# Joint Current Account



## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Ok, so me and SWMBO are saving for a house. We almost have the deposit saved, not just need a bit more for fees, furniture etc....

Se set up a Joint Savings Account at the weekend with Santander. I have a current account with HSBC, and she has one with Co-Op I believe. 

We want to have a joint one for bills etc to come out of when we get a place, and are now starting to look around. I think having one with a company we don't already use would be a good idea. My reasoning; a) all money isn't in one bank, b) can take advantage of offers they may have for customers only (gives us 4 options in theory).

So, who would people suggest for a current account?


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

We are with Lloydstsb and do the same as you are planning. We each pay into a joint current account. That pays for
Literally everything we do together. What's left at thernd of the month gets put into joint savings. 

We both have personal savings and current accounts too. 

One thing to bear in mind is that if you put enough in the joint current account, you can upgrade to gold or platinum which gives you things like AA cover, travel insurance, mobile phone and card cover. AA cover is worth it alone. Oh and the travel insurance is new for old on equipment. Which is handy.

The Internet banking has a pie chart showing you where your spending is going every month. It takes a bit of setting up but is well worth it. We were scared by the amount in the 'bars and restaurants' section


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Will look into that. I have a savings account as part of my HSBC account. The joint savings we have is for Vegas 2014 at the moment  But will be used for things like Insurance, tax, MOT no doubt.

Like you say, we'll put x amount into current for bills, x-amount into savings and up to us what we do with what we each have left (which wont be much )


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

did the same thing with my exs...

keep your own account, put the same amount into the joint one to pay for the house and living etc...

I have used lloyds and BOS before...

I would stay away from Santander TBH, terrible customer service from them.

:thumb:


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

I/we have been very happy with first direct.

UK call centres for any problems too.


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## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

The Cueball said:


> I would stay away from Santander TBH, terrible customer service from them.
> 
> :thumb:


This times one million.


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Well, had one hiccup already with Santander, only regarding an enquiry fortunately


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## PaulN (Jan 17, 2008)

The Cueball said:


> did the same thing with my exs...
> 
> keep your own account, put the same amount into the joint one to pay for the house and living etc...
> 
> ...


I've always been with TSB and BOS...... Spooky lol


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## tmitch45 (Jul 29, 2006)

It all sound very sensible I would as yr planning keep your own accounts. I would make sure you can internet bank and transfer cash easily between all your accounts. We occasionally have to pay cheques into our bank so it was important to have a branch near us. Its also a good time to have a look around at all the deals. About 6-12 months ago we both changed our current accounts to Santander and you get £100 each for doing so. I'm sure that would be good for your savings.:thumb:

I've used the site below to find the best deals

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/?gclid=COzXodCMl7ACFVMetAod31do3g


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## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Santander could offer £1000 and I still wouln't go there. They lost the paperwork to close my old account then despite getting a returned mail after I moved house at the same time as closing the account, they continued to charge the account without telling me. It was only when I checked my credit file and they'd ruined it that I realised that the account was still open and causing me havoc.


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## -Simon- (Oct 29, 2010)

If you're looking at saving for a house it may be worth saving with the potential mortgage provider...many high street lenders offer special deals for their own customers with reduced fees, and some still have fast track underwriting based on the way you run your current account which can help when it comes to the mortgage app....Although you will still have to evidence your income. Maybe think about how much deposit you will have as a percentage of the purchase price and choose a current account with a lender who can help at that loan to value...be careful around HSBC IMO their credit scoring at higher loan to values can be very tough, and whilst deals might sound good they are not available to everyone...


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

The Nationwide Flex account seems to have good mortgage offers for FTB http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mortgages/interestrates-types/specialoffers.htm?offer=9

I would steer clear of Santander


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## Guest (May 24, 2012)

Firstly,

What you are doing sounds like a good plan. If i was you i would (if you have not done so already) go for the 123 current account and then have the savings account too in joint names.

Also Santander tend to do better mortgage deals for existing customers, which worked out for my wife and I.

My experience of Santander has to date been fairly positive, mind you i have only been with them a little while, touch wood everything is going ok.

I find that thier online banking is pretty good, esspecially thier app.

Both my wife and I put in a regular amount to cover bills etc and then at the end of every month i also put in my surplus money into that account (simply due to the decent rate of interest thier current account offers.


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## Junior Bear (Sep 2, 2008)

Me an the mrs have our own ultimate reward accounts from Halifax with the usual benefits

Then a joint account from hailfax too, which is where all the house payments get taken from.

By far the best way to keep things fair regarding payments for the house etc.

I get weekly pay so my money usually covers weekly shopping and whatever is left over gets left in there for when bill date comes round at the end of the month, and then the mrs puts her 4weeks worth in when she gets paid. Our first house is only averaging £660per month before food, including all bills, mortgage, and luxuries such as virgin media packages. which ain't bad at all.

Whatever is left in our own banks is ours, so works out fine. Never any problems at all, if we are skint at least the roof over our heads is paid and we Have food in the cupboards I say


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## mba (Jun 17, 2006)

empsburna said:


> I/we have been very happy with first direct.
> 
> UK call centres for any problems too.


+1 for those

Co-op/Britannia or Smile (Co-op internet bank)

With us having a joint account in Co-Op we got some great advantages

1) Free RAC membership for both of us
2) Free mobile phone insurance for both
3) Lounge Passes for airports 

All for £13 per month, considering mobuile phone insurance can be that alone its a good deal


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## nickvw (Jun 24, 2007)

Another vote for first direct here, i've been with them for about 11 years now and cant fault them, they always answer the phone straight away and are very nice to deal with.

I think you can get £100 for opening an account with them too.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

nickvw said:


> Another vote for first direct here, i've been with them for about 11 years now and cant fault them, they always answer the phone straight away and are very nice to deal with.
> 
> _I think you can get £100 for opening an account with them too_.


£125 :thumb: if you pay £1500 p/month 
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ba...um&utm_medium=clicks&utm_campaign=resourcebar

Regarding the Santander 123 account there's a thread about that on MSE and quite a few people found that after the £2 monthly fee the cash back was only working out at about 50p.

Oh and you have to bank with Santander :devil: Santander worst bank


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

My dealings with Santander:

Here you are Mr Cueball, you can have a mortgage with us...

Sorry Mr Cueball, you have no credit score, so you can't have a current or saving account with us...

Eh!??!!? 

:tumbleweed:

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

:wall:


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## justina3 (Jan 11, 2008)

OvlovMike said:


> This times one million.


can i add a few million to that score as well there where shocking


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

We have a Halifax account and have never had an issue.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Halifax paying £100 if you switch between now & July. Plus the £5 reward each month :
http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/current-accounts/reward-current-account/


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

I have a joint account with my Gf which our rent/ council tax/ bills etc comes out of.
She works for lloyds so she gets 1/2 price reward accounts (We have the most expensive with a black card)

We both also have a couple of other accounts each for wages and spending etc


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## dandam (Apr 10, 2011)

Moved to First Direct a couple of years ago when they were offering £100 to move. At the time my plan was to stay 12 months then move to someone else who was offering an incentive (apart from Santander - tried them and they really were as bad as everyone says) but I am still with them, they have been everything you could ever want, great on the phone, terrific internet banking - no bells and whistles, do exactly what they are supposed to


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2012)

I have always been with Halifax, West never had any issues with them.


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## TubbyTwo (Apr 14, 2011)

The Cueball said:


> did the same thing with my exs...
> 
> keep your own account, put the same amount into the joint one to pay for the house and living etc...
> 
> ...


Yep, steer clear of santander, we had our Mortgage with them last year and a joint "bills" account with Barclays.

Both were utter sh*te that caused nothing but problems.


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

I would consider an account with one of your current providers - if you need to transfer money quickly at least it will be instant.

Otherwise HBOS have worked fine for me.....and as you BOTH have a card and spending money on the account tracking money in the account is not as easy, it 'just' charges you a £1 per day if you slip into the arranged overdraft accidentally.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Bero said:


> I would consider an account with one of your current providers - _if you need to transfer money quickly at least it will be instant._
> Otherwise HBOS have worked fine for me.....and as you BOTH have a card and spending money on the account tracking money in the account is not as easy, it 'just' charges you a £1 per day if you slip into the arranged overdraft accidentally.


Most banks have faster payments now, transferred from my Nationwide acc to my Halifax using online banking and it was there within a minute, the same transferring it back.

Which banks can send Faster Payments and what is my bank's value limit


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