First Direct - Banking Heaven

Advantages: Excellent customer service
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 of 'fresh air' in the world of banking. This is one of the best moves I have ever made and I am delighted with the outstanding customer service and the excellent products that First Direct offer. One of the most pleasing things about...

Krazikas 14.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of First Direct

First Direct Offset Mortgage

Advantages: First Direct - great offset mortgage
Disadvantages: Too easy to access the equity in your home!

...The first thing that attracted me to a First Direct (a division of HSBC Bank plc) offset lifetime tracker mortgage was that it was listed at the top of the 'best buy' tables on moneysupermarket.com. A quick search revealed that it had also been voted the best lender for customer service in the Which? Money survey on mortgages 2008. This was the second year running that First Direct had come out on top. With a score of 90% first direct was 11% ahead of its nearest rival in the survey of 18 lenders. First Directs mortgages have won numerous awards over the years, the most recent being What Mortgage Magazine's winner of Best Direct Lender over 5 Years (February 2007). In January 2009 their offset mortgage was one of the lowest rates on the market. Although I was not actually looking to remortgage at this stage because I still had nine...

Krazikas 28.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of First Direct Mortgages

Excellent service - can't fault First Direct!

Advantages: Easy to set up, easy to repay by DD
Disadvantages: None for me

...I have been a customer of First Direct bank ever since they started and I honestly cannot fault them. Incidentally they came top in the survey done by Watchdog so I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so! When we decided to buy our cottage last year we thought that we would be able to sell our house quite easily. Sadly this wasn't the case and because of the credit crunch we still own both properties although we have got tenants in the house now which does help a bit with the finances. When we came to pay the deposit on the cottage we had to raise the 15% deposit that we needed without having the income from the sale of the house that we had been expecting. To top up the money that we had already saved we needed a loan of £14,000 and we began doing some research to find the best deal. We were quoted various ridiculous...

SusanLesley 17.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of First Direct Loans

Nationwide vs EGG vs First Direct

Advantages: ease and flexibility of use, 24hr access
Disadvantages: various - read individual opinions on each bank, can expect delay in applying

...Intro:~ This is an opinion on comparison of three internet banking companies - and is not restricted to First Direct only. At present there is no sub-category for comparing Internet banking so it is placed here) -if you wish to read specifically about First Direct-please refer to my other opinion - "First Direct - the Ultimate First Class service" which can be found under: Finance & Services > Banking & Personal Finance > Customer/General Service > Internet Banks > First Direct . So you’ve all heard of the latest benefits and disadvantages of internet banking, so whats it “really" like… Here’s the low down …… Having applied online and used all 3 of these recently, here is my verdict 1st prize goes to FIRST DIRECT...

Connoisseur_Haggler 13.10.2000 (18.01.2001) · Read review
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Review of First Direct

First Direct

Advantages: ease of access to information
Disadvantages: sometimes (but not that often) you have to wait for the phone to be answered

...I have banked with First Direct for years now, and they have always been as good as they possily could be. When I went through a messy seperation from my ex partner, having an overdrawn joint account was only a minor problem to them and they were more than helpful in making sure that my banking arrangements were satisfactory for me. From those days of having just one current account, I have now progressed to having a sole account, a joint account, a savings account, an ISA,a second curent account, and my partner has changed to First Direct now for his current account and an ISA as well. Having access to a banking representative 24 hours a day is very helpful as I can?t get into town to visit the bank very often, and as I get paid by cheque, it is really easy to pay it into my account by post. It is just simplicity to ring up and get...

DeborahB 10.10.2000 · Read review
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Review of First Direct

First class Direct banking

Advantages: Simple and secure
Disadvantages: none

...I'm not going to go into the contract agreement or any of the small print here, you can get all the details from First Direct themselves. This opinion is to inform you all of my experience with this bank, the pro's and con's. You can then make your own mind up as to whether you want to open an account with them or not. I wanted a bank account that was a little different from the rest. First Direct's interest rates were very competitive when I opened my current account with them about 4 years ago. Since then I have been very impressed with their services, security and personal customer care - What customer care I hear you ask, this isn't a real bank - When you have a problem they will sort it out in person either over the phone or via messages through their internet service. I log into my account via their internet service with my...

Timski 03.08.2001 · Read review
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Review of First Direct

The First Nearly Perfect Bank??

Advantages: 24/7 Helpful Customer Service, text message banking, online banking
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 worth a look at least. Knowing that they were an online bank they obviously had a website so I set about finding it. Easy enough (www.firstdirect.com). I sat and looked through all of the information on their site which gave me...

Andy0304 07.10.2004 · Read review
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Review of First Direct

  The Ultimate FIRST CLASS service

Advantages: Excellent first class service, fast response, high security, can bank via PC, internet, mobile phone & telephone 24 hours a day
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 with a high level of customer service, yet at the same time they would be at the forefront of technology and security. In recent years as more and more households get online in the UK, internet banking has certainly become more accessible...

Connoisseur_Haggler 24.02.2002 (27.02.2002) · Read review
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Review of First Direct

It's good to come first

Advantages: speak to a real person
Disadvantages: charges on overdraft

...located in our building. When I was made redundant and found myself enjoying a summer on garden leave that convenience was gone and suddenly I had to travel all the way into the centre of town, pay to park my car and queue with the great unwashed of Northampton, I even risked meeting some of the unsavory Ciao members that live in Northampton, you know who they are. I also discovered just how awful the telephone banking service is for my old bank with its multiple button pressing which ultimately sees you being routed to India to find out the balance of your account. With First Direct I get none of this inconvenience. I can still use a branch if I want to but now I can choose from any one of the HSBC branches (first direct are part of the HSBC group) importantly I get access to the best telephone service I have ever come across. The operators...

atticusuk 13.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of First Direct

FIRST DIRECT - THEY ARE FIRST IN MY BOOK

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. You get an automatic fee-free overdraft of £500 at a rate of 9.9% variable. (This usually costs me less than £2 per month). You can withdraw up to £500 per day from a cash machine. They help you to transfer all of the standing orders and direct debits from your old bank account. you can earn up to 2% gross on your credit balance (but only if you pay in over £1000 per...

kismet 03.03.2005 · Read review
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Review of First Direct Accounts