Friendly & 'Co-Operative'

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

...this wasn't an issue at first but at month 2 which was a Christmas, I found myself in real need of a fall back but the bank weren't able to help at that point, the did however call me back to my branch at the end of month 3 and arranged my overdraft. For this I did have to tell the clerk what my expenditure was, this is because the Co-Op operate an 'Ethical Banking' policy, which is they will not lend you money or grant you credit facilities if they believe you aren't a position to support these commitments, which is good, considering many places will automatically grant you a £500 overdraft before they know you and before you've established yourself as a customer. On this account, you get all your banking facilities you get with the Cashminder plus a cheque book, you get either a Visa Delta debit card, some customers may get an Electron...

memphisto_chick 12.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank

The no so Co-operative Bank

Advantages: None whatsoever.
Disadvantages: All contact and services from them.

...we proved them wrong. One excuse after another followed. This carried on until I was speaking to the conveyancer about these problems and us both looking through their files of "you are approved by ?????? bank to conduct conveyancing, etc". I spotted a letter of approval for C.I.S. mortgages (Co-operative Insurance Services), so immediately rang Co-op Bank about this. They again tried to worm their way out of this, even though they were merging Co-op Bank and C.I.S. into C.F.S. (Co-op Financial Services) at the time. Finally they gave in after a lot of pressure. We didn't want to reapply for a mortgage with someone else, as we would have lost the property due to one thing and another. Then we come to buildings and contents insurance. We asked Co-op to sort it with the mortgage process, to make it easier for us as they...

mccsmart02 09.02.2007 (02.05.2007) · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank Mortgages

If you want to change the world, be that change

Advantages: Ethical, Environmentally Conscious, Customer Led.
Disadvantages: In my eyes, none at all. It's all good.

...would I let my bank do the same??? The answer, of course, is that I wouldn't. The Co-operative Bank is the ONLY high street bank to have an Ethical Policy which is guided by its customers and dictates exactly who it will and will not do business with. In 2005 they turned away £10million worth of business because it conflicted with their ethical policies. Ethical policies which were helped into creation by the beliefs of their customers. One of the businesses the bank turned away in 2005 was: "International bank £30,000 asset finance facility supporting the acquisition of computer equipment by international bank. Business could not refute allegations that its' services aided the activities of militant groups involved in terrorist activities. In particular, that it manufactured insurance products for the families of suicide...

phoenixgreen 08.09.2006 (26.09.2006) · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank

Ethical banking, mashed with good old fashioned customer service

Advantages: Ethical banking, mashed with good old fashioned customer service
Disadvantages: None big enough to mention

...I have two current accounts, the first being with the Co-operative Bank PLC, my local branch is London Street, Norwich. The main purpose of this account is primarily to pay bills via direct debit. I have a second current account held with Natwest, which any leftover money at the end of the month is paid into. On the whole very happy with both companies, however the customer service I have received from the clerks at Co-operative?s Norwich Branch, is un-surpassed. How nice it is in this day in age, to be welcomed on arrival by warm and welcoming staff who remember your name. And should you need to wait to speak to a personal banker, they offer you free tea and coffee making facilities whilst you wait. You don?t get that at Natwest. I first opened my account with the Co-operative in April 2004, my original account was...

Norwich999 04.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank

Good with money

Advantages: Excellent online banking, easy to open account, great customer service, ethical policies
Disadvantages: I can't think of any

...I have been banking with the Co-operative for just over 3 years now so I like to think I have enough experience of the service to give a fair review. I joined whilst I was working as a debt adviser. Ironic since I had a mountain of debt at the time which is only slightly smaller now! If the people I advised were entering into a debt management plan or an IVA, they were advised to set up a new basic bank account. One of the list of bank accounts we recommended was the Co-Operative Cashminder account. One of my colleagues already had this account and she had nothing but praise for the Co-operative. So, since I was in the process of reclaiming my bank charges from Barclays at the time, I felt a change in my finances was in order. Setting up the account was easy as pie. I did it over the telephone and it was a simple and straightforward...

nicolemorgan 10.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank Accounts

Right-on attitude, shame about the banking.

Advantages: fantastic ethical policy, can be friendly and 'human'
Disadvantages: just not very good at providing banking services!

...those charges on this occasion” said pleasant normal female. Smelling salts were required urgently, I wondered if I had the right number – I was sure they’d said BANK when they’d answered the phone! Now First Direct send me a free text message if I am getting near my limit. I didn't even bother asking the Co-op about this... It says BANK next to the word Co-operative in the High Street, who’s cashpoint I used the other day to withdraw a big wad on my Company Barclaycard. As many of you will know I run market research discussion groups, and had to sort out respondent incentive payments for that evening. However my incentives were GBP50 each, and the machine paid out in 20s, as I explained to the nice lady at the counter having gone in and queued up. So could I just change some of them for 10s please? Not...

Cazz 21.02.2002 · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Bank

What is a co-operative?

Advantages: None.
Disadvantages: See text.

...This review although based on the Co-op as a general shop, is actually based on the Plymouth Co-op. Namely, it is actually based on the Plymouth and South West Co-operative Society. Initially started from Plymoutyh, it now has a number of shops throughout Devon and Cornwall. At first, the Co-op actually started trading as a number of smaller tores (almost a corner shops) throughout the Plymouth area, although at one point they moved also in to having almost a supermarket type base within the Honicknowle area of Plymouth (as well as a smaller supermarket at Plympton which is still held to this day). But at one point, as a company they decided to pull out of this market and to go back in to the smaller almost 'corner shop' type of selling which is still very much in existence today. It would appear in other words that small...

dynamicnurse 30.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Co-op (Shop)

Confessions of a Pop Group

Advantages: buried treasure unearthed
Disadvantages: none if you buy it

...Almost impossible to approach as a normal pop record ,this is the sound of a group overstretching their muscical ambitions and narrowly missing greatness ,what is certain is that this was not what the British public wanted or expected in 1988,corporate consumerism had entered music like never before and the publics appetite for bland ,sterile ,disposable rubbish was insatiable ,Stock ,Aitken and Waterman reigned supreme and the standards which had been set in the previous two decades had been eroded in the face of big business and had been made to look deeply unfashionable ,this might explain a distinct lack of anything approaching great during that time . So ,this was the climate in which "Confessions of a Pop Group "was conceived ,following on from the Councils least succesful album "The Cost Of Loving ",which displayed a complete...

terriano 15.11.2006 · Read review
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Review of Confessions Of A Pop Group [Remastered] - Style Council (The)

The co-operative Insurers.

Advantages: Full proffesional assitance given.
Disadvantages: Claims may be a lengthy process.

......

Reco 21.03.2001 · Read review
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Review of Co-operative Insurance Society Limited

A co-operative quote from a co-operative company

Advantages: Reliable home service, quick and easy website and quote facility.
Disadvantages: none that I can think of.

...I have recently been shopping for Car Insurance both on the Internet and on the telephone. I spent all day Friday on the Internet just looking at 5 sites and then I telephoned 2 insurance places as well. When I say all day I mean from 9.30am to 4pm with a break only for lunch! Then Sunday I spent a hour looking for the company I used to work for the CIS Ltd (which stands for Co-operative Insurance Society) I worked for them for 9 years, since I left school but I left them when I pregnant, 3 years ago and never returned. I used to insure everything through them just because it was easy for me to get quotes and immediate cover, and to deal with people I knew. Now most of the people I used to work with have left so I thought I would look on the Internet to get a quote that way. This was the fastest and easiest site, out...

princesssoapy 21.08.2001 · Read review
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Review of CIS - Motor Insurance