Hill Osborne & Co

Advantages: fast, ethical, and really good customer service
Disadvantages: not many branches.

...I know I have written an op on Nat West, but I have changed banks since then. It was not a fault of theirs, but when you are as busy as I am, you need to get to the bank quickly and conveniently. I did apply for internet banking, but my signature could not be varified apparently, and they told me to go to my local branch to get it sorted. But I havnt got time for all that and when I have they are closed. Im in the city centre quite alot at lunchtime so I thought it would be convenient to have my account wih a bank that is present there. I looked around and there was a choice between Lloyds TSB, Abbey national, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Alliance and Leicester and of course The Co-operative Bank. I decided that after looking at all the websites, the best one was the Co-op bank. What made me decide this was the ethical... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: has an easy to remember, and spell, name
Disadvantages: everything else you associate with a bank

...I just wanted to pay some money into a friends bank account, which was foolishly opened with the Co-op, or the toy bank as it is dis-affectionately known. There are almost no branches of Co-op bank, this makes it insanely difficult to pay into one. Upon reading the co-op bank website however, I found that you could pay in through a post office. Off I went, wodge of cash in hand along with an account number and a sort code. Nope, apparently only the *owner* of the bank account can pay into it, with a proper paying in printed slip out of the chequeue book. Unless of course, I used a cheque, whwn I could pay in and not be the owner of the account. This is just taking the p**s. So I tried to phone up the bank helpline. I found that you cannot speak to a person at all, yo are put through to an autoimated answer machine that asks... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Friendly, Helpful Staff & Great Everyday Banking
Disadvantages: None I have found so far

...I've got a current account with the Co-Op, which I have held now for nearly 2 years. Basically, this current account gives me an agreeable overdraft, Visa debiit card & cheque guarentee and of course, a cheque book, as per all other banks. So what sets the Co-Op apart in my book? Well I'm a bit of a deal hopper, I'll chage my credit cards if I find a 0% deal, I switch banks if their overdraft rate is better or they are offering incentives etc, when I was dissatisfied with my previous provider, the Co-op wasn't the frirst ban I looked at, I had the impression they were limited in facilities and old fashioned. Limited facitilites I was totally wrong about, they offer everything under one roof, mortgages, savings, insurence plus all the extras too. Now for me, yes they are old fashioned but this is where they excel, all the branch... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful