Banking & Personal Finance > Building Societies

Advantages: Internet Banking and Branch Staff who help rather than hinder
Disadvantages: Telephone Access Hours

...bank accounts for some transactions. Nationwide really outshines the rest in their helpful attitude and their honest advice. The branch staff are always helpful on the phone and they TRY to assist, not like some of the experiences we have had with others who have put up hurdles, made us change accounts and quite honestly asked for so much ID information that it is just unbelievable given that we have banked with some of them for more than 20 years. ...
...offering excellent exchange rates for shopping outside the UK - if you travel or move abroad, this is the Credit Card for you, believe me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both the UK and offshore banking arms of the Nationwide (and we don't even get paid to advertise for them!) ... Read review

Advantages: great building society
Disadvantages: none

The west bromwich building society is a company i have had an account with for 22 years, They offer a wide range of saving options ranging from your basic accounts where you can pay as little or as much in as you want to and can withdraw your money when ever you choose to to realy high interest accounts where you have to give notice of wanting to remove money. There are lots of options, i have a basic account with them where i put any spare cash ...
...fetch it out but once it has acumilated to a large sum i change it over to my high interest account which is easy to do ether go to the buildig society or by phone. The only bad point to my account with them is that you have to with draw your money over the counter, there is no option for a cash card so you only have access to your money during buisiness hours. The staff are always very polite and friendly and there are never too many people waiting ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent product
Disadvantages: Appalling Customer Service

Trying to get a remortgage completed with C& G is a total nightmare. Having had an offer in principle at the begining of March, the final offer is still not though as at begining of May when I was hoping to complete as my old mortage deal ends. Each time I call them (which takes forever to get through) I am told that that they require another piece of information e.g. How much savings have you got ? - Never heard that one before. I am probably ...
...seems that they are trying every trick in the book at getting out of lending me at what is an extremely attractive rate (0.38% above base for lifetime of mortgage) which was offered before the full extent of the credit crunch hit. Each time I have spoken with them they have said that they now have everything an that the offer will be out shortly. Upon hearing nothing, I then call again only to be told they now need something else (hoping to find ... Read review

Advantages: excellent customer service, fast efficient service, loyal to customers
Disadvantages: nothing yet

We got a Coventry Building Society mortgage 2 1/2 years ago when we bought our first house. They were recommended by our Financial Advisor. From first contact to payout everything went very smoothly. They kept us updated by post all the way. We moved into our house and were very happy. After 2 1/2 years our fixed rate came to an end and due to the big CC (Credit Crunch) and interest rates climbing higher and higher we were extremly worried how we ...
...onto variable rate. But again Coventry came to the rescue. We received a letter that they would like to offer us another fixed mortgage for the same rate!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes and had to read the letter twice. When I spoke to them on the phone I had some extremely helpful and friendly staff on the other end of the phone. Everything was explained to me in plain english and the paperwork was sent out. Unfortunately they had to rely on Royal ... Read review

Advantages: Good rate - term mortgage, good customer service
Disadvantages: Not as cheap as old one!

...starting to panic. Step in Norwich and Peterborough building society. We have been offered a reasonable rate (albeit costs more than our old mortgage but given the fact that interest charged on mortgages no longer follows the bank of England rate this is no surprise. We wanted a tracker offset mortgage. This means that we are able to receive no interest on the funds in our current or savings accounts but pay no interest on the balances. We are paying ...
...if the base rate does which is great news. The best thing about the N&P mortgage is the very low arrangement fee £550 compared to £2500 for a similar product with Standard Life!!!!! The service that we have received so far is also good -we had a free survey of the house - the guy turned up when he said he would and even refused tea and biscuits! We have also had free legal work - they have also been very efficient. N&P staff also seem very friendly ... Read review