Royal Bank Rant

[novium]

ok, that all sounds pretty bad. Are there any banks people are fairly satisfied with?

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"In anger nothing right or judicious can be done."

[Rufus]

I know a couple of people who are with Egg, and they speak really highly of it.

[orudge]

Hmm, RBS have always been pretty good for me. I had a little bit of trouble when I applied for a debit card last summer because I didn't have any regular income (I had to send them a copy of my SAAS funding letters to tell them I was going to be at uni), but apart from that, they've been pretty good. Had no problem changing address when I came to uni or anything, I'm quite happy with them.

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http://www.owenrudge.net/
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37103734

[David Bean]

Personally, I call them the Royal Pain in the Arse...

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Psalm 91:7

[box_of_delights]

I've never had any problems with HSBC, apart from the lack of branches in Scotland. So much for "the world's local bank". Incidentally, I once spent an afternoon in Glasgow trying to find the (well hidden) HSBC branch, and not one of the banks/building societies I went in to ask had ever heard of HSBC!?!

But yeh, they've been pretty good. Gave me a 5 year railcard for opening an account. Overdraft facility is good and I've never been charged even if I've gone over it by several hundred.

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http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37101440

[rubbermuffin]

I feel qualified to talk about student accounts at banks because I have two. HSBC have never put a foot wrong, and like you say, if you exceed your overdraft limit they don't really do anything - a little leeway is a good thing and I will bank with them when I am a grown up (!).

RBS have been utter shite, charging me 20 quid for going slightly over my overdraft limit, and just generally being fuckwits. And some of the hairstyles in the St Andrews branch beggar belief. What about that woman with the mullet/spiky on top affair. She looks awful.

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'If something has to change then it always does'

[Nicole]

Quoting rubbermuffin from 20:54, 8th Apr 2006
What about that woman with the mullet/spiky on top affair. She looks awful.

And she IS awful. Bitch made me cry.

[Fawksie]

The Abbey are very good, I've found. Aside from the eejits in my local branch at home who managed to open both of my accounts in the name of my father, who isn't even a customer of theirs and whose name shouldn't have been known to them; they've been excellent. I got a student account with no problem, debit card and chequebook, and an overdraft had I wanted it. The staff in the St Andrews branch are much better than the Dungannon crowd.

[queen of scots]

Quoting Rufus from 18:25, 8th Apr 2006
I know a couple of people who are with Egg, and they speak really highly of it.

I have my savings account with Egg, plus my credit card, and I've always been a happy customer! I would recommend them.

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Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100070

[Thalia]

All the Bank of Scotland ever did was bug me when i had an account with them. But i've never had any problems with the RBS and i have three different accounts with them (overkill perhaps but it helps me keep my money in order )

Though i've never actually bothered to register st andrews as my local branch, it seemed like an awful lot of hassle to confirm my new address and things when it was going to change every year.

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The shadow proves the sunshine...

[maenad]

Can I just ask ... if so many people hate the RBS, why are they still banking with them? Is there really no other option?

I've had an account with Lloyds TSB for several years and never had any problems. They gave me a credit card as 'emergency backup' on my gap year, and although I freaked out when they sent me one for £5000 (I didn't meet their earning criteria so they'd offered me a £1000 limit) at least they didn't refuse me. I am thinking of switching to Nationwide though because you can use ATMs abroad for free.

My student account is with Natwest, and again no problems - I only opened it for the railcard but it's actually been really useful to have "fees" money paid into and taken out of a separate place, and I have an overdraft in case the direct debit randomly screws up.

[harmless loony]

Apart from a slight hiccup in first year when Natwest forgot to approve my overdraft, I've had absolutly no problems with them.

If I need to know something or have any queries I just ring my branch at home and the manager always rings me back cos she knows I'm a student so it saves me accumulating a massive phone bill.

It's not proved to be all that difficult living in St Andrews without a Natwest branch - I've just started using their online banking facilities so that has been useful.

Also the great thing about when I opened my account with them - they opened a second account automatically for me so I could have direct debits etc going from that account and manage my money better.

Like someone else has said - why on earth do people still have accounts with RBS if you've had so much hassle? Surely the common sense thing to do is to move your account? If you vote with your feet, they'll get the message loud and clear.

[Don]

I've been with Bank of Scotland since I was born, and currently have a student account, 2 savings accounts and a credit card, as well as a credit card with Egg. I have never had any problem with either of them. I do most of my banking online, only going into the branch to deposit cash or cheques.

I have only ever been charged once for being overdrawn, and that was because it took several weeks for a cheque I had written to be deposited, and I took out money before it had cleared. I explained that to them and they reversed the charge.

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Daz, makes your whites #gggggg

[Insight]

http://www.glasgowstudent.net/advice/bankcharges/

Might prove useful for those angered by charges, like myself.

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SRC Member for Sexualities & Gender

[maenad]

I thought the Office of Fair Trading told banks they had to drop their charges or risk legal proceedings, because the charges have to reflect the real cost of the inconvenience to the bank?

[Insight]

I think banks are trying to keep that on the D/L until they can effect the necessary changes in procedure. Hence the above link will result in most people receiving some sort of refund/compensation.

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SRC Member for Sexualities & Gender

[Bonnie]

Someone sued a large bank (I forget which one now) recently using that same argument. That person won--- but only because the bank forgot to challenge the case.
So, that line of thinking hasn't been proven outright in court, but there is a precedent now.

Quoting maenad from 15:21, 9th Apr 2006
I thought the Office of Fair Trading told banks they had to drop their charges or risk legal proceedings, because the charges have to reflect the real cost of the inconvenience to the bank?

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I love cheese.

[OffHeGoes]

if you have issues with the way RBS run their credit cards then try Barclaycard or Capital One instead.

i've used all three and RBS are without a doubt the most customer-friendly, the most flexible when it comes to mistakes i make.

i've accidently paid bills late on all three accounts (i use debit card payments, as i hate DDs) and also been over my limit on all three. Capital One charged me around £20 for going £2 over, Barclaycard seemed to pluck a £90 minimum payment out of nowhere for going a fiver over, and for going £20 over and not realising for two weeks RBS charged me nothing at all.

i've now just got an RBS debit, an RBS credit and an RBS ISA.

[Rilla]

Quoting offhegoes from 04:00, 10th Apr 2006 and not realising for two weeks RBS charged me nothing at all.

i've now just got an RBS debit, an RBS credit and an RBS ISA.

Seems like I've had the complete opposite experience! I've been charged £30 automatically by RBS for going even £1 overdrawn. It doesnt' happen very often, and I don't have an overdraft facility, but it's an automatic charge.
I think I am going to change banks, definitely.
What's this egg thing people are talking about?

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Time Dedicated to You.

[Rufus]

http://new.egg.com/visitor/0,,3_11060--View_819,00.html