you recently made.
I have a history of banks grinding my gears and its why i will never bank with Lloyds ever again.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I think lots of banks are like that now Muzzer. 

RBS have become a bit funny with both me and her in recent times. Both of us had our cards blocked in Singapore, her card didn't work in the US even though she warned them in advance. 

The verification page comes up for most transactions for me. 

My daughter has a prepay mobile phone and it's me that tops it up. She's had a couple of different providers and each time I've changed, then tried to top up online, that's triggered the fraud department. 

They've called me quite a few times recently about "suspicious transactions", although they've been pretty normal as far as I'm concerned. 

I've honestly never looked into changing my current account. I don't keep much money in my current account and don't get any interest paid at all from RBS. I pay £10 per month for Royalties and don't think I've ever used any perk. 

I'm just a little funny about moving accounts. I'd rather the least amount of people know my business as possible and I always worry something doesn't quite go right. 

It would be a pain to get yourself into bother as the mobile phone direct debit didn't move over.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Kerr said:


> I think lots of banks are like that now Muzzer.
> 
> RBS have become a bit funny with both me and her in recent times. Both of us had our cards blocked in Singapore, her card didn't work in the US even though she warned them in advance.
> 
> ...


That's a fair point and i might not move but i just get immensely fed up with the fact the banks can say what they want and we as punters have to put up with it.
Twice i paid money into Lloyds to pay off loans and twice they didn't pay off the loans. Twice i got told by the branch managers 'tough, it's not our problem'

After the second one told me that, he made the mistake of asking if there was anything else he could help me with. I told him to close my account down and give me the money so i could go elsewhere. He wanted me to reconsider, i told him that as long as i have a hole in a certain part of my anatomy, i will never again bank with Lloyds.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

I will be quite happy to change mine if i can find somebody who doesn't do contactless cards !!


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Shaun said:


> I will be quite happy to change mine if i can find somebody who doesn't do contactless cards !!


Paranoid?


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Puntoboy said:


> Paranoid?


Indeed, i prefer to make it harder for people to steal money from my account, i would just like the option to opt out really.


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Shaun said:


> Indeed, i prefer to make it harder for people to steal money from my account, i would just like the option to opt out really.


I prefer the convenience over the risk. How often do you hear about people having £20 taken out of their accounts via fraudulent contactless payments?

One of the reasons I left Natwest was because they wouldn't give me a contactless cards.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Puntoboy said:


> I prefer the convenience over the risk. How often do you hear about people having £20 taken out of their accounts via fraudulent contactless payments?
> 
> One of the reasons I left Natwest was because they wouldn't give me a contactless cards.


Natwest here i come :thumb:

It's not just £20 that can be removed from your account

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jul/23/contactless-card-is-too-easy-says-which

As i say though if it's not an option I want then I should be able to opt out, i am not asking a lot.


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Fair enough. You could just buy a wallet that protects your cards if you're that worried


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Puntoboy said:


> Fair enough. You could just buy a wallet that protects your cards if you're that worried


Yes, i may wrap it in foil !


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Shaun said:


> Yes, i may wrap it in foil !


http://www.amazon.co.uk/OPTEXX®-Blocking-Credit-Protector-Protection/dp/B00K0RHJCK


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Puntoboy said:


> http://www.amazon.co.uk/OPTEXX®-Blocking-Credit-Protector-Protection/dp/B00K0RHJCK


Yes i have seen those, and they say theres not an issue LOL


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Shaun said:


> Yes i have seen those, and they say theres not an issue LOL


I'm not so worried, but as soon as there is a hint of an issue, no matter how small, companies are lining up to sell a product to fix it.


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## nickvw (Jun 24, 2007)

I've been with first direct for 10 years now and cannot fault them at all great customer service and easy to change over plus £100 bonus for changing i think, the only thing with first direct is the savings rates which are probably the same with any bank really apart from santander so last year i opened a 123 account to put our savings in but kept the first direct account too so have the best of both worlds.

I transfered all the bills across to santander and put our savings in there too so we get roughly £45 per month in cashback which is great.


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## m4rkymark (Aug 17, 2014)

ive been with first direct for just under 20 yrs - never ever had an issue with them and always found their customer services excellent. the only thing I don't like is you cannot opt out of contactless cards. I only use it for my day to day banking and have a savings account.

I don't use an online account - its not safe enough for me.


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

I've been with First Direct for a good few years. The customer service is excellent and I would even pay money for it too. 

I use them for all my day to day banking and a couple of investments and one mortgage.

The iPhone app is a bit dated (the website is merely functional too( but it does the job. 

Pick up the phone and speak to someone human? - Priceless.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Shaun I'm with Nationwide and they don't do contactless (or at least neither of mine are).
*edit* looks like it's because I've not got new cards 

Switched in 2012 and very happy with them.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Natalie said:


> Shaun I'm with Nationwide and they don't do contactless (or at least neither of mine are).
> *edit* looks like it's because I've not got new cards
> 
> Switched in 2012 and very happy with them.


Yeh the Halifax didn't do them, my new cards came through and they have it


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Shaun said:


> Yeh the Halifax didn't do them, my new cards came through and they have it


It should be an opt in / out option imho.


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## Kev_mk3 (Sep 10, 2007)

On my 18th birthday I opened my first direct account and now I am 31 ive never ever had 1 issue at all with them.

App is easy to use

Internet site easy to use

Customer services is spot on to :thumb:

My family use them and have for years hence I went to them and when me and my mrs got a joint account we went with first direct for that to.

Ive about 3/4 different accounts with them and also a Halifax account (had to get it for work as I work in the LB Group) but I dont use it :lol:


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