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Home > Finance > Banking & Personal Finance > Internet Banks > First Direct

User Reviews

for First Direct

Rating Summary based on 135 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		88
  • 4 Stars
    		21
  • 3 Stars
    		3
  • 2 Stars
    		9
  • 1 Star
    		14

Detailed rating

  • Additional Charges
  • Competitiveness of APR
  • Ease of Application
  • Product package
  • Quality of Customer Service
  		• 2.6
  		• 3.1
  		• 3.7
  		• 3.6
  		• 3.8
Previous page Next page Page 1 of 14 | 1 to 10 out of 135 Review(s)
  • 40 of 40 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of atticusuk

    Level 7 atticusuk

    Member since 22/02/2004

    Reviews written: 310

    4 Stars It's good to come first 13/10/2005
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages speak to a real person

    Disadvantages Disadvantages charges on overdraft

    The competition for our banking business is not always as competitive as it should be, mainly because of customer inertia which results in many of us staying with the same bank. The main banks enjoy this as it helps them maintain market share. For many banks the current account is a loss leader, it provides little in the way of revenue provided the account holder remains in credit or within an agreed overdraft limit whilst the average cost for a bank to operate a current account is £70 per year. At least that was the figure used by the bank that I worked in for the past 16 years. For most ... more
  • 18 of 18 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Krazikas

    Krazikas

    5 Stars First Direct - Banking Heaven 14/06/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Excellent customer service

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Low interest rate

    I know that I have written a reviews recently about First Direct (a division of HSBC Bank plc) and their products and facilities and 'no', I do not work for them and am not on any commission! However, I would be delighted to work for them as I think they are absolutely first class..... After 30 years of banking with the Halifax I moved to First Direct for my banking. The reason I moved was because I took out a mortgage with First Direct and one of the conditions for getting a mortgage was that I had to open a bank account with them. I can quite honestly say that First Direct are like a breath ... more
  • 29 of 29 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of garbadine

    garbadine

    5 Stars The First bank who meets my needs! 11/06/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Superb service, friendly staff, access via phone, internet, email, text message whenever you need it

    Disadvantages Disadvantages none whatsoever

    I joined First Direct about 2 years ago. I had just graduated and was fed up with my current bank (NatWest) who did not seem to do ANYTHING to make life easier for me, the customer. My other half recommended FD to me, and at first I was a bit dubious about a bank where you couldn't actually go into a branch and see anyone. However, I have to say that First Direct have been fantastic from the word 'go'. Because of the hours I work, and where I work and where I live, it's not easy for me to get to a bank in person. With First Direct, it doesn't matter. I set up my account over the phone, they ... more
  • 115 of 115 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Connoisseur_Haggler

    Connoisseur_Haggler

    5 Stars The Ultimate FIRST CLASS service Diamond review 24/02/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Excellent first class service, fast response, high security, can bank via PC, internet, mobile phone & telephone 24 hours a day

    Disadvantages Disadvantages none really (interest rates for internet could be higher..though they aren’t bad)

    I have been banking with First Direct, a division of HSBC Bank since 1995. With 7 years experience with this bank I would like to put forward my opinion of their internet banking and service. First direct was one of the first telephone banking services introduced in the UK in the late 1980’s; offering 24/7 access to your bank account; something quite unheard of at that time! So, when First Direct made the revolutionary move and launched their new internet/PC banking on 18 July 2000 I immediately signed up without any hesitation. I knew they would be able to provide an efficient service ... more
  • 32 of 32 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Andy0304

    Andy0304

    5 Stars The First Nearly Perfect Bank?? 07/10/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages 24/7 Helpful Customer Service, text message banking, online banking

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Charge high fees for unauthorised items, no branches

    I decided to transfer my current account about 18 months ago as I had decided enough was enough with the service I was receiving from Barclays. My biggest problem had to be 1 of two things I thought, firstly which bank? Secondly, would it go smoothly? After looking up all of the usual High Street banks including the likes of Halifax, Lloyds TSB etc etc, I still had not made up my mind. That is when someone suggested to be have I ever heard of First Direct. I had seen some of their adverts on TV but to be honest never paid much attention. As I had got no where with the other banks, it had to be ... more
  • 30 of 30 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of SusanLesley

    SusanLesley

    5 Stars Banking the easy way 13/07/2001
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Efficient, quick, easy to use, free access

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None at all

    I have been a customer of First Direct ever since they first began trading offering a telephone banking service, and I have always been a satisfied customer. About two years ago First Direct decided to go on line and offered their customers the opportunity of PC banking. The unfortunate thing about this was that you had to load the software, provided by First Direct, from a disk onto your PC and then use it via a high cost telephone call whether you had free access to the Internet or not. I used this occasionally and found it a useful service, but, because of the high cost, I never really made ... more
  • 121 of 121 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of thethirdeye

    thethirdeye

    5 Stars black and white is still in fashion Diamond review 18/12/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages ease of access, great customer service

    Disadvantages Disadvantages low interest paid on cheque account

    When telephone banking was in its infancy, and my existing bank wanted to charge me for using this facility, I switched to first direct on the recommendation of a friend who, like me, worked long hours and wanted to be able to organise the payment of bills at any time of day. On the rare occasions when I need to deposit a cheque, I do go into a branch of HSBC (of which first direct are a division), and I usually have to queue, but I would rather do this than bank the cheque by post. Other than these isolated occurrences, banking and I have been enjoying a faceless but excellent long distance ... more
  • 45 of 45 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of coleecip

    coleecip

    5 Stars NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM EVER WITH THEM!!! 09/05/2006
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Instant human contact / proactive

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None - in my experience

    First a snapshot of the bank - 1) Owned by HSBC and created just after the merger of Midland and HSBC (not High Street Bank Company) freed up funds 2) Available on the phone instantly - no button pressing options / no holding (OK very rarely I have been put on hold) and in HSBC branches 3) 1.7% interest (to date) on balances - the first bank to offer higher than 0.01% on current accounts 4) Internet very easy to use - can manage accounts simply with simple titles and headings 5) Security through internet seems to work well - as I haven't been pilfered from. 6) Arranges and transfers of all ... more
  • 43 of 43 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of MadeinScotland

    MadeinScotland

    5 Stars My Bank Account in Plain English 10/12/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Very easy to use, accessible and friendly efficient service

    Disadvantages Disadvantages No actual branches and can give steep charges if you are not careful

    I hate anything financial. I am just not money-minded. I pay my bills late, I rarely open my statements and I thought a Tessa was a girl's name. So I really needed something that was easy to understand. I decided to join First Direct in 1998, when it first opened its virtual doors (if you look at their postcode you will see its LS98, Leeds 1998 – cool, isn’t it) They are probably based in the middle of nowhere in a huge warehouse and they got to choose their own postcode! Well I was looking for an easy to access bank, I am also at the Bank of Scotland, but living in Oxford at the time it’s ... more
  • 18 of 18 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of mickfleet

    mickfleet

    5 Stars A bank well worth considering. 02/02/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Reliable, Friendly service, Ultra convenient

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None that I can think of

    I changed my bank account to First Direct in 1994 and haven't looked back. Worrying about driving into town and battling through the madding crowd and the rain to reach a bank before it closes and then queuing to carry out my business in earshot of everybody else are distant memories. For the past nine years banking has been a pleasure. Up until 1999 my banking was done over the phone any time day or night, 365 days a year. When you have been used to High Street banking for years you may wonder why you would want to do your banking outside office hours. But when you can sort out your finances ... more
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