First Direct Accounts

Advantages: low overdraft rate, great internet access
Disadvantages: none so far

i hae held a First Direct bank account since 1990. I went to them mainly for the telephone banking and the low overdraft rate. I only started using the internet banking about 3 years ago. First Direct offer all the usual products, savings, current accounts, loans and mortgages. It is the First Direct current account that I am going to be talking about. CURRENT ACCOUNT +++++++++++++++++ The account can be opened online and gives you free banking. ...
...UP AND RUNNING +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ First Direct will send you two numbers to login with, an 8 digit number and a 10 digit number. These numbers are for security purposes and if you wish, can be stored onto your computer so that you do not have to enter them each time. You then choose a password and enter 3 different letters from this each time that you log on. You also have to set up security details of: A memorable address Place ... Read review

Advantages: 20 squid back
Disadvantages: 6 weeks wait

First direct are giving away £20 in an offer linked with their equity Isa. If you join their free online service called Capital which I did at the end of January you can then get £20 back as cash if you talk to their indipendent advisor. I am still waiting for them as they made the appointment to talk to me for the 3rd March. Lets see what they can offer. I think 6 weeks is a very long time to wait. Just to talk to their Indipendent financial advisor. ...
...think its a con. You have to take out an isa but they wont go through the hassle because they dont make enough commission on anything less than £1000. Many thanks for your support My faith in First direct has now been shocked - they dont care any more ... Read review

Advantages: £25 cash when open an account.
Disadvantages: Before you recieve £25 you must be in credit and wait 28 days.

...I opened a First Direct account to recieve £25. I found First Direct to be very helpful and they have good customer services. They explain everything clearly and offer clear explanations about the account. I can also view the account online. However I am not planning to use this account as my main household bank account. However I have been impressed by First Direct. I also found that it took less than a week to open my account. However I did find the security process slightly long winded. And despite being able to set-up my own account online page I was unable to view any transactions from my home computer for 48 hours. However it is definately worth opening the account for the FREE £25 cash!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: None that I can see, unless you're leaving them
Disadvantages: Inefficient, outsourced call centres, closed at weekends, intransigent

...My father has (or had) banked with Barclays for many years, both commercially and personally, but as he contracted Alzheimer's Disease a couple of years ago, I registered with Barclays as power of Attorney so that I could manage his accounts, although he was reasonably compos mentis but he wanted me to do this. I was given access to the accounts online. In the months leading up to January 2007, we arranged for him to move from his large apartment to a retirement property closer to where I live. During this process, I incurred several thousand pounds worth of expenses on his behalf, so I attempted to transfer the monies into my First Direct current account. The first problem I encountered was that I was unable to transfer more than £1000 per day from his account to an account outside of Barclays. So, I decided to set up... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Efficient, quick, easy to use, free access
Disadvantages: None at all

...to access their Internet banking facility directly from their website at www.firstdirect.co.uk which means that I can now log on for free and spend as much time as I need to administering my accounts, how and when it suits me. Being an accountant by profession, this makes me very happy, as I can keep track of my finances at all times. The site has all the information about the various services available via First Direct - accounts, loans, mortgages, capital investments, shares, etc. There is a facility to set up your account on line, but I can’t comment on the effectiveness or ease of this, as I was already a customer when PC banking was introduced. When you log on to PC banking from the First Direct home page you are first taken through security. You have to say whose account you wish to access and then you are asked three random... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful