Best Bank

[paruses]

Hot on the heels of the bank bastards thread - my mobile Natwest branch now comes to the town for half an hour on a Friday. That's no good for me and it's a 60 mile round trip to the nearest branch. On top of that they just refused to cash a cheque which admittedly is 6 months old but even so it's put me in a right huff.

So, in CAB's opinion what is best bank please?

[imitationleather]

The West Bank

[Neville Chamberlain]

The Wank Bank

[Chollis]

Gordon Bank

[oy vey]

Banking on your best mate and having them come through for you. Bliss.

[Bennett Brauer]

i-Moon.

[jobotic]

Aaron Bank - the Bad Boy of banks.



Actually I'd like to know too. Co op have ditched the ethical bit haven't they?

[bgmnts]

Please tell. I picked the worst time to owe Natwest 3 grand and have an overdraft. Going to be a rough, rough year again.

[Bennett Brauer]

Actually I'd like to know too. Co op have ditched the ethical bit haven't they?

My bank told me ethics was their priority. I said that's no good to me, I live in thumerthet. As you can imagine, we laughed and laughed and laughed.

[Icehaven]

I know nothing about it really but it depends what's important to you, if it's being able to go into a branch then you're obviously limited to those that have one nearby (easier said than done, as your OP suggests). If you think you could actually get by without having a branch at all then maybe one of the internet ones, no idea which, again I guess it's whichever offers any good incentives for joining or best suits your finances (mortgages, overdrafts etc.)

[madhair60]

barclys

[SteK]

Starling Bank, for business and personal, switches between Sterling and Euros, no changes (hardly) handy in Ireland where there is no such thing as free banking...

[gilbertharding]

Goodwin Sands or Dogger.

Mike Giggler

[gilbertharding]

Co op have ditched the ethical bit haven't they?

Such a shame what happened to Paul Flowers.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Most of my techie colleagues are jizzing over monzo. Their reasons being fast reporting and notifications of transactions. I prefer an ignorance is bliss approach to my accounts. I would like to move from HSBC, 'cos they're cunts, but I can't be arsed.

[Blinder Data]

I'm with Nationwide who have always been pretty good to me (decent packaged account too). Plus they're a building society and not a bank, which assuages that liberal bleeding heart of mine.

It all depends on what's important to you. If going into the bank is essential for you, just get an account with whoever still has a unit closest to you. If you couldn't give a tuppence about physical infrastructure, people I know bank with First Direct who are online/phone only and love them.

Read some reviews. And also visit this link, as you can make £100+ by switching to another bank: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts/

Actually I'd like to know too. Co op have ditched the ethical bit haven't they?

They have naff all to do with the original Co-op anymore but they still invest ethically.

[shiftwork2]

Mattress / floorboards.  Trust no one.

[BlodwynPig]

Hot on the heels of the bank bastards thread - my mobile Natwest branch now comes to the town for half an hour on a Friday. That's no good for me and it's a 60 mile round trip to the nearest branch. On top of that they just refused to cash a cheque which admittedly is 6 months old but even so it's put me in a right huff.

So, in CAB's opinion what is best bank please?

Where do you live? Christ....bleak.

[idunnosomename]

Nationwide because it is mildly socialist to be in a building society not a bank

[KennyMonster]

I'm still with Co Op, they claim to be ethical still, not sure howithat stands up to scrutiny but they didn't help cause the financial crisis and when they later got into trouble they didn't go begging the government for a handout and causing more excuses for austerity measures.

That Triodos lot claim to be ethical but they love woo medicine which is really cunty, not ethical.

[paruses]

Where do you live? Christ....bleak.

Rural Wales - or just Wales as we call it. Everywhere is a long way in Wales. Even Wales.

Thinking about it I am not really that arsed about having a physical branch to go into - it's only octogenarian relatives that ever give me cheques - I was just narked that I couldn't cash this one as I want to buy one of those brass pens from that other thread about Xmas gifts.

Will have a look at the online ones or Co-op or Nationwide. The only thing that's really kept me at Natwest is they gave me a massive overdraft years ago that I then didn't need to use until this year -having been exceptionally skint up to about 5 years ago I quite like the security blanket.

[SteK]

Mattress / floorboards.  Trust no one.

Danish for Mattress is Madras. Thought you might find that interesting/boring (delete as appropriate)

And Danish for Kitten is Killing. Poor things....

[Gamma Ray]

That Triodos lot claim to be ethical but they love woo medicine which is really cunty, not ethical.

I'd say love is a bit strong. As far as I know they are the only bank that publishes everyone that they lend to, so at least you can decide whether they're cunty or not.

Monzo (founded by the same guys that started Starling if I recall right) have a reasonable offering and waffle on about transparency.

Metro seem to have a lot of branches and are open on the weekend but I think the regulator gave them a slap for being clueless about their books.

[hamfist]

I'd say love is a bit strong. As far as I know they are the only bank that publishes everyone that they lend to, so at least you can decide whether they're cunty or not.

Monzo (founded by the same guys that started Starling if I recall right) have a reasonable offering and waffle on about transparency.

Metro seem to have a lot of branches and are open on the weekend but I think the regulator gave them a slap for being clueless about their books.

Monzo are a very decent group of people. I know some of them, I've cooked on their CEO's BBQ, chatted with his parents, given them advice on some of the technicalities of chip cards and Mastercard processing (that stuff is my job). I was an Alpha user way back, Beta user, invested in their crowdfunder too. I feel like their hearts are very much in the right place, and I certainly recommend them. I use them exclusively for my salary / joint account / main bank. I have a halifax credit card still. And a Tide business account. Tom co-founded starling but split off very soon after to found Mondo which became Monzo.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The most offputting thing about monzo is they make you record a video of yourself saying stuff rather than just sending you some forms. What fresh hell is that.

[hamfist]

You get your account in minutes that way. For me a load of paper is more of a fresh hell. Rag out a quick selfie and off it goes. They compare your moving video against the still on your photo ID to prove that it's you - "Know Your Customer"

[Sebastian Cobb]

Sounds awful. I'd have to peel the dot off my laptop's webcam.

[hamfist]

Phone-only. Phonely.

[paruses]

Monzo will have a sliding scale of interest on an arranged overdraft. Just skimmed through their website. It will be based on your credit rating. I don't know if that means if you have a shit CR it will be 39% or 19% to give you a chance. It feels like this might be a good idea but also feels discriminatory.

[Bazooka]

Carlton Banks, he was always the funniest prince in the Fresh Prince.